Beef Flatladen - tastes like Beef Rouladen!

➤ by Gerhild Fulson

Beef Flatladen, you've never heard of it, right?

Of course not! 

That's my son's name for Beef Rouladen that are flat! (Check the video below!) It tastes just like rouladen without all the work and expense.

Wunderbar! My family loves rouladen, but I didn't like the work nor the expense. Buying top round for weekday dinners and then pounding and rolling, just wasn't in my budget or schedule.

What everyone loved, other than unrolling them when eating, was the flavor of the rouladen meat AND THE GRAVY!

(Take a look at Karen's comments below)*

Since rouladen were so expensive (and consuming to make) and German food is so good, I created Beef Flatladen!

I vary the type of meat, usually using whatever is on sale. Even pork works! I vary the size of chunks, usually making them about a 2 to 3 inches square and about ¾ inch thick.

Leftovers are delicious, so make lots!

Here's how easy it is ...

I use almost any cut of meat. Slow simmering tenderizes the meat, so even a tough cut of meat will do.

• Cut the meat into the size needed. 
• Brown in small batches in butter. 
• Add onion, bacon, dill pickle (our traditional rouladen flavors), seasonings, and water. 
• Let the whole thing simmer for about 2 hours.
• Easy peasy. Really, that's all for a rouladen-tasting dinner.

Mustard? If you love having mustard in your rouladen recipes, you can always add some (do the same amount as you're used to) here as well. 

Don't like the pickle? Leave it out. Add just the rouladen additions that you would normally use when you make rouladen.

Adjust the recipe for the amount needed - the quantities don't need to be exact! Enjoy the taste of rouladen without all the fuss!

Want to use a slow cooker? Follow all the steps, but once you're at step #4, put into slow cooker and set to LOW. It'll take about 6 - 8 hours. Turn to HI right toward the end when you stir in the cornstarch mixture to thicken the sauce.

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• Different versions of Rouladen (thought to come from the French) are throughout Europe: Italy has Braciole, Franch has Paupiette, Czech has Španělské ptáčky, Hungary has Szüz tekercsek, and Hungary, as well as Germany, have  Rouladen
• Some interesting names are used for this: beef birds, olive birds, steak birds, bacon rolls, stuffed rolls
• Rouladen are filled with a variety of ingredients, such as vegetables, cheese, and other meats
• Originally, venison and pork were use although now beef (Rindsrouladen) or veal are usually used

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*Here's a comment from Karen Scahill-Stiles (from Facebook):

"I want to say THANK YOU for the Beef Flatladen, you have made life so much easier for me. My Oma may not have approved or she would have thought wow, why didn't I think of doing it like that.

My daughter lives three hours away and Rouladen is her favorite. She is preparing to take the Law Bar exam, called me crying from stress and wanted this for dinner she was driving home.

I was like okay, mind you I have a very active five year old so it doesn't allow me a lot of time in the kitchen. I made the Flatladen, and the entire family was thrilled and my mother couldn't believe it and how easy it is to make.

You brought a family favorite that would take forever to cook, a easy recipe that tastes just like Oma's :) "

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If you are looking for the traditional rouladen, check out my Rouladen recipe. SO WUNDERBAR!

It's our 'special' dinner, usually together with potato dumplings and red cabbage. Doesn't get more German than that!

But, if you're wanting easy and something more economical, then my beef Flatladen is what you're wanting. 

It's as simple as ...

Just brown the meat in batches. Not too much at one time or else the fat cools down and the meat steams, rather than browns.

As the pieces brown, remove them and repeat with the remaining pieces.

Once all the beef has been browned and removed from the pan, brown the chopped onions and the bacon. Do keep the bacon as large pieces so that they can be removed once they are cooked. 

If you wish, you can brown the bacon until it is crisp. Remove the bacon and use it for other purposes, perhaps to add to mashed potatoes (YUM) or to a salad. 

However, that bacon fat is just what the flatladen needs to add the rouladen flavor to the gravy.

Once the meat and the remaining ingredients have simmered until the meat is tender, remove that bacon.

Continue on with making the gravy and serve up this most delicious rouladen-flavored gravy and flatladen meat. 

You'll be surprised how easy it is to make this alternative to rouladen. You'll even be tempted to try this method using whatever beef you can find on sale.

Perhaps you'll even try this using pork and chicken. You will be amazed at how flavorful these cuts of meat turn out, tasting oh, so similar to rouladen.

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What to Serve with Flatladen?

If you're wanting a traditional German rouladen-tasting dinner, there are several side dishes that are a MUST! Of course, there are other ones that also pair perfectly with rouladen/flatladen and its fabulous gravy.

The Top 10 Side Dishes to serve with Rouladen/Flatladen are:

1. Potato Dumplings
2. Red Cabbage
3. To see the remaining Top 10 Side Dishes, click here.

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Ready to make Flatladen?

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