When I was stationed in Germany, I came to love these German beef rolls that enveloped delicious Dijon mustard, onions, and smoked bacon smothered in a luscious gravy. My mother used to make them from time to time as well. This recipe uses top round roast or steak that is pounded thin and then stuffed, rolled, tied, and braised in beer or wine. Here’s how to make it:
I used a 3 lb. top round beef roast but you can also use top round steak. Sometimes you can find the round steak already thinly sliced at some supermarkets. The point is however; to pound the meat to 1/4 inch thick because it also helps to tenderize the meat.
I used the roast, and trimmed off the fat and cut it into 1 inch slices that I then butterflied, making sure not to cut all the way through. I then placed the butterflied slice into a large gallon sized freezer bag and used the flat side of the meat tenderizer to pound in an outward motion to 1/4 inch thick. The size to aim for is about a 4 x 7 inch piece.
Once you have all the meat ready, get the rest of your ingredients together. You will need 1/2 pound of smoked nitrate free bacon chopped and cooked until almost crispy, 2 large onions chopped, Dijon mustard, dill pickles sliced into 1/4 inch strips, 2 tablespoons of butter softened, 2 tablespoons of flour, a 12oz. bottle of beer, not dark beer, (or 1 cup of red wine), salt & pepper, and parsley for garnish. You will also need 1 teaspoon of beef base mixed with one cup of water, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, and 1 cup of flour plus 2 tablespoons. Note: There is only one onion in the photo but you need two large onions chopped.
Take the 2 tablespoons of softened butter and to it, mix 2 tablespoons of flour and mix well and set aside to thicken gravy later. Cook the bacon until almost crispy and drain on a paper towel but save the bacon grease to cook the onions.
Sauté onions until crisp tender, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place in a bowl, saving as much bacon grease as possible in the pan.
Once onions have cooled enough to handle, start assembling the roulade. Spread Dijon mustard over the whole piece of beef. Then, add some onions, bacon, and a strip of pickle and roll it up.
Rolls can be secured with string or tooth picks but I find it easier to brown them using the string. You just have to remember to cut off the string before serving. How do I know this? Because I forgot one time and served it to my fiancé and he bit into a string, oops!
Once all the rolls are done, heat the pan with the bacon grease. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, then place 1 cup of flour in a bowl or tray and roll the beef rolls in it to coat and brown all over in the bacon fat, and place in a roasting dish with a cover.
Once all the rolls are in the roasting pan, if you had any left over onions or bacon, throw them on top. Next, take the pan used to brown the rolls and deglaze with one bottle of beer (or 1 cup of red wine), I used beer. Then add the beef broth, and 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and bring to a boil, scraping up any bits left on the bottom of the pan and stir well.
Pour the sauce all over the beef rolls and cover the roasting pan and place in a 350 degree oven for 1.5 hours or until tender.
Once beef rolls are done, remove to a plate and add the butter flour mixture to the sauce stirring constantly, and bring to a boil until thickened. Add a 1/4 cup of half & half to the sauce. Taste to see if it needs salt and pepper. Remove the strings from the rolls, and place them back into the pot and coat with the sauce. Sprinkle with some chopped parsley and also when serving. Enjoy and happy cooking!
Prep Time: 1 hour Cooking Time: 1.5 – 2 hrs.
Difficulty: Easy Servings: 4-6
Ingredients:
3 lbs. top round roast or round steak
1/2 pound nitrate free smoked bacon cooked until almost crispy (Save the all bacon grease)
Butchers string
2 large onions chopped
Dijon mustard
dill pickles
2 tablespoons of butter softened
1 cup of flour plus 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon beef base mixed with 1 cup of warm water
1 12 oz. bottle of beer, not dark or 1 cup of red wine
1/4 cup of half & half
parsley chopped for garnish
salt and pepper