About
Here's a surefire way to get dinner on a roll, and to get everyone to roll up to the table in a hurry! German Beef Rolls roll up tender and sweet roasted carrots and tangy, sour pickles in crisp, fatty bacon and savory, juicy beef. Then it braises that beef for hours in a beefy, red wine-infused gravy that will get lips smacking and smiles beaming. German Beef Rolls can serve as a glorious crown to a head of mashed potatoes or the pillow to a fluffy bed of white rice, but you could also enjoy them all on their own with a nice piece of crusty bread to mop up the gravy. This hearty dish is like all the best parts of food rolled together!
Ingredients
- For the beef:
- 3 pounds beef, thinly sliced
- 3 ounces hot mustard
- 2 medium onions, shredded or finely chopped
- 2 pounds bacon, thin cut, cut slices in half
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch sticks
- 6 pickles, cut into 1/4-inch sticks
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- For the gravy:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 4 cups water, plus more as needed
- 1/4 cup red wine, plus more as needed
Directions
Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, making sure an oven rack is in the middle position.
Step 2 -If necessary, cut the beef into 4x4-inch pieces.
Step 3 -Lay the beef slices on a cutting board. Spread about 1 teaspoon of the mustard onto each piece of beef.
Step 4 -Add about 1 teaspoon of the onion and a piece of the bacon to the mustard-smeared beef.
Step 5 -Season the beef with salt and pepper.
Step 6 -Add at least 1 piece of the carrots and 1 piece of the pickle to each piece of the beef, adding a second piece of each depending on the side.
Step 7 -Roll up the beef and secure each one with a toothpick.
Step 8 -Repeat as necessary until all of the beef is rolled and ready.
Step 9 -Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 10 -Add about 6 of the rouladen to the oil and sear on all sides, increasing or decreasing this number to fit the pan or skillet without overcrowding.
Step 11 -Transfer the seared rouladen to a large, oven-safe dutch oven with a lid. Don't worry if the beef isn't cooked through yet, it will finish cooking in the oven.
Step 12 -Repeat the searing process using the rest of the oil until all of the beef rolls are sealed. Reserve the drippings.
Step 13 -In a separate bowl, whisk 1 cup of flour with the water.
Step 14 -Pour the flour mixture into the skillet with the drippings over medium heat.
Step 15 -Whisk until it starts to thicken and the flour cooks to a light gold color.
Step 16 -Add 1/4 of the red wine to the gravy mixture.
Step 17 -Whisk until thickened and the red wine is fully incorporated.
Step 18 -Pour the gravy over the roulden. There should be enough to cover all of the roulden. If not, wipe the skillet clean and repeat the gravy-making process with more flour, water, and red wine.
Step 19 -Cover the dutch oven with the lid and bake until the beef is cooked through and the vegetables in the rolls are tender, for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Step 20 -Serve hot.
