Thin beef slices rolled around bacon, onion and pickle, braised until tender in a rich gravy, a classic German Sunday dinner.
Rinderroulade takes thin slices of beef top round, spreads them with mustard, and rolls them around a filling of bacon, onion and pickle before securing and braising the bundles slowly until fork-tender. The pickle inside might seem unusual, but its sharp acidity cuts through the richness of the beef and bacon as the roll braises, becoming a distinctive, unmistakably German flavor combination. Served with the reduced braising liquid turned into a rich gravy, rinderroulade is traditionally paired with red cabbage and potato dumplings, a hearty combination found at German Sunday tables for generations.
Serves 4
Lay out the beef slices, season with salt and pepper, and spread a thin layer of mustard on each.
Top each slice with a piece of bacon, a scatter of diced onion, and a strip of pickle.
Roll each slice tightly and secure with kitchen twine or toothpicks.
Roll tightly and secure well — a loosely rolled roulade can unravel during the long braise.
Heat oil in a heavy pot and brown the rolls on all sides, about 8 minutes total; remove.
Add beef stock and tomato paste to the pot, return the rolls, cover, and simmer on low 90-100 minutes until tender.
Remove the rolls and whisk flour into the braising liquid, simmering until thickened.
Remove the twine or toothpicks from the rolls and serve with the gravy, red cabbage and potato dumplings.
Roll the beef tightly and secure well with twine or toothpicks, since a loose roll can unravel during the long braise.
Brown the rolls thoroughly before braising — this deep color builds significant flavor into the final gravy.
Braise low and slow for the full time, since the beef needs patience to become properly tender.
Some regions use bacon and mustard alone without pickle for a milder version.
A version with a bit of carrot added to the filling gives extra color and sweetness.
Adding red wine to the braising liquid deepens the gravy's flavor further.
Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container; the flavor deepens the next day, and it also freezes well for up to 3 months.
Rinderroulade is a classic German dish found across regional home cooking, its combination of beef, bacon and pickle reflecting a long tradition of stretching modest ingredients into a rich, celebratory Sunday meal.
Top round is traditional for its thin, even slices, but flank steak sliced thin can also work with the same technique.
They likely weren't secured tightly enough — use kitchen twine tied firmly, or several toothpicks to hold each roll closed.
It needs more braising time — continue simmering in 15-minute increments until the meat is genuinely fork-tender.
Per serving (350g / 12.3 oz) · 4 servings total
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