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.
What is Rouladen
Traditional German Beef Rouladen Recipe combines thin slices of top round steak stuffed with spicy brown mustard, bacon, pickles, and onions, all browned, braised, and smothered with a mouthwatering, easy-to-make beef gravy. 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 the socks off your guests, 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.
Ingredients in Rouladen
How to make Beef Rouladen
Start by spreading out your beef steaks on a clean work surface. Then, coat with a thin layer of German mustard. Next, lay the bacon slice on top, followed by the pickles and onions, leaving the last couple of inches free of any. Then, starting with the busy end (the one with the pickles and onions), roll up tightly, tucking the pickles and onions in as you go. Once completely rolled, secure with a toothpick or cooking twine. Repeat the procedure until all are rolled up. Then sprinkle with a little kosher salt and black pepper.
Heat a little vegetable oil and butter in a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef rolls on all sides. Then add the beef broth and pickle juice. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 90 minutes or until fork tender, letting the beef rolls tenderize in the liquids. Then, remove the roulades from the skillet and plate. Place the skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Scrap the bottom to remove any brown bits. Then combine the cornstarch with a little bit of 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.
Recipe Tips
- This cut of meat is called breakfast steak at my grocery store. It is not always available, so you might need to have your butcher cut a round roast lengthwise about 1/8 inch thick.
- These can be prepped up to 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to cook.
- German mustard is ideal, but honestly, any spicy brown mustard will work.
- 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.
- Brown them thoroughly in a little vegetable oil and butter. You can use olive oil, but I find many things brown better in vegetable oil.
- For extra flavor, throw in a splash of dry red wine like a Merlot or a Cabernet Sauvignon.
- In a pinch, I have used Dijon mustard with good results.
- 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.
What beef is best for rouladen?
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 1/8-1/4 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.
What to serve with Rouladen
Serve with mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes, potato dumplings, spaetzle, carrots, potato pancakes, or red cabbage.
Storage and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pot on the stovetop 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.
More beef recipes
German Beef Rouladen
Ingredients
- 8 slices beef top round roast sliced very thin
- 1/4 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
- 1 1/4 cup low sodium beef broth
- 1/4 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 1 1/2 -2 hours. Remove the rouladen from the skillet and plate.
- Place the skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Scrap the bottom to remove any brown bits. Combine 1/4 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
- This cut of meat is called breakfast steak at my grocery store. It is not always available so you might need to have your butcher cut a round roast lengthwise about 1/8 inch thick.
- These can be prepped up to 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to cook.
- German mustard is ideal but honestly any spicy brown mustard will work.
- Cut your pickles and onions into long thin pieces.
- The rolls secure quite easily with one wooden toothpick per roll. You will have it down pat once you have secured a couple of them.
- Brown them thoroughly in a little vegetable oil and butter. You can use olive oil but I find many things brown better in vegetable oil.
- I like to cook these up in an ovenproof skillet so there is only one pan to clean. However if you don’t have one you can transfer the rolls to a covered baking dish. Then add the beef broth and pickle juice. Now bake about 90 minutes. Then transfer the juices to the skillet and make the gravy.
Nutrition
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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.
Remington
This was a fantastic recipe. I love German food. It is so full of flavor and so comforting.
Beth Pierce
I agree, Remington!
Alicia
This sounds like my German fathers absolute dream, what a hearty and satisfying dish! I didn’t know Germany had their own kind of mustard, I tend to use Dijon though I’m not a huge mustard gal.
Dana
This German Beef Rouladen is something my grandma would have loved to make. She loved cooking German food. Thank you for this recipe!
Bryan C
I do like Beef Rouladen, as long as it’s made right. Some restaurants try to cut corners and use less quality cuts of beef. If made right, it’s divine!
Babs
I absolutely love rouladen. I had it on a trip to Germany a few years ago, so I was super impressed with how authentic your version tastes! Love it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Babs! I am so happy that you liked the rouladen. It is one of my favorite recipes.
Tim
I have them prepped and ready for tomorrow yum
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Tim! Enjoy!