I had intended to make rouladen for the last six months and about a month ago finally did get around to it. I was not happy with the way it turned out so I wanted to give it another try. In my first attempt, I'd cooked it on the stove. simmering the rouladen in broth for about an hour. It did not yield the tender result I expected so I was going to try the next batch in the oven. Since I was running short of time, I opted to do the second batch in the pressure cooker instead and was very happy with the result. From what I found on the internet, filling them with mustard, pickles, onion and bacon is the most common although you may make other filling choices to match your preferences. My son was not fond on the pickle in his, so I made his with carrot sticks instead. I chose to throw in carrots and potatoes into the pressure cooker along with the rouladen to finish up the meal...although I think spaetzel and red cabbage would be more traditional.....But that I'll keep for another time:)
I purchased precut rouladen meat all ready to go. I did pound the meat with a mallet a tiny bit as well.
Rouladen
6 slices of beef cut less than 1/4 inch thick each about 6 X 8 inches
Mustard, about 1 tbsp per slice
dill pickles cut lengthwise in quarters...about 1 small pickle per roll
Onion, cut in thin half round slices...about tbsp per roll
Bacon, one strip per roll
Additional vegetables to cook in pot as you wish or simply to flavour the gravy
Beef stock...1 1/2 - 2 cups as needed
1 tbsp tomato paste
1-2 cloves minced garlic, optional
1/4 cup beer, sherry or wine to deglaze the pot
salt and pepper to season
2- 4 tbsp flour mixed in cold water to thicken the gravy
To assemble, lay out your meat slice and spread it with mustard keeping away from the edges. Lay down bacon slice (I cut each slice in half and laid the two halves beside each other). Place pickle slices ( about one whole small pickle per roll) and onion slices on top of the bacon and roll up each rouladen and secure with toothpicks. Brown each roll in pressure cooker in a tbsp or so of oil and brown on all sides. Set aside and repeat until all are browned.
Brown any vegetables you might want to add like carrots, onions, mushrooms etc. Add minced garlic and tsp dried thyme if you'd like at this point and stir briefly being careful not to burn. Degalze pan with a splash of sherry or beer or wine. Add in 1 1/2 cups beef stock, 1 tbsp tomato paste and stir. Add in any potatoes if you'd like them at this point as well as any other vegetables. Place browned meat rolls on top. You will want the broth level partially cover the meat, so you may add additional broth is needed. Put on the lid and bring to high pressure. Cook at 15 lb pressure for 20 minutes and depressurize naturally. Open lid and remove rolls carefully to a side plate and tent with foil. Thicken broth with flour and water and simmer to cook out the starch taste of the flour for a few minutes. Serve rouladen with gravy and your choice of starch and vegetables.
