Sausage-Centered Hamburger Rolls
Submitted by jen412
Sausage-stuffed hamburger rolls wrap apple-spiced ground beef around pork sausage links, then simmer in pan gravy. A fall-flavored take on Scandinavian beef rolls.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
30 minREADY
50 minThese hamburger rolls are old-school Midwestern comfort food with Scandinavian roots. Apple, cinnamon, and clove ground into the beef take the patty in a fall-flavored direction, while wrapping each one around a sausage link adds a built-in juicy center that bastes the beef from inside as it cooks.
The apple and spice combination is what makes this distinctive. Most ground beef recipes lean salty-savory, but the cinnamon and clove pull this toward sausage country. The apple stays slightly recognizable in texture even after cooking, adding moisture and faint sweetness in every bite.
The technique of wrapping ground meat around a sausage link is borrowed from Scandinavian “meat birds” or Swedish ko-ttbullar variants. Sealing the ends is critical, the sausage shouldn’t poke out or its rendering fat creates uneven cooking and a messy gravy.
Building the gravy from the rendered fat is what turns this from a simple sausage-meatball dish into a proper braised plate. The browned bits stuck to the skillet, deglazed with beef bouillon and water, create a savory pan sauce that ties everything together.
The 15-minute simmer in the gravy is the gentle finish. It cooks the pork sausage center through without overcooking the beef exterior. By the time the gravy thickens, the rolls are juicy and the sausage is fully done.
Pro Tips
- Use breakfast-style pork sausage links, not Italian or kielbasa, the mild flavor pairs better with the spiced beef
- Don’t overpack the meat around the sausage, work just enough to seal, overhandling toughens ground beef
- Brown the rolls on all sides, rotating gently with tongs to avoid splitting the seal
- Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or buttered rice to catch the gravy
Variations
- Add a tablespoon of grated horseradish or Dijon mustard to the gravy for sharper, more grown-up flavor
- Swap apple for finely diced pear or grated zucchini for different moisture and flavor profiles
- Stir a quarter cup of sour cream into the finished gravy for a Scandinavian-style creamier sauce
Ingredients
Directions
Mix the meat, apple, onion, egg and seasonings together.
Divide the mixture into 10 equal parts.
Mold each part around a sausage link, sealing the ends.
Brown the meat rolls in a large skillet over medium heat.
Remove the meat rolls.
Pour all but 2 Tbls of the fat from the skillet.
Stir the flour into the remaining fat.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and bubbly.
Stir in the bouillon and water.
Heat to boiling, stirring constantly and then reduce the heat.
Return the meat rolls to the skillet; cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
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