German Beef Rouladen

 

When temperatures drop, I crave hearty braised dishes that fill your house with tempting aromas. I remember my Mom making beef rouladen on occasion and it was the perfect meal for a cold Sunday. She couldn't locate her recipe, so I looked at dozens of them on the internet, and created my own version. This takes a long time to make, but sometimes I want a long complicated recipe. Any yutz can throw stuff in a crock pot, but I find most dishes pasty and gray. You have to brown meats prior to braising them in my opinion. 

A great thing about this recipe, is that the very economical cut of bottom round can be used. I bought a roast about 3.5 lbs and with a very sharp knife cut slices about a half inch thick. I then pounded the slices till they were about a quarter in thick. 

Ingredients

2-3 lbs. bottom round steaks, pounded to 1/4 " thick, (should have 8 pieces)

1/2 tsp. alt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup dijon mustard

1 white onion

2 medium dill pickles cut into match sticks

1 carrot par boiled and cut into match sticks

4 slices thick bacon, cubed and fried to almost crisp

2 tbsp. butter and 2 tbsp. olive oil

1 carrot peeled and finely diced

1 stalk celery finely diced

1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dry thymee

1 cup beef broth

1/4 cup red wine

1 heaping tbsp. tomato paste

Directions

Step One-- Season both sides of the pounded steaks with salt and pepper. Spread mustard on one side of steak. Distribute chopped onion, 2 carrot slivers, and 2 pickle slivers , and some bacon pieces one one end of steak, and then roll it up and secure with toothpicks.

Step Two- In a Dutch oven heat the olive oil and butter on medium high heat. Brown the rolls on all sides. Remove rolls and set aside.

Step Three- Add the diced carrots, celery and thyme to the dutch oven and cook till softened. Add the wine and broth and deglace the pot. Add the rolls back to the pot and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 hours, turning the rolls every half hour. 

Step Four- After 2 hours remove the rolls and put on a warmed platter. Strain the sauce and discard the vegetables,  and put back in dutch oven. Stir in the tomato paste, and over medium high heat and reduce the sauce by a third. Add diluted cornstarch to thicken if needed. Remove toothpicks from rolls and slice on the diagonal and plate it. Pour gravy over the rolls and have some in a gravy boat for the recommended side dishes of red cabbage and spaetzle.