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Dinner Beef
4.9 from 19 votes

Beef Rouladen

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By: Joanna Cismaru •3/30/23 6 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This Beef Rouladen recipe features thinly sliced beef wrapped around bacon, pickles, carrots, and onion then braised in a red wine gravy until it’s fall-apart-tender. This German comfort food will warm your soul!

overhead shot of beef rouladen in a large white bowl with a serving spoon in it
Table of Contents Open
  • The Best Beef Rouladen Recipe
  • What Is Beef Rouladen?
  • Ingredients You’ll Need
  • How To Make Beef Rouladen
  • How To Find The Right Type Of Beef
  • How To Serve
  • Slow Cooker Beef Rouladen
  • Leftovers
  • Freezing
  • More Great Recipes To Try
  • Beef Rouladen
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Equipment
    • Notes
    • Nutrition Information
  • Did You Make This?

The Best Beef Rouladen Recipe

I learned how to make this incredible recipe from my good friend, Sharon, with a magic touch for perfect rouladen. She has been making rouladen for decades as her family’s favorite Sunday dinner. I was lucky enough to learn her secrets for making the perfect rouladen, and I’m so excited to share it with you!

I’ve never made something like this before. I’ve made steak or chicken roll-ups, but this is completely different. Beef wrapped around a pickle? and a carrot?! It sounds odd, but the flavors are out-of-this-world. After braising for a few hours in a yummy red wine gravy, everything marries together to create a symphony of deliciousness.

beef rouladen pieces in a white plate with gravy

What Is Beef Rouladen?

This is a classic German recipe, popular for Sunday family dinners, and always made in abundance for Oktoberfest. Everyone has their own special twist on this comforting braised beef dish, but there are a few pieces that always stay constant: thinly sliced steak wrapped around mustard, bacon, onion, and pickles, then braised to tender perfection.

Everyone has their own preference for mustard. Practically every recipe you’ll find will use a different variety! It’s all up to preference but my friend swears by Keens mustard. She also use carrots in her rouladen to give some extra flavor and umph.

Ingredients You’ll Need

overhead shot of all the ingredients needed to make beef rouladen
  • Beef rouladen – I found this thinly-sliced variety of beef at my local butcher and it’s usually labeled rouladen. Typically it’s top round steak thinly sliced.
  • Hot mustard – I used the brand Keens. It’s definitely the best for this recipe, but you can use a different brand if you can’t find it.
  • Onions – White onions work best, but you can use yellow or red if that’s what you have handy.
  • Carrots – I used large carrots. If yours are small, use more than I’ve called for.
  • Pickles – I used dill pickles. If you like sweet pickles better, or you have some homemade, you can use those.
  • Bacon – Make sure to find thin-cut. This will make sure it doesn’t get too gummy from being wrapped up.
  • Vegetable oil – for frying the the beef rouladen before making the gravy.
  • Salt & pepper – Season to taste.
  • Water and Flour – Make a slurry with water and flour and this is what we use in our gravy. If you want to go gluten-free, you can use 1/2 cup corn starch instead.
  • Red wine – A dry variety such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Shiraz.

How To Make Beef Rouladen

process shots showing how to assemble beef rouladen
  1. Prep the beef: If your beef comes in fairly long pieces, cut them in half, we’re looking for pieces that are about 4×4-inches (roughly cut).
  2. Prepare the rouladen: Easiest way to do this is to assemble a bunch of rouladen at once, as in an assembly line (see picture above), so lay the pieces of beef on a cutting board, as many as you can fit. Start by spreading about a teaspoon of mustard on each piece of beef, followed by a tsp of onion, a piece of bacon, season with a bit of salt and pepper. Next add a piece of carrot and pickle, you may add 2 of each, depending how big they are. Roll them up and secure each rouladen with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
  3. Sear the rouladen: Heat a bit of the vegetable oil in a frying pan or skillet. Add a few rouladen to the skillet, about 6 or so depending on the size of your skillet, but don’t overcrowd. Sear the rouladen on all sides. Transfer the seared rouladen to a large Dutch oven that’s oven safe and has a lid.
  4. Make the gravy: In that same skillet make gravy from the drippings. In a bowl whisk together 1 cup of flour with about 3 to 4 cups of water. Pour about 1 cup of this slurry in the skillet with the drippings. Whisk until it starts to thicken and the flour cooks a bit then add about 1/4 cup of red wine. Continue cooking for a couple more minutes while whisking, then pour this gravy over the seared rouladen in the Dutch oven. Clean the skillet and repeat with remaining ingredients. You might need to do this in 3 or 4 batches. There should be enough gravy to cover all the rouladen.
  5. Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees and position your rack in the middle.
  6. Bake: Cover the Dutch oven with the lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
process shots showing how to sear beef rouladen and make gravy

