What is Rouladen?
My older teen years were spent with a family that was from Germany. I think this is when my true love of food started. I saw different types of food that weren’t in my little hometown. Magdalena, or as I called her Ma, made all kinds of German dishes.
She once made goulash. I was so excited to taste a bite of home. My mom made goulash all the time (see recipe here). I was surprised with the ingredients she used. Her goulash was what I grew to know as Beef & Noodles. It was very delicious. Maybe soon I should recreate that recipe.
My favorite dish she made was Rouladen. She didn’t make it very often and we savored every bite when she did. She always served it with potato dumplings and cucumber salad(which I also need to share in the future). I have a hard time finding the potato dumplings these days and tend to serve it with spaetzle.
So, what is Rouladen? It’s a thinly sliced beef steak stuffed. Different regions in Germany stuff it with different items. Ma always used bacon, pickle, and onion. Once stuffed it’s cooked in beef broth and then the broth is thickened into a gravy.
Rouladen has become a favorite in my family. My kids were all heartbroken that I only made enough for these photos and not the normal 50 rolls. I hope your family loves it as much as we do. Leave me a note in the comments if you do!
What You Need:
- Large skillet
- Cutting board
- Meat mallet or thick cup
- Toothpicks
- Thin sliced beef
- Onion (green or yellow)
- Crispy bacon
- Pickle spears
- Beef base
- Oil
Rouladen (German Stuffed Steak)
Ingredients
- 10-12 Thin Sliced Beef Steaks
- 10-12 slices Bacon, cooked extra crispy
- 10-12 spears Pickle Slices
- 10-12 Green Onion
- 2-4 TBSP Oil
- 2 cups Water
- 2 TBSP Beef Base
- 2 TBSP Cornstarch
- 1.5 TBSP Ice Cold Water
Instructions
- Using a meat tenderizer (or a thick coffee cup) beat the meat gently thinner.
- Place a piece of bacon, pickle spear, and green onion (or sliced yellow onion) at one end of the beef steak.
- Now roll it up And place a toothpick in it to hold it together.
- Place oil in fry pan and put on medium-high (more high than medium) and heat oil. Once the oil is hot, Brown the rolls on 2 sides. (You’re not cooking them all the way. Just searing the meat to hold in flavor and juices) Don’t brown them all at once. You want room in the pan so the temperature stays more even.
- Once browned, remove to a plate. Switching to a dutch oven place the 2 cups water and beef base in the pot. Bring to a boil and then place rolls in the broth. Put a lid on it, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
- In a cup mix together cornstarch and cold water until combined.
- Stir the cornstarch mixture into the broth, stirring constantly as you pour.
- Cook on medium heat for about a minute or until thickened. Now put the rolls back in the gravy and coat the rolls well.
- Remember to remove the toothpick before serving. Serve and Enjoy #homemadeYUMMY
