German Rouladen – Slow-Braised, Tender and Delicious
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 beef rolls
Tender German Rouladen made with thin beef rolls filled with mustard, onion, bacon and pickles, then slow-braised in a rich gravy. A beautiful make-ahead dish perfect for family dinners or entertaining.
Ingredients
For the Rouladen
- 6 thin beef steaks (eye of the round, topside, rump, oyster blade, or chuck), sliced across the grain
- Each piece approx. 8–10 mm thick then pounded thin to about 15–17 cm long
- Salt & freshly ground pepper
- 5-7 tsp Spicy mustard (see Notes)
- 1 small onion very finely diced
- 6 slices streaky bacon long enough to cover most of the meat
- 3 dill pickles quartered lengthwise (½ per roulade)
- Cotton kitchen twine
- Butter + oil, or lard, for browning
For the Braising Liquid
- 1 small carrot finely diced
- 1 large stick celery finely diced
- 1 medium leek white + light green, finely sliced and well rinsed
- 600 ml water (see Notes)
- A few parsley stems
- A small pinch of salt adjust later
To Thicken the Gravy
- 30 g butter
- 30 g flour
- Optional: small cornflour slurry for final adjustment
- Black pepper, to finish
Instructions
Prepare the Beef
- Lay each steak flat on a board, cover with a sheet of baking paper and pound evenly with the flat side of a mallet until thin — about 3–4 mm thick and roughly 15–17 cm long.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Spread each piece generously with mustard.
- Sprinkle over some of the finely chopped onion.
- Lay a slice of bacon down the centre.
- Place a quartered dill pickle along the short edge and roll up tightly like a Swiss roll.
- Tie each roulade with kitchen twine — one loop around the middle, one around the ends. They should be snug, not tight (so the filling stays in).
Brown the Rouladen
- Heat a heavy-based pan over medium heat.
- Add a little oil and butter (or lard) - enough to cover the base of the pan.
- Brown the rouladen on all sides, seam-side down first. Work in batches if needed.
- Remove to a dish when coloured.
Build the Braising Base
- In the same pan (with the fond and fat), sauté the carrot, celery, and leek for 2–3 minutes. You may discard some of the fat, leaving a thin film on the bottom, if your meat was fatty before adding the vegetables.
- Add the water, parsley stems, and a small pinch of salt.
- Bring to a simmer, scraping up all browned bits.
Braise the Rouladen
- Return the rouladen to the pan. Pour in any resting juices.
- Cover with a lid and gently simmer for 1 hour, turning halfway. At the end of the cooking time, the meat should show hardly any resistance when poked with a skewer, if using cuts like oyster blade or chuck, you may need to braise for slightly longer.
Make the Gravy
- Remove rouladen and keep covered to stay warm.
- Strain the braising liquid through a sieve, pressing the vegetables to extract flavour.
- Return the liquid to the pan and reduce to about 450–700 ml over medium heat, depending on how much sauce you would like.
- In a small saucepan, melt 30 g butter and add 30 g flour. Cook 3–5 minutes until golden and nutty, stirring constantly.
- Whisk the roux into the hot liquid until smooth.
- If needed, adjust thickness with a small splash of cornflour slurry.
- Taste and season with pepper (usually no extra salt is needed — the bacon adds plenty).
Finish
- Return the rouladen to the gravy, coat well, and warm through for a few minutes.
- Serve with boiled potatoes and braised red cabbage.
Video
Notes
- Water only is used in this recipe — no stock is needed as the rouladen, bacon, and vegetables give excellent flavour.
- The original 1969 recipe uses 450 ml water, but I prefer 600 ml for two reasons:
(1) I like a little more gravy, and
(2) I use a wide braising pan, and wider pans evaporate faster and therefore need more liquid.
If using a narrower/deeper pot, start with 450 ml and add a splash more only if needed. - Hold off on seasoning until the end — the bacon naturally salts the sauce.
- Mustard: I used 3 tsp mild German mustard + 2 tsp hot English mustard. I found I needed more mustard overall; it’s best to cover the meat generously.
- My German husband prefers more dill pickle, so feel free to add up to a whole dill pickle per roulade instead of the half mentioned in the recipe.
- Best cuts: Oyster blade or chuck (sliced across the grain and pounded thin) give the juiciest result; eye of the round is traditional but leaner. If using oyster blade or chuck you may need to increase braising time by up to 30 minutes.
- This dish is excellent made ahead — the flavour improves the next day.
- If using a deep pot and stacking rouladen, extend braising time slightly.