Impress your family and friends with this delicious and authentic Beef Rouladen recipe. With tender beef, tangy mustard, and savory bacon, this dish will surely become a favorite in your household.
This is one of our absolute favorite German dishes. If you ever plan on having an Oktoberfest, this traditional German dish should be on the menu. It will knock your guests’ socks off, who will ask for more. I love to serve it with Skillet German Potato Salad, Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, or potato dumplings, but you could also do mashed potatoes.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Beef: Round roast, thinly sliced, is the way to go. Some grocery stores sell this ready-to-go as roulade or breakfast steak. It is about 8-10 inches long, about 5 inches wide, and ⅛-¼ inch thick. If you are having trouble finding it, ask your butcher if he can cut a round roast to this thickness. Other options include flank steak or outside round roast.
- Mustard: German mustard is ideal, but honestly, any spicy brown mustard will work. In a pinch, I have used Dijon mustard with good results.
- Bacon: Choose a bacon that is not too thick or too thin. I used Coleman naturally uncured hickory-smoked bacon, but any good-quality smoked bacon will work.
- Dill Pickles: Reserve a little pickle juice for the gravy.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted.
- Vegetable oil: You can use olive oil, but I find many things brown better in vegetable oil.
- Beef broth: Preferably low-sodium.
How to Make Beef Rouladen
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Spread the beef steaks and coat with a thin layer of mustard. Layer the bacon slices on top, then add the pickles and onions.
- Start rolling the side with pickles and onions tightly.
- Once completely rolled, secure with a toothpick.
- Brown the beef rolls on all sides and add beef broth and pickle juice. Cover with foil and bake. Plate the beef rolls.
- Place the skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Scrape the bottom to remove any brown bits. Combine the cornstarch and beef broth and whisk it in. Cook until thickened.
- Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch or two of sugar. Add the roulade back to the skillet and simmer for a few minutes, spooning the gravy over them.
Preparation Tips
- These can be prepped up to 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to cook.
- Cut your pickles and onions into long, thin pieces.
- The rolls secure pretty easily with one wooden toothpick per roll. You will have it down pat once you have secured a couple.
- For extra flavor, throw in a splash of dry red wine, such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon.
- I like to cook these up in an ovenproof skillet, so there is only one pan to clean. However, you can transfer the rolls to a covered baking dish if you don’t have one. Then add the beef broth and pickle juice. Now bake for about 90 minutes. Then, transfer the juices to the skillet and make the gravy.
Perfect Parings
Serve with mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes, spaetzle, carrots, potato pancakes, or red cabbage.
More Beef Recipes
German Beef Rouladen
German Beef Rouladen are rolls of thin, tender round steak stuffed with spicy mustard, bacon, onions, and pickles, all baked to fork tenderness. Then it is smothered with an easy-to-make beef sauce made from the delicious browned bits and beef juices.
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 356kcal
Ingredients
- 8 slices beef top round roast sliced very thin
- ¼ cup spicy brown German mustard
- 8 slices bacon
- 2-3 dill pickles thinly sliced
- 1 small onion thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1¼ cup low sodium beef broth
- ¼ cup dill pickle juice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2-3 pinches sugar to taste optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spread out your beef steaks on a clean work surface. Coat each with a thin layer of German mustard. Lay a bacon slice on each one. Top with the pickles and onions, leaving the last couple of inches free of any.
- Start with the busy end (the one with the pickles and onions) and roll up tight, tucking the pickles and onions in as you go. Once completely rolled up, secure it with a toothpick. Repeat the procedure until all are rolled up.
- Heat the butter and vegetable oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Brown the rolls on all sides. Add 1 cup of beef broth and pickle juice.
- Cover the skillet with aluminum foil and bake for 1½-2 hours. Remove the rouladen from the skillet and plate.
- Place the skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Scrape the bottom to remove any brown bits. Combine ¼ cup beef broth and cornstarch. Whisk into the skillet and cook until thickened.
- Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch or two of sugar to taste. Add the rouladen back to the skillet and simmer. Spoon the gravy over the top and warm.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pot over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
- To freeze, first cool to room temperature. Then, add the rouladen and gravy to a sturdy freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
Nutrition
Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 1951mg | Potassium: 495mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 194mg | Iron: 2mg
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Harry
You always come up with a new recipe and I particularly love this one. This beef rouladen is the best. I am holding on to this recipe.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Harry! It is one of my favorites, too!
Julie
I do not think I have ever seen beef cooked in this way. It does seem like a great way to stretch a small amount of beef though. Thank you for sharing!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Julie! Enjoy!
Melissa
I have never had this dish but so want to! It looks delicious and sounds so good…. I am loving all of the ingredients 😉
Beth Pierce
Enjoy!
Cat
Very good and easy to follow. I’ve made a few roulade recipes. This was the first that went in the oven. I used the Dijon mustard I had in the fridge. I also soaked the onions in a nice red wine for about 30 minutes. All the recipes call for raw bacon, I just can’t bring myself to do it, so I cook the bacon about halfway, still pliable to roll and get the great flavor. Wonderful recipe, thank you for sharing!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine! So happy that you liked it.
Vickie Rampelbergh
This is a really GREAT comfort Meals > Beth , …My Husband’s German , and he made them first in our family / for me , Very awesome !!! your recipe is accurate , but we use , just regular yellow mustard , maybe his choice , but he makes the gravy / sauce and bake the Roulades in the gravy , Still Yummy eating …Thanks for posting , this recipe , we love it …smiles and finger licking good !!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Vicki! I am so glad that all of you like recipe!
Franky V
Very yummy recipe, I wasn’t sure about the pickle and the pickle juice but you are correct, the dish is absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe, Beth!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Franky!
Maria Lee
This is such a terrific. Such an amazing flavor combination. This is a new favorite German dish. Even my picky husband loved it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Maria! So glad that he liked it!
Odessa
Oh my God, this dish was divine! I love beef, especially in the winter. So darn tasty. Who knew all those individual flavors would work so well together.