I Finally Made Beef Rouladen

I've been watching television for a couple hours - something I haven't done in a couple months because we had the digital antenna disconnected so we could use the DVD. I needed the diversion. I even cooked dinner tonight and proceeded

to burn the shit out of the beef broth I had used. I mean, who knew beef broth could even burn!!! So, yeah, thankfully the rouladen were still edible because they weren't the cheapest cuts of meat (although they were a manager markdown at the end of the store's day). It is actually an easy recipe, but the only other time I made it I used Mom's electric stove. I HATE gas stoves. No matter how low I have it, it's still a direct flame. I can't just let it simmer and braise.

Seriously, though, rouladen is so easy to make and tastes great. I used thinly sliced bottom round steak, spread stone ground mustard on each one, sprinkled some diced onions on (recipes usually call for sliced onions), laid a bread-n-butter pickle slice down and topped it with a strip of bacon. Then I began rolling from the pickle end and used toothpicks to hold them together. Browned them on all sides and poured in a 15 oz can of beef broth. There's no way that broth should have evaporated (I even had a lid on it) and scorched, but it did. It didn't when I made them at Mom's. But, you thicken the gravy and they're just so tender because they've cooked like this and they're thin. With Mom's, I used cube steaks that I pounded thinner. But, I found these really nice bottom round steak slices and went for it. I have four in the freezer, already filled and rolled, to do again later. I think next time I'll use the slow cooker with the electric base and the oblong pan. I think it'll turn out better.

But, I don't like pickles and I like this. It's seriously good! Here is the recipe I used:

GERMAN BEEF ROULADEN
Time 65 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak 
• German stone ground mustard, to taste 
• 1/2 pound thick sliced bacon
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 1 (16 ounce) jar dill pickle slices
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 cube beef bouillon
How to make it
• Cut the flank steak into thin filets; about 1/4 inch thick and 3 inches wide.
• Generously spread one side of each filet with mustard to taste. Place bacon, onions and pickle slices on each filet and form into a roll. Use string or toothpicks to hold the roll together.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt butter. Place the rolls in the butter and sauté until browned.
• Pour in 2 1/2 cups of water and add the bouillon cube; stirring to dissolve the bouillon cube. Simmer the rolls for about an hour. Thicken the gravy as you desire.

This was DELICIOUS!! I first made this while I was living with my mother as her caregiver. I don't like pickles, but I love what they did to the meat! The gravy was rich and flavorful. I wish I could have replicated it this time. But, I have more for next time waiting!



Photo from Wikimedia Commons.

Unusual Food Combinations

I'm sure there aren't many people who haven't heard of Elvis's love of grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches or that infamous pregnancy craving, pickles and strawberry ice cream (something I thankfully did not have since I like neither of them!) But, they are far from the only unusual food combinations that people might like.

  

Photos by zantastic and Antonio Cavallo -Wikimedia Commons

For example, while I was growing up, I loved putting gravy on my applesauce. I also liked (and still do) applesauce with meatloaf. I went through a stage where I liked cheese and jelly sandwiches, but I still love grilled cheese on raisin bread. Speaking of grilled cheese, tomato soup wasn't my only dunking base. I also would dunk in chocolate milk or soda or iced tea if tomato soup wasn't handy. 

My father liked cold hot dogs dipped in mustard, cold baked beans with raw onions on crackers and raw hamburger sandwiches with a big slice of raw onion (if the ground beef was bought from a butcher - not prepackaged meat). He also liked sausage gravy over pancakes instead of biscuits. My mother would add vinegar to the chili on her plate as well as on her green beans. My grandfather would slice donuts in half like bagels and butter them. 

Photos by the US Govt & Evan-Amos -Wikimedia Commons

Did you ever wonder what other unusual groupings are out there besides those you may have? I decided to take a look to see for myself.

• French Fries dunked in vanilla milkshakes or into honey. (Yeah, really.)
• Tuna fish and ketchup. (Urp! I thought my daughter's tuna and mustard was bad.)
• French Fries dipped in Hawaiian Punch. (French Fries sure do get around.)
• Peanut Butter and bologna sandwiches. (I would never punish PB like that!!)
• Banana and mayo sandwich. (Yeah - there goes Easter dinner.)
• Scrambled eggs and grape jelly. (Oops - I was wrong.)

So, as you can see, unusual food combinations aren't all that uncommon. Maybe not overly appealing, but definitely not uncommon. Therefore, the next time I crave some chili cheese fries or a baked potato loaded with chili, cheese, butter AND sour cream, or ask for my dried beef gravy over my potatoes instead of over my toast, I know I'm not alone in the world!