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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Seema Sriram
This is serious cooking. I love the images you have captured. Shows exactly how the dish should be and helps a new cook to try it.
Nart at Cooking with Nart
I tried making this dish for the first time using this recipe and boy it didn’t disappoint! just so, so good!
Jona
This was a hit all around the dinner table last night! The beef was perfectly seasoned and I am tempted to have it again for dinner tonight!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Jona! So glad that you liked it. It is one of our favorite dishes!
Irina
Oh, I am in love with the recipe! Made this beef rouladen for our lunch today! It was amazingly delicious. I will be making it again for sure. YUMMY!
Jan
This recipe is how I’ve made these since living in Germany in the 80’s. A family favorite for almost 40 years now.
Beth Pierce
Always so darn delicious!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
Wow!! This German Beef Rouladen dish looks amazing!!
Krystle
Always looking for new ways to cook steak. This was unique and delicious. Hubby ate 2!
Claire
This is amazing!!! Would love to try this!
Amanda
My husband loves anything German, I cannot wait to make this!
Robert
I’ve been making this since a young man, followed my moms methods. I do though highly suggest a good German Barrel pickle, to us it makes a world of difference. I also dice and sweat my onion in bacon fat, I don’t believe I saw it mentioned, but I do use a mechanical meat tenderizer to thin the meat and soften it up a little. But ya gotta have Spetzle and Red Cabbage with it ! ! ! ok just my humble opinion, hehehe…
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tips Robert! They are so delicious. I wish I had some now!
Nicole
I have to ask . What is spetzle? And where can you find a good German barrel pickle? Thanks
Cathy
This is such a delicious dinner! They’re so flavorful!
Claire
This is HIGH CLASS! It looks so savory, I wish I can dive on my screen right now!
Sandi Gaertner
Your easy step by step directions helped make this a breeze to make!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
This German Beef Rouladen sounds amazing! I want to dive into my screen!
Catalina
Mmmm…. how good this dish looks! I am always looking for new recipes for my family!
Catalina
I’ve made this and my family loved it! It’s our new favorite dinner!
Vikki
Very tasty beef rouladen! Love the combination of flavors here