Description
Traditional German Beef Rouladen featuring tender thinly sliced beef rolled with mustard, bacon, onions, and dill pickles, slow-roasted in a savory beef broth and served with a rich gravy over mashed potatoes or elbow macaroni.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Rouladen
- 6 slices beef round or thinly sliced flank steak (¼-inch thick)
- 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 6 slices bacon (uncooked)
- 1 white onion or yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 6 dill pickles
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups reduced sodium beef broth
- ¼ cup dill pickle juice
- 1 (8 ounce) can mushrooms with juices (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch (more as needed)
- Prepared mashed potatoes or elbow macaroni (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) to prepare for slow roasting the rouladen.
- Prepare Beef Slices: Place the beef slices on a cutting board and gently pound them with a meat tenderizer until they are about ¼-inch thick to ensure tenderness and easy rolling.
- Season Beef: Spread a thin layer of yellow mustard evenly over each slice of beef. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper to enhance the flavor.
- Add Fillings: Lay one slice of uncooked bacon on each beef slice, then top with a sprinkle of sliced onions and one dill pickle each for the classic rouladen filling.
- Roll and Secure: Roll each beef slice jelly-roll style around the fillings and secure tightly with toothpicks or kitchen twine to keep the rouladen intact during cooking.
- Brown Rolls: Heat butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the rouladen and brown them on all sides to develop deep flavor and color.
- Add Liquids and Roast: Pour in the beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add mushrooms (with their juices, if using) and the dill pickle juice. Cover the Dutch oven and place it in the oven for 90-120 minutes, roasting until the beef is fork-tender.
- Make Gravy – Remove Rouladen: Transfer the cooked rouladen to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Leave the cooking juices in the Dutch oven for the gravy.
- Make Gravy – Thicken Sauce: Heat the remaining juices over medium-high heat until boiling. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water to create a slurry. Gradually whisk the slurry into the boiling broth to thicken, adding more cornstarch mixture as needed until gravy reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve: Serve the rouladen over prepared mashed potatoes or elbow macaroni and spoon the rich gravy on top for a comforting meal.
Notes
- Flank steak can be used as an alternative to beef round if thinly sliced and tenderized properly.
- Adjust salt to taste, especially when using reduced sodium beef broth to control sodium levels.
- If preferred, replace mushrooms with extra onions or omit entirely for a cleaner sauce.
- Ensure rouladen is secured tightly to prevent filling from falling out during roasting.
- The gravy thickening step can be adjusted by adding cornstarch slurry slowly to avoid overly thick sauce.
