Rouladen

Rouladen (or Rinderroulade) is a German meat roulade consisting of bacon, onions, mustard and pickles wrapped in thinly sliced beef and then cooked.The dish has sometimes minced meat or only bacon and onion filling. Rouladen is traditionally served for dinner. Red wine is served with this dish.

The meat is beef, venison, wild boar or pork. Many food scholars agree that the original version was probably venison and pork. The beef rouladen common today has become popular over the last century. Beef shankis used.The thinly sliced meat is prepared with mustard and ground pepper and smoked bacon is placed on top. The bacon is semi-cooked first and the lard is saved for the searing process. The filling varies from region to region. In some areas ground pork and beef with pickles is used, in others only onions. The filling is added and then the meat is rolled up to a traditional elongated shape. A thread (traditional) or toothpick (modern) is used to hold the roll together. The "rouladen" are slowly roasted with carrots, celery and leeks until the meat is tender and nicely caramelized. The most traditional cooking method would include searing. The slow roasting takes between one and two hours depending on the regional preferences. Rouladen is turned once to seare even the opposite side. Red wine and a vegetable stock is added to slow the cooking process. The pan is then covered and placed on a raised iron mount in front of an open fireplace for the slow roasting period. The height of the iron mount and the distance from the fire will determine the temperature of the slow roasting process. The "Rouladen" are then removed and the pan is de-glaced with some red wine or vegetable stock. This is reduced to a gravy. An easier method is to use a conventional oven at 175 degrees Celsius (350 °F). Rouladen are served with either German potato dumplings or boiled potatoes. Roasted winter vegetables are an other common side dish. In Hungary the dish is known as Szüz tekercsek (so called Virgin rouladen), filled with minced meat. The dish is often considered a food for common people, but this is incorrect. Rouladen is traditionally a celebratory food for the wealthy and upper-middle class. Original rouladen was eaten at the end of hunting season (mid-winter). Various different recipes can be found on the Internet.