How To Find The Right Type Of Beef

I went to my local butcher and found some already sliced rouladen beef. If your butcher doesn’t have any ready, you can get them to cut some top round steaks into 1/4″ slices.

Flank steak, cut 1/4″ thin, will also work for you if you don’t have access to top round steak.

overhead shot of beef rouladen in a large dutch oven after braising

How To Serve

I served my rouladen with some classic German red cabbage and creamy mashed potatoes. The perfect vessel for all that amazing gravy!

Want to switch it up? Give some of these sides a try!

  • Skillet Green Beans
  • Garlic Herb Roasted Carrots
  • Italian Roasted Mushrooms and Veggies
  • Rosemary Smashed Potatoes
  • Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
  • Soft Buttermilk Dinner Rolls
  • Garlic Parmesan Dinner Rolls
  • No Knead Bread

Slow Cooker Beef Rouladen

This beef rouladen is ideal to be made in the slow cooker. Follow the instructions as outlined including the searing and making the gravy, but place the rouladen and gravy in your slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

beef rouladen with gravy, mashed potatoes and red cabbage on a white plate

Leftovers

Your rouladen will last 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Make sure to store your rouladen covered with the gravy. I know it may seem like a ton of gravy that you end up with, but it’s a great way to make sure your rouladen doesn’t dry out.

Reheat either in the microwave, or covered in the oven at 375F until heated through. When reheating, use lots of the gravy, again, to prevent your rouladen from drying out.

Freezing

You can also freeze leftovers. Transfer the rouladen to an airtight container, with the gravy, let it cool down on the counter, then store up to 3 months. Thaw by transferring to the fridge overnight.

To freeze rouladen before braising but after searing, prep the rolls, place them on a baking sheet, cover with plastic, and freeze for 2 hours. Transfer your frozen rolls to a large freezer bag or airtight container. They’ll last 6-12 months. You can pop them right into the pot from the freezer to cook. Give them an extra 10-20 minutes of braising time.

beef rouladen with lots of gravy in a large white bowl

More Great Recipes To Try

  • Argentinian Stuffed Flank Steak
  • Italian Stuffed Flank Steak
  • Instant Pot Beef Brisket
  • Flank Steak Tostadas
  • Chimichurri Steak Quesadillas
  • German Potato Salad
  • Oxtail Stew
  • Beef Salad (Salata de Boeuf)

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

overhead shot of beef rouladen in a large serving bowl with a serving spoon
Print
4.85 from 19 votes

Beef Rouladen

Prep 30 minutes
Cook 3 hours
Total 3 hours 30 minutes
Rate Recipe
This Beef Rouladen recipe features thinly sliced beef wrapped around bacon, pickles, carrots, and onion then braised in a red wine gravy until it's fall-apart-tender. This German comfort food will warm your soul!
10

Ingredients

Beef Rouladen

  • 3 pound beef rouladen
  • 3 ounce keens hot mustard
  • 2 medium onions (shredded or finely chopped)
  • 3 medium carrots (peeled, and cut into 1/4 inch sticks)
  • 6 pickles (cut into 1/4 inch sticks)
  • 2 pound bacon (thin cut, cut slices in half)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
  • 3 tablespoon vegetable oil

