Authentic German Rouladen

Upon returning from living in the Bavarian region of Germany, I made this recipe for my family.  They not only devoured it but they are still raving about it over 20 years later!  This is a quick and easy to prepare main dish recipe that is great as the weather cools.

German Beef Rouladen

Ingredients:

• 6 slices top round (see below)
• 3 slices lean bacon- fried and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 3 garlic dill pickles, thick chop
• 2 tbsp. butter
• Brown spicy mustard, salt, pepper, corn starch
• 1 - 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Dash of sugar

Instructions:

• Season beef slices with salt and freshly ground pepper. Thinly spread mustard on top of each slice.
• Divide bacon, pickle, and onion slices on one end of each slice.
• Roll up slices, tucking the ends in and securing with skewers, wooden cocktail picks.
• Heat butter in skillet. Brown rouladen well on all sides. Do not crowd rouladen in skillet, or they will not brown nicely. Do in small batches if necessary. Add extra butter if needed.
• Once all rouladen are well browned, add 1 cup of hot water, gently stirring up browned bits. Add tomato paste and any leftover pickles and onions to skillet, stir gently. Return all rouladen and any accumulated juices to skillet, bring to simmer and cover.
• Simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove rouladen. To thicken gravy, combine about 1-2 tbsp. corn starch with 1 tbsp. butter and stir gently into cooking liquid until slightly thickened.
• Season gravy to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. If you wish, add sour cream to the gravy.
• Remove skewers, picks, or thread to serve rouladen with their gravy.

Hints:

• Have the butcher cut beef top round into thin slices, about 3/8 inch thick. Each roulade should measure at least 6 inches by 4 inches. Gently pound meat until it is about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Be careful not to put holes in the meat. The larger the roulade, the easier it is to roll up.

The Beginning

I was born into a family that is half German and half Czech. Despite the slight differences in location, the cooking styles from the Bavarian region of Germany are very similar to Czechoslovakia.  As I grew up, I was surrounded by the wonderful aromas wafting from my family's kitchens. 

Caraway seed dancing delightfully with rye in fresh baked bread. Sauerkraut cradled around plump dumplings and roast pork.  The sweetness of kolaches-their fillings spilling out onto the counter-Plum, apricot, cottage cheese and pineapple.  Sweet delicacies of my youth. 

My youth has since passed and I am now the keeper of my heritage. My willing charges-- my grandchildren--are learning about my family heritage one spoonful at a time.  Through the stained recipes they will learn about my years of living in Bavaria, my family who came from the "Old Country", and learn to cook wonderful meals for their future families.

I invite you along on this journey of exploring my diverse cookbook-- recipes from Germany (of course), Czechoslovakia, the Far East, Africa, Southern delicacies, and more.  All the recipes you will find on this site are tried and true--guaranteed to delight your family as they have delighted mine!
As my great grandma would say, "Guten Essen!" (meaning, good food!)