German Style Beef or Pork Rouladen

One of my students used my recipe for Italian Beef Braciole and turned it into the German recipe of Beef Rouladen. The new recipe was better than she had eaten in some German restaurants, according to Maureen. Then by coincidence, Maureen saw in a paper a recipe for Rouladen from a German restaurant in Massachusetts which was very similar to the one she had created from my original recipe.

If using beef, you will need 8 large slices of top or bottom round beef.  I buy 1½-2 lb. (750-1000g) beef and have the meat department slice it thinly (about ½” thick) as if for scallopini. Choose a piece of beef that doesn’t have the silver strip of gristle running through it. You want a piece that’s roughly the size of a man’s hand before you pound it. Have it cut to give slices of roughly 4×6” not 4×4”.

Ingredients:

• 8 large slices of top or bottom round beef OR 8 boneless pork sirloin steaks
• 1 or 2 slices of gluten-free bacon, depending on size of bacon and beef slices
• 1 tsp. (5 ml) gluten-free mustard (German, Dijon, whole grain, and honey mustard are good)
• Slice of dill pickle (Use the “Stackers” that come pre-sliced. I like bread and butter pickles, as they are not so vinegary, but Cains were the only gluten-free bread and butter pickle “chips” that I could find locally. Dill pickles are not noticeable once cooked.)
• Finely chopped raw onion, optional
• 2 Tbsp. (30 ml.) oil or butter
• 1 large onion, peeled, quartered and sliced
• 1 lb. (500 g.) carrots, peeled and cut in chunks
• For beef version, 4 cups (32 fl. oz., 1 l.) low sodium gluten-free beef broth
• For pork version, 1 12 oz. (360 ml) bottle gluten-free hard apple cider (I like Woodchuck Amber) and 2 cups (16 fl. oz., 480 ml.) gluten-free chicken stock
• Pepper
• Smoked paprika
• I don’t add salt because the bacon, mustard, pickles and stock normally all contain salt.
• 2 Tbsp. (30 ml.) cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp. water
• ½-1 cup (4-8 fl. oz., 120-240 ml.) sour cream

Directions:

1. Even though the meat has been cut by the meat department, put it between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound it with a mallet to flatten further without tearing the meat. Meat won’t roll if too thick, and the filling will come out.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C)
3. Put pounded slices of meat to one side. Sprinkle plastic wrap with pepper and paprika and lay the beef/pork slices flat in a single layer so evenly seasoned, spread top of each slice with mustard, top with bacon slices and pickle slice (or 4-8 pickle “chips”) and sprinkle with about 1 tsp. chopped raw onion.
4. Roll up meat into a jelly roll. Don’t use string or skewer, but turn the rolls carefully in oil or melted butter and place seam side down in skillet. Add onions and carrots to skillet. Place skillet in oven for 5-10 minutes until meat is browned. You can use string or skewer if you want. I find if rolls are close together and you leave them alone, they don’t need tying.
5. Turn down heat to 350°F (180°C), remove skillet from oven, add stock or cider.
6. Cook covered (put a layer of foil between lid and skillet if lid isn’t tight fitting) in a preheated 350°F oven for 45-90 minutes, or until beef/pork is tender. Check that the stock covers the meat at all times. Timing depends on thickness of meat at time of rolling, quality of meat and how gently it is cooked. I normally cut off a piece of meat to check for tenderness because just prodding with a knife doesn’t work for me.
7. Remove from oven and remove rolls to a plate. Add cornstarch mix to pan, bring to boil, turn down to medium and simmer for 3 minutes until slightly thickened and no raw flour flavor is apparent. Add sour cream, adjust seasoning and serve with noodles, potato pancakes or spaetzle.