Grandma Karen's
Rouladen

This traditional German favorite goes back several generations in Grandma Karen's family.

About this recipe

My first experience with Rouladen was in Grandma Karen's grandmother's dining room five decades ago.  It was understandably also one of her mother's special dishes, and has always been one of her best, too.  With one exception, the recipe, as presented here, is essentially unchanged since her grandmother's youth – that being the option of using beef sirloin instead of the more commonly used top round.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds beef sirloin (or top round)
  • 8 ounces bacon
  • ½ cup onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 tablespoon Dynasty Brown Gravy Sauce
  • salt
  • pepper

Directions

  1. Thinly slice the bacon into batons.  Separate the pieces and sauté in a Dutch Oven until partially cooked, but not crisp.  Drain the bacon strips on a paper towel.  Pour off all but one tablespoon of the bacon fat. 
  2. Cut the meat into roughly rectangular serving pieces, approximately two inches by four inches and about one-quarter to three-eighths inch thick.  Gently pound on one side using the smooth side of a meat mallet until each slice is about ¼-inch thick.  Season the meat with salt and pepper to taste. 
  3. Put two teaspoons onion and one teaspoon bacon in the middle of each piece.  Roll the meat starting with the short side.  Insert two toothpicks through each roll to hold it together.
  4. Brown the meat rolls in the Dutch Oven with the reserved tablespoon of bacon fat, taking care to not crowd the meat.  Remove the browned rolls to a dish and deglaze the pot with 2 cups beef broth.
  5. Bring the beef broth to a simmer and return the rolls to the pot.  Simmer over low heat for 90 minutes for sirloin, or 2 hours for top round.   
  6. Transfer the meat to a deep serving dish and remove the toothpicks.
  7. To prepare the meat gravy, whisk together the flour, one cup of beef broth and the Dynasty Brown Gravy Sauce.  Add this to the cooking pot, and simmer for two minutes.  Taste, and add another ½ - 1 teaspoon of salt if necessary.  Simmer for another 8 to 10 minutes. 
  8. Strain the gravy using a fine mesh strainer and return it to the pot.  Add the meat rolls and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes to combine the flavors.
  9. Serve with mashed potatoes.
Meat sliced and pounded.
Sautéed bacon batons.
Seasoned and ready to be rolled.
Browned and waiting for gravy.
Rolled and skewered.
Serving for one!

Notes

  • The subtle bacon flavor of the gravy tastes even better the next day!
Posted: November 2014.