Rouladen

Rouladen is a traditional German main dish of thin sliced rolled beef. The roll has a sliced pickle, onion wedge, bacon, and mustard in it and is held together with string or toothpicks. It is slow cooked in a crock pot or pressure cooker in brown gravy. We always like to make rouladen at Christmas time and Easter.

Some grocery stores may have beef already sliced for rouladen but you can always ask the butcher to slice it for you. They will usually take a loin strip steak and slice it.

You will start the process by placing a slice of pickle, wedge of onion, slice of bacon, salt and pepper, and mustard.

You will roll it up and secure it will toothpicks or you can use string. I always use toothpicks. They are easy to put in and take out. I have never had a problem with using them. Next you will make the gravy. The recipe calls for two brown gravy packets. I don’t always remember to buy the brown gravy packets because I usually make my own gravy. I have a recipe for brown gravy here. It is very simple and can be used instead of the packets if you don’t have them. The gravy has mustard, hence the yellow color.

Now you’ll spray your crock pot or instant pot pan with non-stick cooking spray, place the rouladen in the pot/pan, and pour the gravy over them. If you are using a crock pot, you’ll cook on low for 5-7 hours. If you are using an instant pot, you will cook on pressure cook setting for 45 minutes.

When they are done, take out the rouladen. If the gravy is not thick, which it usually isn’t, pour it into a 12 inch skillet on the stove and turn on medium heat. Sprinkle in more brown gravy or flour or cornstarch. Any of these will work. Whisk the gravy until it thickens and there are no more lumbs. Serve with German Red Cabbage (Rotkohl) and potatoes.

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Rouladen

Traditional German dish of beef rolled around a pickle, onion, bacon, and mustard slow cooked in brown gravy.

Course Main Course

Cuisine German

Keyword rouladen

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Servings 6

Ingredients

• sliced beef for rouladen – at least 10-12 slices ask your butcher to cut the meat for you
• onion wedged
• pickles wedges
• bacon about 5-6 slices cut in half
• salt and pepper
• toothpicks

Gravy

• 2 pkgs brown gravy
• ½ cup pickle juice
• ¼ cup mustard
• 2-3 cups water
• ½ tsp pepper

Instructions

1. On a slice of beef, ⅓ in, place a slice of pickle, onion wedge, slice of bacon, squirt of mustard, and salt and pepper. Roll the beef around the pickle, onion, bacon… and secure with a toothpick or two. Continue this with all the slices of beef.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the gravy.

3. Spray the pot of your crock-pot or instant pot with non-stick cooking spray. Pour in half of the gravy. Place the rouladen in the pot and pour the remaining gravy on top.

4. Let cook on low for 5-7 hours if using a crock-pot. For the instant pot, set the valve to sealing, push the pressure cook button and the timer for 45 minutes. When it is done, allow it to self release for 5-10 minutes then turn the valve to venting. When the silver button is up, remove the top.

5. Remove the rouladen to a serving plate. If the gravy is not thick (it usually isn't), pour it in a 12 inch skillet on the stove and turn on medium heat. Add a tablespoon or two of brown gravy powder, flour, or cornstarch – flour will work just fine – and whisk until it thickens and there are no lumps. Pour some of the gravy over the rouladen and the rest in a gravy boat for serving.