Chef John's Beef Rouladen
Chef John's Beef Rouladen wraps thin beef round around tangy Dijon, smoky bacon, sweet onions, and briny dill pickles, then braises the rolls until tender in a savory beef gravy. The result is rich, meaty, and deeply comforting—perfect for a cozy dinner or a special Sunday meal. Serve with the pan gravy for a classic German-style finish.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook1 hr 30 mins
- Serves2
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chef John's Beef Rouladen, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 52 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 91 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 11
- Heart Health
- 51
- Metabolic
- 24
- Digestive
- 20
- Inflammatory
- 34
- Performance
- 43
- General Wellness
- 1
Lay the slices of beef on a work surface. Season both sides with kosher salt and pepper. Spread mustard on one side. Lay bacon strips over the mustard and sprinkle with paprika. Arrange the onion slices crosswise on the beef. Evenly space 3 pickle slices across each slice of beef. Leave about 1 inch at the narrowest end of the beef slice free of toppings to make rolling easier.
- 2
Roll each slice of meat starting from the wider of the two short ends, keeping all the ingredients inside the roll. Make the rolls tight. Place them seam side down and secure each with 3 loops of butcher's twine—one in the middle and one at each end. Trim any excess string.
- 3
Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the beef, turning and browning well on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Melt the butter in the pan, then whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Pour in the cold beef broth and whisk vigorously to combine. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer until the sauce begins to thicken, about 1 minute.
- 4
Return the beef rolls to the pan along with any accumulated juices. Reduce the heat to very low. Simmer gently, covered, turning the rolls every 20 minutes or so, until the beef is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. The meat is done when the tip of a sharp knife slides easily into the beef roll.
- 5
Transfer the meat to a dish to rest. Increase the heat to high and bring the cooking liquid to a simmer to thicken slightly into a gravy, about 1 minute. Serve the rouladen with the gravy.
- Calories 360.82 kcal Moderate 18%
- Protein 13.5 g Good Source 27%
- Carbohydrate 21.63 g 8%
- Total Fat 24.69 g High 32%
- Saturated Fat 10.83 g High 54%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 42.17 mg Moderate 14%
- Sodium 1422.55 mg High 62%
- Dietary Fiber 2.88 g Moderate 10%
- Total Sugars 3.48 g --
- Added Sugars 2.11 g Low Source 4%
- Calcium 79.94 mg Low Source 6%
- Iron 1.9 mg Moderate 11%
- Potassium 242.41 mg Low Source 5%
- Vitamin A 11.01 mcg Low Source 1%
- Vitamin C 2.07 mg Low Source 2%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Mustard
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Chef John's Beef Rouladen is a German dinner recipe made with 11 ingredients. It takes about 1 hr 45 mins, serves 2, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include All Purpose Flour, Bacon, Beef Broth, and Black Pepper. Each serving provides about 360.82 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chef John's Beef Rouladen?
- It is a German recipe made with 11 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
- What is Chef John's Beef Rouladen made of?
- The main ingredients are All-Purpose Flour, Bacon, Beef Broth, Black Pepper, Butter. The full list of 11 is above.
- What goes well with Chef John's Beef Rouladen?
- Explore these German side-dish recipes.
- How long does it take to make Chef John's Beef Rouladen?
- About 1 hr 45 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 1 hr 30 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 360.82 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chef John's Beef Rouladen easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 11 ingredients and 5 steps.
- Is Chef John's Beef Rouladen healthy?
- Chef John's Beef Rouladen has an easyChef Pro health score of 43/100. Per serving, it provides 360.82 calories and 13.5 g of protein, or 27% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 1422.55 mg (62% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 10.83 g (54% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Mustard and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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