Rouladen

This rouladen recipe is an example of classic German comfort food, despite the French-derived name. It’s one of many old-world German recipes from Taste of Home contributors, reflecting just how many North Americans share some degree of German ancestry.

A beef rouladen recipe is a relatively straightforward thing. Though the prep takes some time, it’s not difficult, and the end result is certainly worth it. It’s the kind of meal that makes you feel warm on the inside when the weather is cold on the outside.

Rouladen Recipe Ingredients

• Dijon mustard: The Dijon mustard brings a bright, pungent flavor to the rolls, and its acidity helps tenderize the beef.
• Top round steak: Top round steak is lean and tight-grained enough to slice thinly, making it perfect for rolling.
• Bacon: Bacon brings sweet, savory and smoky flavors to complement the beef.
• Onion: Onion wedges provide a savory flavor to complement the beef and bacon.
• Beef broth: Beef broth works as the cooking liquid for simmering the meat, and then becomes a gravy for the finished dish.
• Flour: A flour and water slurry thickens the sauce into a flavorful gravy.
• Parsley: Chopped parsley is a traditional, though optional, garnish for the rolls of beef.

Directions

Step 1: Assemble the rouladen

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

Lightly spread Dijon mustard on each slice of steak, and season them with salt and pepper. Lay one bacon strip and a few wedges of onion wedges on each slice. Roll them up, and use toothpicks to secure the end of the rolls and hold them together.

Step 2: Cook the rouladen

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

In a large skillet, brown the beef in oil until it’s no longer pink. Drain any oil from the pan. Add broth and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, then cover and simmer the beef rolls for 1-1/2 hours or until the meat is tender.

Step 3: Finish the gravy

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

Remove the beef rolls from the skillet and keep them warm. Combine the flour and water to make a smooth slurry, then gradually stir it into the simmering beef broth. Bring the broth to a boil, stirring constantly until the gravy has thickened and become bubbly. Remove the toothpicks. Return the rouladen to the skillet with the gravy, and heat them until they’re warmed through. Sprinkle them with parsley, if desired.

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

Rouladen Recipe Variations

• Add pickles: While the mustard brings a bit of tang to the dish, most old-school German rouladen recipes usually also includes a pickle. The simplest way to do this is to place a dill pickle spear at one end of the steak strip, so it’s in the middle of the finished roll. Another option is to use dill pickle chips, laying them flat along the strip of steak. That way the pickle flavor is evenly distributed through every bite.
• Use German mustard: It’s not that Germans don’t use Dijon mustard (they do), but a German mustard is more appropriate in this German dish. Germany has a strong mustard tradition with lots of regional variations, but you should find mainstream Mittelscharf- or Düsseldorf-style mustards at any good deli. Some are spicier than others some are tangier, so ask the deli staff for a recommendation. Alternatively, you could make your own spicy Bavarian beer mustard.
• Go with pork instead: While beef rouladen are most common, pork-based German rouladen recipes are equally authentic and traditional. Start with a thin cut (ask your butcher for “scallopini”) and pound them gently to make them even thinner and more pliable. Make the rouladen as directed in this recipe, but with pickle spears and thin slices of apple inside each roll.

How to Store Rouladen

Any leftover rouladen should be transferred to a food-safe storage container with a tight-fitting lid, and kept in your refrigerator.

Can I make this rouladen recipe ahead of time?

Yes, you can make rouladen in advance. In fact, since they’re a bit of fuss to make, it’s something German cooks often do. One option is to prepare the actual rolls ahead of time, then wrap them and store them, uncooked, in your refrigerator overnight. The next day, cook them as described in the recipe. Your other option is to prep and cook them, then cool them rapidly (it’s faster if you take them out of the gravy) and refrigerate them. At dinnertime, or the next day, you can simply reheat the rouladen in their gravy on the stovetop or in your microwave.

How long will rouladen keep?

If they’re refrigerated promptly after your meal, the rouladen can be stored for up to four days. For longer-term storage you can freeze them in bags or airtight containers, in which case they’ll keep for up to three months, depending how well they’re wrapped.

Rouladen Recipe Tips

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Can I skip browning the beef and just simmer it?

You can, but you’ll lose out on some flavor. You know those brown bits that stick onto the pan when you brown the meat? The French call that the fond, and it gives your dish a solid base of flavor. It’s totally up to you whether the convenience or the flavor boost is more important on a given day.

Could I finish these in the oven instead of on my stovetop?

You certainly can, and German cooks often do. That way you (and your stovetop) are free to do other things, like prepare some side dishes to go with the entree. It will still cook in 60 to 90 minutes in your oven, at 325° to 350°F. Alternatively, once they’re browned you can transfer the rouladen to a small slow cooker and let them simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours on high, or four to six hours on low.

What should I serve with my rouladen?

You have lots of choices. They’re popular all over Germany and in various regional enclaves across central and eastern Europe, so it’s hard to go wrong with any side you choose. Creamy mashed potatoes are a good choice as starches go, or you could go with German potato dumplings (kartoffelklösse) or bread dumplings (semmelknödel). Spaetzle, a sort of quick dumplings or noodles made with flour, are another traditional choice. Braised red cabbage (rotkohl) is a very traditional vegetable to serve with rouladen.