Easy Beef Roll-Ups

Pounded round steak strips wrapped around bacon slices, browned until crusty, then pressure-cooked in onion soup gravy until fork-tender. The pressure cooker turns a tough, inexpensive cut into something that melts apart in just 10 minutes of cooking time.

Pounding the steak thin is what makes these roll-ups work. Thin strips wrap tightly around the bacon without cracking or tearing, and the pounding breaks down the tough muscle fibers in round steak before cooking even begins.

Browning the roll-ups slowly in a hot pan builds a fond, those caramelized bits stuck to the bottom that dissolve into the onion soup liquid to form the gravy base. Scraping the pan for a full three minutes gets every bit of that flavor into the sauce.

The cornstarch slurry at the end transforms the thin cooking liquid into a glossy, thick gravy that clings to each roll-up. Mix the cornstarch with cold water until completely smooth before adding it. Lumps in gravy are hard to fix.

Kitchen Tips

• Secure the roll-ups well with wooden toothpicks. Loose rolls unravel during browning and you lose the bacon inside.
• Brown slowly over medium heat. Rushing with high heat burns the outside before the bacon inside renders any fat.
• Let pressure release naturally for a few minutes before quick-releasing. This keeps the meat from seizing up from the sudden temperature change.

Variations

• Mustard filling: Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard on the steak before adding the bacon for a sharper, more German-style roulade.
• Pickle inside: Tuck a dill pickle spear alongside the bacon for a classic German rinderroulade.
• Slow cooker method: Skip the pressure cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours if you prefer a hands-off approach.