Lean beef round, slices of bacon, smoked pork fat, and a dark onion base create a juicy roulade with a bold, rich sauce. This hearty main course serves 2 portions and takes about 20 minutes to prepare.
The braising itself takes between 1.5 and 2.5 hours depending on the type and maturity of the meat, so this recipe requires a bit of patience. The difficulty is medium, but each step is easy to follow. The most important part is to slowly sauté the onions until dark brown, sear the roulade thoroughly, and then gently braise it until tender.
What you’ll need
For the beef roulade:
- 300 g slice of beef round, ideally matured topside or bottom round,
- 100 g bacon, English or farmhouse style,
- 50 g smoked pork fat,
- 1 teaspoon sweet ground paprika,
- salt and ground pepper to taste,
- optionally a little full-fat mustard.
For the onion gravy:
- 2 tablespoons lard,
- 1 large onion,
- water or broth for basting,
- optionally plain flour for thickening.
The original recipe does not specify exact amounts of salt, pepper, water or broth, flour, or optional mustard, so adjust these to your taste and the desired amount and consistency of the sauce.
Step-by-step preparation:
1. Preparing the meat: Gently pound the beef slice so it has an even thickness and can be easily rolled. Season both sides with salt, pepper, and sprinkle evenly with sweet paprika. For a more pronounced flavor, spread a little full-fat mustard on the inside.
2. Filling the roulade: Lay the bacon slices on the prepared meat. Cut the smoked pork fat into thin strips and place them in the center so the filling divides evenly when sliced.
3. Rolling and securing: Roll the meat tightly into a roulade. Tie it thoroughly with kitchen twine or secure with metal skewers for roulades, so it keeps its shape and the filling stays inside during searing and long braising.
4. Preparing the onion base: Heat lard in a pot and add finely chopped onion. Sauté patiently until it turns dark brown, being careful not to burn it. Well-caramelized onion gives the sauce its dark color and full flavor.
5. Searing the roulade: Place the prepared roulade onto the onion base. Sear it well on all sides so the meat is sealed and gets color on the surface. Turn it carefully so the twine or skewers don’t come loose.
6. Slow braising: Pour in a little water or broth so the meat is about halfway submerged. Cover the pot and braise the roulade gently over low heat until tender, about 1.5 to 2.5 hours depending on the meat used. Check occasionally and add more liquid as needed.
7. Finishing the sauce: Remove the tender roulade from the pot and keep it warm. Strain the remaining sauce through a fine sieve. If you want a thicker or larger amount of sauce, add a little plain flour mixed with water and let the sauce simmer for at least 10 minutes.
8. Slicing and serving: Remove the kitchen twine or metal skewers from the roulade and slice the meat into neat pieces. Pour over the prepared onion gravy and serve with braised spinach and potato dumplings, or traditionally with rice.
How to make a dark and flavorful gravy
The dark color of the sauce comes not from paprika, but from properly caramelized onions. Let them turn a deep brown, but never let them blacken. Burnt onions would give the finished sauce an unpleasant bitterness that’s hard to fix.
Straining through a fine sieve yields a smooth sauce without onion pieces. If you don’t mind a more rustic texture, you can leave it as is or briefly blend it with a stick blender.
How to tell when the beef roulade is done
Properly braised beef is easy to pierce with a fork, which slides out smoothly. If the roulade still feels springy and tough, continue braising for about 20 more minutes. The required time depends on the specific cut and maturity of the meat.
Tips for securing and choosing the meat
Beef round, such as topside, silverside, or bottom round, is best for roulade because it’s easy to slice. Using matured meat can shorten the braising time and the roulade will be more tender.
Kitchen twine is the safest choice for keeping the shape. If you don’t have it, you can use toothpicks, but be careful when turning the roulade in the pot. Before slicing, remember to remove all skewers, toothpicks, or twine used.
