It started off with Alex Hammake’s insistent and enthusiastic tweets about the lack of breakfast Runzas on the market. That sparked a class discussion in mid-September that then, in turn, caused the breakfast wheels in my head to start spinning. My family grew up eating and making bierocks, which are very similar to Runzas. Both are pocket sandwiches created with yeast dough, ground pork or hamburger, cabbage, onions, spices, and occasionally cheese. The fillings can change depending on type or preference. While my classmates were debating what exactly would go into a breakfast Runza, I texted my mom a question.

I started to brown the sausage, onion, mushrooms, and peppers together while my mom worked on rolling out the dough to the correct consistency and size. Once the sausage was cooked and drained of excess grease, I started the slow scramble of my eggs. After they reached a mostly solidified state while still being just shy of completely cooked, I took the eggs off the stove to begin the filling stage.

Mom and I decided to go for a small test batch; we had enough dough for just nine bierocks. We initially planned to add cheese to five of them, but ultimately decided to omit the cheese for this batch – these bad boys were to be completely dairy-free. The eggs were placed on the dough first with the sausage mixture to follow. The edges of the dough needed to be brought together gently so the dough wouldn’t tear, then we began pinching to create the seal. We gently placed the filled rolls on silicon-lined baking sheets, brushed the rolls in vegan butter, and set them in the preheated oven.

During the time in which the bierocks were in the oven, my mom and I discussed the different breakfast varieties these could have. Spicy breakfast sausage with different peppers, veggie lovers, smoked ham or bacon instead of sausage, and incorporating hashbrowns into the bierock itself. There was no end to the number of options we were coming up with.

The whole house smelled of baked bread, a good sign the bierocks were almost done. After letting them get golden brown, I took the pans out to cool. We waited several agonizing minutes for them to cool, then dove in.

The bread was soft and pillowy. The eggs were fully cooked, but not dry or rubbery. The peppers and onions flavored the whole mixture while not overpowering the sausage and egg. Mom and I were patting ourselves on the back between bites for how well our breakfast bierocks turned out. Even my dad, who adds cheese and additional seasonings to all of his breakfast sandwiches and burritos, had no critiques.

The breakfast bierocks were a success, even though we lacked the hashbrowns to go alongside them (sorry Alex). My mom and I tackled one of the hurdles Bryce shared in his article, creating a recipe with instructions. If Runza is willing to enquire, we’re willing to share.