Gravy

  • 4 cups water (or more as needed)
  • ¾ cup red wine (such as Cabarnet Sauvignon or Malbec)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions 

  • Prep the beef: If your beef comes in fairly long pieces, cut them in half, we're looking for pieces that are about 4×4-inches (roughly cut).
  • Prepare the rouladen: Easiest way to do this is to assemble a bunch of rouladen at once, as in an assembly line (see picture above), so lay the pieces of beef on a cutting board, as many as you can fit. Start by spreading about a teaspoon of mustard on each piece of beef, followed by a tsp of onion, a piece of bacon, season with a bit of salt and pepper. Next add a piece of carrot and pickle, you may add 2 of each, depending how big they are. Roll them up and secure each rouladen with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
  • Sear the rouladen: Heat a bit of the vegetable oil in a frying pan or skillet. Add a few rouladen to the skillet, about 6 or so depending on the size of your skillet, but don't overcrowd. Sear the rouladen on all sides. Transfer the seared rouladen to a large Dutch oven that's oven safe and has a lid.
  • Make the gravy: In that same skillet make gravy from the drippings. In a bowl whisk together 1 cup of flour with about 3 to 4 cups of water. Pour about 1 cup of this slurry in the skillet with the drippings. Whisk until it starts to thicken and the flour cooks a bit then add about 1/4 cup of red wine. Continue cooking for a couple more minutes while whisking, then pour this gravy over the seared rouladen in the Dutch oven. Clean the skillet and repeat with remaining ingredients. You might need to do this in 3 or 4 batches. There should be enough gravy to cover all the rouladen.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and position your rack in the middle.
  • Bake: Cover the Dutch oven with the lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake for about 2½ to 3 hours.

Equipment

  • Toothpicks
  • 6 Quart Dutch Oven

Notes

  1. I got about 30 rouladen from this recipe and usually you can serve 3 rouladen per serving.
  2. Your rouladen will last 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Make sure to store your rouladen covered with the gravy. I know it may seem like a ton of gravy that you end up with, but it’s a great way to make sure your rouladen doesn’t dry out.
  3. Reheat either in the microwave, or covered in the oven at 375F until heated through. When reheating, use lots of the gravy, again, to prevent your rouladen from drying out.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 3rouladenCalories: 747kcal (37%)Carbohydrates: 17g (6%)Protein: 40g (80%)Fat: 56g (86%)Saturated Fat: 22g (138%)Cholesterol: 154mg (51%)Sodium: 1401mg (61%)Potassium: 806mg (23%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 3g (3%)Vitamin A: 3186IU (64%)Vitamin C: 3mg (4%)Calcium: 66mg (7%)Iron: 4mg (22%)

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

overhead shot of beef rouladen in a large serving bowl with a serving spoon

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Joanna Cismaru

Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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6 Comments
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Sharon
Sharon
Posted: 1 year ago

I make an almost identical beef rouladen except no carrots. Delish!!

0
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Nela
Nela
Posted: 2 years ago

5 stars
Dear Jo,

i live in Croatia where this is a pretty traditional dish. My friends even asked me ‘how is it possible to find this recipe in english insted of croatian 😀 😀
i followed your recipe to the letter and i loved it.
It takes some time to make it but it’s worth it (for me anyway)

Thank you!

0
Reply
Jo Cooks Team
Jo Cooks Team
Reply to  Nela
Posted: 2 years ago

That’s great to hear it tastes just as good as home! We’re glad you loved it.

0
Reply
Mihaela
Mihaela
Posted: 3 years ago

5 stars
Wow, Back in Romania my mom used to make these and I wanted to make them too but,unfortunately, I didn’t have the recipe. I remember she was making them in a red wine sauce and in the middle she was puting only pickels. They were delicious. So glad you posted this recipe. thank you Jo.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Mihaela
Posted: 3 years ago

My pleasure, hope you like them!

0
Reply
Chris W.
Chris W.
Posted: 3 years ago

This sounds absolutely delicious and comforting. I’ll definitely try this recipe. Oh, and I just love the serving dish shown!

0
Reply

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Hey there!

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More
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