So, I will start with my variation on German rouladen, followed by the traditional German version. I follow that with a very simple French version called Paupiettes De Boeuf, and then another version called Beef Roulades, and lastly an Italian version called Steak Florentine. You will also find countless versions on the internet. You choose how simple or complex you're in the mood for.
Here is my version:
- For the meat I use top round or inside round cut into 1/4-inch thickness. The pieces are usually anywhere from 9 to 11 inches long and from about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2-inches wide. You can buy this in most supermarkets (sometimes you will have to ask the butcher to cut them for you). I have also successfully used the sandwich steaks that you can buy in Walmarts. (Occasionally I have to combine 2 pieces to get the roulade large enough by joining them together with a slight overlap.)
- I pound the meat to tenderize, but not so much that they will fall apart.
- Lay flat, and salt and pepper
- Brush with mustard
- Lay slices of ham on top. (I use sliced Black Forest ham or sliced smoked ham.)
- Add a few tablespoons of finely chopped onion and finely chopped mushrooms (as many as you can roll into the meat easily.)
- Starting from the thin end, roll around a halved dill pickle until it is rolled up in a barrel shape. (My family likes the pickle in the centre, but I can live without it. Oh well...)
- I hold the rolled roulade together with three or four toothpicks, but some people swear that string is better...everybody to their own. I think string is too hard to wrestle with when serving.
- I make at least 8 to 12 rouladen each time, and more is always better.
- Melt 4 or 5 tablespoons butter in a Dutch oven (or equivalent) at medium to high heat.
- Brown the rouladen evenly around their entire circumference. Don't be afraid if the rouladen seem slightly burned in spots, because browner is better for a good gravy. You may have to do this step in a couple of increments, depending on the size of your Dutch oven. If that is the case, finish one batch and set them aside on a plate while browning the second batch.
- Then caramelize about 1/2 of large onion in the juices and butter that are left the Dutch oven. Melt a bit more butter if needed.
- Then return all of the rouladen to the pot and reduce heat.
- Add enough beef broth stock, (or water with enough beef Boullion cubes) to cover the rouladen. (usually about 3 to 4 cups.)
- Add about 250 to 300 grams of mushrooms (medium size and quartered).
- Add 1 teaspoon thyme.
- Add 3 bay leaves.
- salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer (bring to just under a very slow rolling boil) for at least 2 hours. The longer they cook, the softer and tenderer the meat. A crock pot should work well for this stage, but I have not tried it.
- Remove the finished rouladen to a serving plate.
- Thicken the gravy by bringing it to a boil and then adding a smooth mixture of flour and cold water.
- Spoon a bit of the gravy over the rouladen on the serving plate to keep them moist and for presentation.
- Serve the rest of the gravy in a gravy boat or serving bowl
- This recipe works really well with French style green beans and boiled potatoes. Serve a sweet salad or tomato or cucumber marinade on a side plate.
The traditional German recipe varies from mine as follows:
- There are no mushrooms either in the rouladen or in the gravy.
- There is at least 1 full pickle in the center, sometimes 1 and 1/2.
- Tradition calls for bacon slices instead of sliced ham. Don't expect the bacon to be crispy though, because its purpose is to keep the inside of the roulade moist.
- Some people caramelize the diced onion for the filling before spreading on the meat slices.
- Skip the caramelized onions in the beef stock for the gravy.
Paupiettes De Boeuf:
- Use about 6 slices of the rouladen meat as in the recipe above,
- Put sliced bacon on each one
- Sprinkle with finely chopped shallot mixed with a little finely chopped parsley. The number of shallots depends on the size of the meat slices, and the proportion of the parsley to shallot should be about 2 teaspoons parsley to each shallot.
- Other common filling ingredients for a paupiette recipe include chopped vegetables, such as peppers, onions, spinach, or mushrooms, herbs, rice, breadcrumbs, cheese, or fruits, particularly apples.
- Roll each slice into a barrel shape, and tie with kitchen string.
- Melt 2 heaping tablespoons butter in a heavy pan, add the beef rolls and brown them on all sides.
- Pour in about 1 to 1 1/2 cups beef stock.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.
- Remove the beef to a serving plate and serve the juices in a sauceboat.
Jehane Benoit's Version of Beef Roulades:
- Use 6 slices of minute steaks, or cube steaks. Be sure to tenderize (pound) them because they tend to be tough otherwise.
- Make the stuffing by combining in a large bowl:
- 1 cup hot chicken stock
- 3 cups diced bread
- 1/2 teaspoon sage
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- grated orange zest
- 1 cup chopped raw cranberries or 1 cup diced orange pulp
- Spread and equal amount of the mixture onto each slice of meat and roll up in barrel shape
- fasten with toothpicks, or kitchen string
- Roll each roulade well in a mixture of 1/4 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Heat 4 tablespoons beef suet until melted and add the roulades. (Lard or butter make good substitutes for the beef suet).
- Brown on all sides
- Arrange the roulades in an ovenproof dish and add 1/4 cup consumme or beef stock.
- Roast for about 35 minutes at 275 degrees F
- Serve each roulade with some of the cooking sauce.
Rolled Steak Florentine:
- The original recipe (shamelessly stolen from a "Company's Coming Beef Today" cookbook) calls for 8 pieces of flank or round steak, cut into 3-inch by 4-inch pieces and pounded to 1/4-inch thickness. (I wonder if one couldn't use the rouladen meat from previous recipes, but with the sides cut square.)
- Combine the following in a large bowl and mix well:
- 300 grams (about 10 ounces) fresh or frozen spinach, cooked squeezed dry and chopped
- 175 ml (3/4 cup) bread crumbs
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) grated cheddar cheese
- 1 egg beaten with a fork
- 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning. (You could substitute steak seasoning.)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
- Spread this mixture onto the 8 pieces of flattened steaks.
- Roll up starting at the narrow edge and secure with metal skewers or kitchen string.
- Broil the rollups 4-inches from the heat, turning until evenly browned.
- Combine 213 ml (about 7 to 8 ounces) of tomato sauce, 1 crushed beef bouillon or 1 teaspoon beef bouillon powder, 125 ml (1/2 cup) boiling water, and 1 minced garlic clove. Pour this mixture over the steak rolls in an ungreased 3 litre casserole dish.
- Cover and bake on centre rack at 350 degrees F for 1 & 1/2 hours or until tender, turning the rolls after 1 hour.
- Remove the rolls to a serving dish.
- Add 2 tablespoons flour mixed with 1/4 cup cold water to the liquid in the casserole dish, and heat until thickened.
- Serve the sauce with the steak rolls.
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