Authentic German Rouladen Recipe – Traditional Beef Rolls Made Easy

Today I want to share with you one of my all-time favorite recipes. This is a classic German Sunday dish that I have grown up with. The name “Rouladen” originated in French and could best be translated with ‘beef rolls’ – because they are thin pieces of beef, filled to maximum deliciousness, and rolled up.

While making them is a little bit involved, the end result is absolutely worth the effort! Rouladen are great in the colder months, they will make your house smell divine, and have you licking your lips for more.

Ingredients (2 people)

• 1 or 2 thin pieces of beef (flat iron steak, hanging tender, or other thin cut)
• Mustard
• Onion
• Garlic
• Bacon
• (Optional: pickles)
• Cooking twine, stainless steel roulade needles, or skewers
• 1-2 tbsp Lard for searing
• Carrots
• Filtered Water
• (Optional: corn starch to thicken the sauce)

Directions

1. Cut the beef into about 3×5 inch pieces – this does not have to be exact; just be aware that larger pieces make bigger roulades that might have to cook a little longer.
2. With a tenderizer, carefully pound the beef slabs as thin as you can without breaking them apart, about a quarter inch.
3. Lightly salt and pepper one side and spread a very thin layer of mustard on it.
4. Cut the onion into thin slices and add a small handful of pieces to each beef slice.
5. Mince the garlic and add a small amount to each beef slice.
6. Add a thin slice of bacon on top of each beef piece. If the bacon is too thick, use the tenderizer to make it thinner before putting it on the meat.
7. Optional: cut a pickle into thin slices and add a slice or two to each piece of beef.
8. Fold in the sides and roll up each piece of meat carefully, closing it completely, and securing it with cooking twine, a couple roulade needles or skewers each.
9. Heat some lard (pork fat) in a skillet and sear your roulades on HOT from all sides for about 10 minutes. You want them to be brown and crispy looking. This is an important step in the process.
10. Add enough water to your skillet to cover the roulades to about half their height (approx. 1 inch), add carrots, and cover.
11. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 2 hours. Check regularly and add water as needed. The sauce will turn a very dark brown, which is what you are looking for.
12. Remove the roulades from the sauce once they are soft and flaky.
13. If desired, thicken the sauce by mixing up some corn starch with cold water and adding it to the still boiling sauce while stirring it constantly.
14. Traditionally served with boiled or mashed potatoes and red cabbage (recipe below).

Pork fat (lard) is the best choice for this recipe because it has a high flash point and is perfect for searing roulades. This will start melting the pork fat inside the rolls, blending the two meats together, which gives the end product a wonderful hearty taste. If you like eating bacon for breakfast, you can save the leftover fat in a small bowl in the fridge and use as needed (that’s what I do).

Amazing German Red Cabbage Recipe (wonderful with Roulades)

Red cabbage is the perfect pairing to the roulades recipe above, and it’s much easier to make than it looks and tastes! It’s a festive dish traditionally served during large celebratory meals in the cold months. It also has many health benefits:

Red cabbage is packed with vitamin C, aids the liver in detoxification and promotes healthy digestion. The purple color comes from anthocyanins, which are potent antioxidants that support heart health, reduce inflammation, and protect your cells from oxidative stress.

Ingredients (2 people)

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 onion
• Small head of red cabbage
• 1 green apple
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 5 cloves
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Put a large pot on your stove and melt the butter.
2. Cut onion into thin slices, add to the pot, and fry until soft.
3. Remove dirty outer leaves from the red cabbage, cut out the stem. Wash and shred the rest of the cabbage.
4. Add shredded cabbage to the pot and fry with the onion for a couple minutes.
5. Wash and shred the apple and add to the pot with the cabbage.
6. Add apple cider vinegar, cloves, salt, and a little bit of water – you only want to cover the bottom of the pot, about 1/2 inch (but not much more).
7. Cover and simmer on low heat until soft (45 minutes – 1 hour).
8. Check occasionally to add water as needed.
9. Serve as a side dish with the roulades and enjoy!
10. Red cabbage keeps in the fridge for about 3 days.

Written by Karen Wegehenkel