How to Make Beef and Bacon Rollups

Rolled slices of beef enclose a savory filling.

Some folks call this traditional German dish rouladen and some call it beef and bacon rollups, but whatever it is called, this is a delicious recipe that is not terribly expensive to make, although it is somewhat labor intensive. Make it for special dinners and get the family involved in cutting, pounding and stuffing the meat.

Things You'll Need

• 3 pounds boneless beef round steak (1/2 inch thick)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 6 bacon strips
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups water or beef broth
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon browning sauce, if desired

Instructions

1. Cut round steak into 6-inch-by-6-inch portions. Place the steak between pieces of waxed paper and pound them with a meat tenderizer until they double in size.

2. Mix chopped bacon, chopped onion, salt and pepper together. Use this mixture to fill the portions of beef, then roll them up and secure with a toothpick. Dredge the rollups in the flour until they are well coated.

3. Brown rollups in a skillet in vegetable oil on medium-high heat. As you brown the portions, remove them from skillet and place them into a deep pot. When all the meat portions are browned and transferred to the pot, cover them with water or beef broth. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for one hour until a gravy forms and the meat is tender.

4. For a hearty meal, serve the beef rollups with mashed potatoes or egg noodles and a vegetable.

Tips & Warnings

• The classic beef rouladen recipe calls for a dill pickle in each portion, but you may omit that. A traditional side dish to accompany the beef is German spaetzle.

• After you brown the rollups, you can cook them in a crock pot for eight hours on low heat. Remove them and thicken the gravy before serving.

References

• All Recipes: German Rouladen
• Cooks.com: Beef Rouladen