Classics · German

Beef
Rouladen

Beef Rouladen
Time
40'
+ 1h 30' chilling
Diff.
medium
Kcal
620
/ serving
Servings
4
Gather 16 ingredients before cooking
Scale
Units
01 You'll need check when you have it
02 To finish last minute: ~60 min window
Step 01 of 09

Pound the meat

800 g

Place beef topside — 4 thin slices (800 g) between two sheets of cling film. Pound with a mallet to about 5 mm thick. Slices should be wide — Polish-cut beef is often too thick, so pound firmly.

Tip
The film keeps the meat intact and stops the kitchen from getting splattered.
Step 02 of 09

Prep the filling

1 szt
2 szt

Dice onion (for filling) (1 szt) finely. Cut pickled cucumbers (medium) (2 szt) lengthwise into quarters — each roll gets 2 strips.

Step 03 of 09

Roll the rouladen

800 g
1 łyżeczka
1 łyżeczka
4 łyżka
150 g
1 szt
2 szt

Lay beef topside — 4 thin slices (800 g) on a board. Season with salt (1 łyżeczka) and black pepper, ground (1 łyżeczka). Spread a spoon of dijon mustard (4 łyżka) on each. Add 1-2 slices of smoked bacon, sliced (150 g), sprinkle onion (for filling) (1 szt) and place 2 strips of pickled cucumbers (medium) (2 szt) along the short edge. Roll tightly from the pickle side. Secure with toothpicks or kitchen string.

Tip
Roll tightly — loose rolls fall apart during braising.
Step 04 of 09

Sear the rolls

3 łyżka
800 g

Heat rapeseed oil (3 łyżka) in a wide pot (28 cm) over high heat. Place beef topside — 4 thin slices (800 g) seam-down and sear on all sides until dark brown, about 6-8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.

Tip
The brown crust isn't cosmetic — it builds flavour and the sauce's dark colour.
Step 05 of 09

Brown the vegetables

1 szt
1 szt
1 łyżka

Roughly dice onion (for sauce) (1 szt) and carrot (1 szt). Add to the same pot. Fry 5 minutes until browned. Add tomato paste (1 łyżka) and fry for another minute, stirring. Cooked paste loses acidity and turns sweeter.

Step 06 of 09

Deglaze and return the rolls

200 ml
500 ml
2 szt
3 szt
800 g

Pour in dry red wine (200 ml) and scrape the brown bits from the bottom — that's where the flavour is. Boil 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Add beef broth (from cube) (500 ml), bay leaf (2 szt) and allspice berries (3 szt). Return beef topside — 4 thin slices (800 g) along with juices from the plate. Liquid should reach 3/4 up the rolls.

Step 07 of 09

Braise covered

Cover the pot and simmer on low for 90 minutes. The liquid should barely bubble, not boil. After an hour check if a fork goes in easily — if it resists, keep braising.

Tip
Hard boiling makes beef dry and tough. Lazy bubbles = tender meat.
Step 08 of 09

Thicken the sauce

800 g
1 łyżka

Remove beef topside — 4 thin slices (800 g) to a plate and cover. Strain the sauce through a sieve into another pot, pressing the vegetables with a spoon to extract flavour. Mix wheat flour (1 łyżka) with 3 tablespoons of cold water in a cup — smooth, no lumps. Pour into the hot sauce in a thin stream, stirring. Cook 3 minutes until thickened.

Tip
Flour mixed with cold water won't lump. Sprinkled dry — it always will.
Step 09 of 09

Serve

800 g

Remove toothpicks or string from beef topside — 4 thin slices (800 g). Return rolls to the sauce and warm for 2 minutes. Serve with potato dumplings or mash and red cabbage.

Beef Rouladen
Bon appétit

How did it turn out?

Enjoy — now it's a matter of patience and a good table.

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