America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated LogoAmerica's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Beef Rouladen

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 2, 2011

Time

2¾ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Beef Rouladen

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, chopped fine1 small onion, chopped fine5 tablespoons chopped dill pickles, patted dry, plus 2 tablespoons pickle juice1 flank steak (about 1 ½ pounds), pounded ½ inch thick3 tablespoons Dijon mustard Pepper 2 cups low-sodium beef broth ¼ cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Cook bacon in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to medium bowl and pour off fat from pan, reserving ¼ cup. Cook onion in 1 tablespoon bacon fat until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer onion and pickles to bowl with bacon.
  2. Pat steak dry with paper towels. Brush 1 side of meat with 2 tablespoons mustard, leaving ½-inch border on all sides. Spread bacon mixture over mustard. Starting at long edge, roll steak into tight cylinder and tie at 1-inch intervals with kitchen twine. Season with pepper.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon reserved fat in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown roast on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer roast to 13 by 9-inch baking dish and pour broth into pan. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and roast until tender, 1½ to 1¾ hours.
  4. Transfer roast to cutting board and reserve pan juices. Heat remaining fat in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Stir in flour and cook until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Whisk in pan juices and bring to boil. Simmer over medium-low heat until sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining mustard and pickle juice. Season with pepper. Remove twine from beef. Slice and serve with sauce.
Beef Rouladen

Beef Rouladen

Headshot of America's Test Kitchen
By America's Test Kitchen
Save

Time

2¾ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, chopped fine
1 small onion, chopped fine
5 tablespoons chopped dill pickles, patted dry, plus 2 tablespoons pickle juice
1 flank steak (about 1 ½ pounds), pounded ½ inch thick
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Pepper
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
¼ cup all-purpose flour

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, chopped fine
1 small onion, chopped fine
5 tablespoons chopped dill pickles, patted dry, plus 2 tablespoons pickle juice
1 flank steak (about 1 ½ pounds), pounded ½ inch thick
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Pepper
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
¼ cup all-purpose flour

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, chopped fine
1 small onion, chopped fine
5 tablespoons chopped dill pickles, patted dry, plus 2 tablespoons pickle juice
1 flank steak (about 1 ½ pounds), pounded ½ inch thick
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Pepper
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
¼ cup all-purpose flour

Why This Recipe Works

A mixture of bacon, mustard, onion, and pickles proved to be the ideal combination for the filling in our Beef Rouladen recipe. After we stuffed the steak with our bacon mixture, we browned it in reserved bacon fat to enhance its flavor before roasting.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Cook bacon in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to medium bowl and pour off fat from pan, reserving ¼ cup. Cook onion in 1 tablespoon bacon fat until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer onion and pickles to bowl with bacon.
  2. Pat steak dry with paper towels. Brush 1 side of meat with 2 tablespoons mustard, leaving ½-inch border on all sides. Spread bacon mixture over mustard. Starting at long edge, roll steak into tight cylinder and tie at 1-inch intervals with kitchen twine. Season with pepper.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon reserved fat in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown roast on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer roast to 13 by 9-inch baking dish and pour broth into pan. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and roast until tender, 1½ to 1¾ hours.
  4. Transfer roast to cutting board and reserve pan juices. Heat remaining fat in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Stir in flour and cook until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Whisk in pan juices and bring to boil. Simmer over medium-low heat until sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining mustard and pickle juice. Season with pepper. Remove twine from beef. Slice and serve with sauce.

Gift This Recipe

Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.

This is a members' feature.