Braised Beef Bacon Rolls (Print-Friendly Version)

Braised beef rolls with bacon, carrots, pickles, and rich, savory gravy. A German classic for comfort food lovers.

# What You’ll Need to Make This:

→ Meat

01 - 900–1350 g beef round roast (topside), thinly sliced lengthwise to 3 mm thickness

→ Filling

02 - 8–12 slices bacon
03 - 1 onion, very thinly sliced
04 - 2 carrots, julienned
05 - 2 whole dill pickles, thinly sliced

→ Spread & Seasonings

06 - 120 ml German or Dijon mustard
07 - salt, to taste
08 - black pepper, to taste

→ For Searing

09 - 30 g butter or oil, or a combination

→ Braising Liquid

10 - 240 ml water or beef broth

→ Thickening Gravy

11 - cornstarch, as needed
12 - 15 ml water (for cornstarch slurry)

→ Assembly

13 - toothpicks

# How to Prepare:

01 - Cut onion, carrots, and pickles into fine matchstick-sized pieces.
02 - Lay out each slice of beef. Spread generously with mustard and season with salt and black pepper. Arrange 1–2 bacon slices, then a portion of carrot, onion, and pickle across each slice. Tightly roll up the beef and secure with toothpicks.
03 - Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add butter or oil. Sear the beef rolls, turning, until browned on all sides.
04 - Pour in water or beef broth and deglaze the pan by scraping up any browned bits. Cover and simmer over low heat for 2 hours.
05 - Transfer the cooked rouladen to a plate. Bring the braising liquid to a boil. Whisk cornstarch with a little water to make a slurry and add gradually to thicken the gravy as desired. Adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or beef bouillon if needed.
06 - Remove toothpicks and plate the rouladen. Spoon gravy over before serving.

# Extra Tips:

01 - Request your butcher to cut the beef into long, thin slices approximately 6–10 cm wide and 0.5–0.8 cm thick for easy rolling and even cooking.
02 - German mustard gives the most authentic flavor, but Dijon is a suitable substitute.
03 - Sautéed mushrooms may be added to the gravy for additional depth.
04 - Rouladen can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight prior to cooking, or cooked and reheated gently.
05 - For freezing, arrange raw or cooked rouladen on a baking tray until firm, then transfer to containers or bags for up to 3 months.
06 - Serve traditionally with Spaetzle, red cabbage (Rotkohl), boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, or rice.

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