Post by nana on Mar 10, 2018 9:41:10 GMT -5
My mom used to make rouladen occasionally, a traditional German dish made of thin pounded beef steaks rolled up around a filling...it was complicated and time consuming and I kind of knew what went into it from watching her, but I had never made it myself, and I was regretting not having her recipe. I found a great website called "Just Like Oma", and reading through it I could tell that these really were authentic German recipes. She had the traditional rouladen recipe, and then also a lazy man's version, with all the flavor and none of the fuss called flatladen(not rolled up!). It tasted just like I remember. The website is really worth a visit, but here is how I made the recipe, not exactly like hers. It is tailor-made for CWTGTO!
2-3 lbs chuck steak, shoulder, etc. I used something called mock tender, which is chuck with great flavor but very tough, (hence the mock) but the long slow cooking will tenderize even the toughest cuts, so you can go cheap here.
6 slices lean bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 large garlic dill pickles, chopped
1Tbsp coarse ground mustard
butter for frying
Cut the meat into pieces about 3/4 inch thick and maybe 2-3 inches long. Think big bite size, but more flat than cube-like. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Brown the meat in the butter in a cast iron skillet. Don't crowd the pan, you will have to do it in batches. After browning, place in a thermowell pot. Chop the onions and bacon and fry lightly in the same skillet, then add to the meat. Deglaze the pan with some water, or beef broth would probably be even better, but water will do, scrape up all the browned bits and add to the pot, along with the pickles and the mustard. Add enough water to almost cover the meat, place in the thermowell, bring to a boil and then turn off the gas and let it do its thing for, I would say, at least three hours. (Or as the Idle Hour is fond of saying, for as long as you like!)
When it's done you can thicken the gravy with a little flour or cornstarch. Serve over noodles, spaetzle, potato dumplings, etc. Extra bonus points if you also serve it with red cabbage!
You can play with the amounts of this or that, but it's the combination of beef, onions, bacon and pickles that makes the dish. If you like more of one thing or another the exact amounts aren't important.
2-3 lbs chuck steak, shoulder, etc. I used something called mock tender, which is chuck with great flavor but very tough, (hence the mock) but the long slow cooking will tenderize even the toughest cuts, so you can go cheap here.
6 slices lean bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 large garlic dill pickles, chopped
1Tbsp coarse ground mustard
butter for frying
Cut the meat into pieces about 3/4 inch thick and maybe 2-3 inches long. Think big bite size, but more flat than cube-like. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Brown the meat in the butter in a cast iron skillet. Don't crowd the pan, you will have to do it in batches. After browning, place in a thermowell pot. Chop the onions and bacon and fry lightly in the same skillet, then add to the meat. Deglaze the pan with some water, or beef broth would probably be even better, but water will do, scrape up all the browned bits and add to the pot, along with the pickles and the mustard. Add enough water to almost cover the meat, place in the thermowell, bring to a boil and then turn off the gas and let it do its thing for, I would say, at least three hours. (Or as the Idle Hour is fond of saying, for as long as you like!)
When it's done you can thicken the gravy with a little flour or cornstarch. Serve over noodles, spaetzle, potato dumplings, etc. Extra bonus points if you also serve it with red cabbage!
You can play with the amounts of this or that, but it's the combination of beef, onions, bacon and pickles that makes the dish. If you like more of one thing or another the exact amounts aren't important.