Bacon Rouladen

Bacon rouladen is the working-class German rouladen, the one your oma would make on a Sunday with whatever cut of beef the butcher had on sale. Round steak gets pounded thin, smeared with sharp Dijon mustard, then rolled around a strip of barely-rendered bacon and a tumble of sliced onion. Tied tight, dredged in seasoned flour, and browned in shortening until the outside is the color of dark caramel.

The magic move is the half-cover braise. After the rolls hit a deep mahogany sear, water comes in to reach halfway up the sides. As the rouladen simmer for 20 minutes, the flour from the dredge thickens the cooking liquid into a built-in gravy. No separate roux, no extra step.

Don’t let the bacon get crisp before rolling. You want it pliable so it folds inside the meat without splitting the roll when you tie it. Serve the rouladen and their gravy over spaetzle, buttered noodles, or a mound of mashed potatoes with red cabbage on the side. That is dinner in a Munich beer hall, in your own kitchen.

Chef Tips

• Pound the round steak between two sheets of plastic to a true paper-thin. Thick slices will tear when you roll.
• Tie with butcher’s twine or use toothpicks at each end. Skip this step and the rolls unfurl in the pan.
• Brown hard before adding any liquid. The fond on the bottom of the pan is what gives the gravy its color.
• A splash of beef stock or dry red wine in place of half the water will give you a richer pan sauce.

Variations

• Add a thin pickle spear inside each roll for the more familiar Rheinland version with that signature briny bite.
• Swap the bacon for pancetta for a Italian-leaning roll with a sweeter, less smoky fat.
• Use ground caraway in the flour dredge for an Austrian touch.