 A runza | |
| Course | Main |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | Nebraska |
| Main ingredients | Bread,Ground beef,Cabbage, Seasonings,Onion |
| Variations | Cheddar cheese,Swiss cheese &mushrooms,Italian style,jalapeños,vegetarian[1] |
| 530 (Standard/"Original")[2] | |
Arunza (also called akrautburger, orkraut pirok) is ayeastdoughbread pocket with a filling consisting ofground beef,cabbage orsauerkraut,onions, and seasonings.[3][4][5][6] Runzas can be baked into various shapes such as a half-moon, a rectangle, a round (bun), a square, or a triangle. The runzas sold by theRunza restaurant chain are rectangular while many of the bierocks sold inKansas are round buns.[7]
The runza is aregional cuisine ofNebraska, with some commentators calling it "as Nebraskan asCornhuskerfootball."[8] It is served by the Nebraska Society of Washington, D.C.,[9] and the Nebraska Society of New York[10] at their Taste of Nebraska events and was chosen to represent the state at Flavored Nation, an event serving iconic dishes from all fifty states.[11]
The runza sandwich originated from thepirog, an Eastern European baked good[4][12] or more specifically from its small version, known aspirozhok (literally "littlepirog"). In the 18th century,Volga Germans (ethnic Germans who settled in theVolga River valley in theRussian Empire at the invitation ofCatherine the Great because of their skill in farming[13]), adapted thepirog /pirozhok to create thebierock, a yeast pastry sandwich with similar savory ingredients.[4][12] When the political climate turned against the Volga Germans as part ofRussification[14] including the threat of conscription into the Russian army beginning in 1871,[13] many emigrated to the United States, creating communities across theGreat Plains.[15][13][16][17] These immigrants, including the Brening family that settled nearSutton, Nebraska, brought their bierock recipes with them.[12] Sarah "Sally" Everett (née Brening), originally of Sutton, is credited with adapting her family's bierock recipe into the runza and also inventing the name for the sandwich.[4][12][3][18][19] In 1949, Everett went into business selling runzas with her brother Alex[20] inLincoln, founding theRunza restaurant chain.[18][3][4]
Many sources agree that Sally Everett invented the name "runza"[18][3][12] although it is likely she adapted it from an existing name for the sandwich; either thekrautrunz,[18] an older, different German name for the bierock, or theLow Germanrunsa,[12] meaning "belly", alluding to the gently rounded shape of the pouch pastry. The modern GermanRanzen, also meaning satchel, derives fromrunsa. The word "runza" is registered as atrademark in the United States, held by theRunza restaurant chain.[21]
Some bake them in a round shape. Some make them rectangular.
What do you do when you live 1,252 miles from Nebraska and you suddenly have a craving for a Runza or a slice of Valentino's pizza? You order them flown in, of course. That's exactly what the Nebraska Society of New York plans to do for its Nebraska food extravaganza in New York City Sunday.
| American breads |
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| Miscellaneous | |
