Rouladen

Bacon, beef broth, and tomato paste make this hearty beef recipe a major umami delight. Try this gravy-topped classic German entree as part of your Oktoberfest menu or anytime you're craving comfort food.

Course Main Course

Cuisine German

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 1 35

Servings (1 rouladen) servings

Calories 177kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

For the rouladen:

1 to 1 1/4 pounds beef round roast sliced into 6 steaks or thinly-sliced flank steak
3 tablespoons brown mustard or yellow mustard
6 slices bacon
1 yellow onion thinly sliced, plus more if desired, divided
6 dill pickle spears optional
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the gravy:

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 clove garlic chopped
1 small leek white parts only, rinsed, and chopped
1 large carrot peeled and diced
1 large celery rib diced
1 cup dry red wine such as pinot noir or cabernet
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
fresh parsley finely chopped, for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

On a cutting board lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper, lay out beef slices in a single layer. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap, and gently pound slices using a meat tenderizer.
Spread a thin layer of brown mustard over each slice, about 1 1/2 teaspoons each. Lay one bacon slice over each slice of beef, trimming if necessary. Top each with a small amount of the sliced onions and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground back pepper. Top with a pickle spear, if using.
Roll each rouladen jelly-roll style, and secure with twine.
In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat butter over medium-high heat. Brown each roll, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove rouladen, set on a plate, and cover to keep warm. Add remaining onions, garlic, leeks, carrots, celery to pot and saute until the onions start to become translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add red wine to Dutch oven, deglaze pan making sure to scrape up any brown bits. Stir in beef broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Return rouladen to pan, cover, reduce heat and simmer until fork-tender, about 60 to 90 minutes.
Remove rouladen from pot, set aside. Increase heat to medium-high and bring broth to a boil. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Add cornstarch slurry to the boiling broth while whisking until it reaches the desired thickness. Remove bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remove twine from rouladen. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Serve over mashed potatoes topped with gravy, if desired.

Video

Notes

Flank steak: If your store doesn't sell this beef cut pre-packaged and thinly-sliced, ask at the meat counter. Most butchers will be happy to slice the steak thin for you so less pounding is required in step 1 of this Rouladen recipe. Otherwise, you'll just need to pound your beef a little longer to get it thin enough to roll. Hanger steak and skirt steak are terrific alternatives if you can't find flank.
Mustard: Brown or yellow; homemade or store-bought.
Bacon: Thick or regular strips work great, just skip the sweet-flavored styles such as maple or apple.
Dill pickle spears: I love the tang and texture these add to the Rouladen stuffing, but these are totally optional. Omit if pickles aren't a family favorite.
Dry red wine: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Merlot all fit the bill. For an alcohol-free alternative, use 3 cups of beef broth instead of 2 cups of broth and 1 cup of wine.
Yield: This Rouladen recipe serves 6 adults: either in one large Rouladen or 6 single-steak portions.
Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Make ahead: Rouladen tastes even better when it has a day to rest and let the flavors blend. Make it a day or two in advance and reheat over the stove on medium until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Freezer: The Rouladen can be fully cooked, cooled, and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat over the stove on medium until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Nutrition