Beef Rouladen with Pan Fried Spaetzle

Beef Rouladen with Pan Fried Spaetzle;

A good friend once invited me to his parents for a traditional German dinner. His mother was a very good cook and was handed down recipes from her mother and was very proud to make a few traditional German  for me over the years.  With lots of years since gone by, I have perfected the Rouladen and Spaetzle recipe so if your feeling like some German fare than give this kitchchenman recipe a try.

 

Recipe Ingredients:

6 slices top round beef with some marble.
3 slices lean double smoke bacon
1 cooking onion, sliced
3 German pickles, sliced into spears
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
Grainy German mustard, salt, pepper, corn starch
1 – 2 cups water
Instructions:
Season beef slices with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
Thinly spread mustard on top of each slice.
Divide bacon, pickle spear, and onion slices on one end of each slice.
Roll up slices, tucking the ends in and securing with skewers, wooden cocktail picks, or by butcher thread.
Heat butter in skillet a sauté rouladen well on all sides. Do not crowd rouladen in skillet, or they will not char brown nicely. Do in small batches if necessary. Add extra butter if needed.
Once all rouladen are well browned,  add 1 to 2 cups of hot water, gently stirring up browned bits. Return all rouladen and any accumulated juices to skillet, bring to simmer and cover.
Simmer for about 1½ hours.
Remove rouladen to serving platter.
To thicken gravy, combine about 1 – 2 Tbs. corn starch in a little cold water and stir gently into cooking liquid until slightly thickened.
Season gravy to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper, worcestershire sauce and a little more mustard for extra zip. A small amount of beef bullion adds nice beefy flavour. Add sour cream to the gravy if you wish and some red wine.
Now  remove the skewers, picks to serve rouladen with the pan gravy.

Ask the butcher cut beef top round into thin slices, about ⅜ inch thick. Each roulade should measure at least 6 in. by 4 inches;  Tip; buy a portion of top round, place in the freezer for half an hour which makes slicing at home cheaper and easier.

Gently with a meat tenderizer mallet pound the meat until it is about ¼ inch thick. Be careful not to poke any holes in the meat. The larger the roulade, the easier it is to roll up.
I use sweet and sour gherkin pickles. Some add other vegetables like carrots. I use double smoke bacon for extra flavour. Poach the vegetable sides Broc, green beans, carrots in chicken stock and quick stir fry to serve. The red cabbage with a hint of apple and all spice.

The spaetzle instructions;
• Ingredients
4 eggs
1/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and salt. Add in the flour and stir until well combined.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Place your spaetzle maker over the top, then pour half of the batter into the cup of the device. Quickly slide the cup back and forth to allow the batter to drop through. Repeat with second half of batter, working quickly, until all the batter is cooking in the pot.
• Set the spaetzle maker aside and give the dumplings a good stir in the pot. Let them cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until floating on the surface. r
Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl.
Toss with butter and spices and pan fry.