Anke
Whenever I am cooking German Beef Rouladen, the smell and taste of this delicious dish take me right back to my childhood. In my recipe post, I share with you exactly how my parents would cook these hearty and tasty German beef rouladen, which are filled with a delicious combination of bacon, mustard, pickled gherkins, and sliced onions.
Our classic German beef rouladen is a great dish to serve during the festive season or as a special treat for dinner guests. Beef rouladen isn’t a dish my parents made often; although it’s not complex, it does require a bit of time to prepare.
More German dishes you might like: our simple yet delicious German Potato Salad, German Meatloaf (Deutscher Leberkaese), or tasty Potato Pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer).
Table of Contents
Ingredients
The Meat: In my opinion, beef schnitzel is the best choice for making beef rouladen. Beef schnitzel is thinly cut and usually well-sized. The meat is tender, reducing the cooking time to around 1 1/2 hours max.
For The Filling
Bacon: It is important to choose bacon with a high fat content rather than lean bacon, as the fat contributes significantly to the meat’s flavor. You can also use smoked bacon which adds an extra layer of flavor to the beef rouladen.
Onions: Although onions are a crucial ingredient in the filling, they’re not to everyone’s taste. Since some of my children dislike them, I just leave the onions out of certain beef rouladen.
Mustard: I recommend using a mild mustard for the beef rouladen. In this recipe, I used French Dijon mustard.
Pickles: Pickled gherkins are a must. I opt for the once that come pre-sliced because it makes it so much easier to roll up the beef rouladen.
How To Make German Beef Rouladen Step-By-Step
Traditionally we serve the beef rouladen with braised red cabbage, boiled potatoes or potato dumplings and lots of gravy.
Get The Filling Ready
Before we get started with prepping the beef, I like to gather my ingredients for the filling. So, slice the onion, slice the pickled gherkins if not already sliced, and gather the bacon and mustard.
Layer The Ingredients
Before adding the filling, season one side of the beef schnitzel generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Spread a thin layer of mustard over it using a butter knife. Then, layer on the bacon, followed by the gherkins and sliced onion.
Get Rolling
Once you finish filling the beef rouladen, it is time to roll them up very tightly. You can watch here, in more detail how to do it. Then, take a lengthy piece of kitchen string and tie it around them as if you’re wrapping a small parcel.
Sear The Beef Rouladen
Heat up neutral oil in a large frying dish with a lid ( I am using my Dutch oven), and sear the beef rouladen on all sides.
Last Step For Day 1
Once the meat has browned, add a quartered onion and some beef stock, then allow the rouladen to simmer for about 20 minutes with the lid on. After 20 minutes, turn off the heat, place the lid halfway on, and let the dish cool down overnight. If you prefer to finish cooking the dish in one day, proceed as outlined in the next step.
Day 2
Now, we are heating up the meat and frying it until the liquid has evaporated. Occasionally, turn the beef rouladen to ensure they brown evenly on all sides. Once again, add more beef stock, put the lid on, and let it simmer on low heat for another 45 to 60 minutes. During this time, check, if you need to add more beef stock. After about 60 minutes, the beef rouladen should be tender and fully cooked. Remove them from the pan, set aside for later, and remove the strings at this point.
Make The Gravy
Combine cornflour and water, then add the blend to the pan. Heat until it boils, and adjust the thickness with water or beef stock as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow it to simmer for a few minutes. Finally, place the beef rouladen in the gravy to heat them up before serving. Enjoy!
Let’s Get Cooking
As I said before it is up to you if you want to make my authentic German beef rouladen in 2 days or one day. My parents always prepared them in advance because allowing the beef roulades to rest overnight allows the flavor to develop even more.
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Are you feeling hungry? Then let’s put on your apron and get cooking.
Classic German Beef Rouladen
Equipment
- 1 large roasting pan e.g. a Dutch oven
Ingredients
For The Beef Rouladen
- 5 large beef schnitzel
- 5 rashers of bacon
- 5 pieces sliced pickled gherkin
- 1 onion cut into slices
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 cups beef stock
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup cooking oil
For The Gravy
- 1 onion cut into quarters
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup beef stock or water
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
The Beef Rouladen (Day 1)
- Before we get started, I highly recommend to prepare the beef rouladen a day in advance and finish cooking them on the second day.
- Gather all the ingredients for the filling.5 rashers of bacon, 5 pieces sliced pickled gherkin, 1 onion, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Lay out the beef schnitzel and season them on one side with salt and pepper. Using a butter knife, spread on a thin layer of mustard.5 large beef schnitzel, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Now put on a slice of bacon, followed by the sliced gherkins, and onion.
- Roll the beef rouladen tightly, ensuring the sides are tucked in to keep the filling secure.
- Take a lengthy piece of kitchen string and tie it around the beef rouladen as if you're wrapping a small parcel.
- Heat up neutral oil in a large frying dish with a lid (I am using my Dutch oven), and sear the beef rouladen on all sides.1/4 cup cooking oil
- Once the meat has browned, add a quartered onion and some of the beef stock, then allow the rouladen to simmer for about 20 minutes with the lid on.1 onion, 2 cups beef stock
- After 20 minutes, turn off the heat, place the lid halfway on, and let the dish cool down overnight. If you prefer to finish cooking the dish in one day, proceed as outlined in the next step.
Day 2
- Now, we are heating up the meat and frying it until the liquid has evaporated. Occasionally, turn the beef rouladen to ensure they brown evenly on all sides.
- Once again, add more beef stock, put the lid on, and let it simmer on low heat for another 45 to 60 minutes. During this time, check now and again, if you need to add more beef stock.
- After about 60 minutes, the beef rouladen should be tender and fully cooked. Remove them from the pan, set aside for later, and take the strings off at this point.
Make The Gravy
- Combine cornflour and water, then add the blend to the pan. Heat until it boils, and adjust the thickness with water or beef stock as needed.1 tbsp cornflour, 1/2 cup water, 1 cup beef stock or water
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow it to simmer for a few minutes
- Finally, place the beef rouladen in the gravy to heat them up before serving. Enjoy!
