My dad made me make rouladen.

Yes, I love my mom's rouladen. I really do. But I don't know why I never felt the need to make it myself. I made my dad's chili, sure, and his BBQ but for some reason I never wanted to try my moms stuff. I'm hoping it is because subconsciously I will know she will always be here but I also know she uses a lot of recipes. She doesn't use a recipe for rouladen so I guess it is a good thing that I was forced to take a Saturday and make it with her. To make sure it stuck, I took pictures in order to post it on the blog.

Step #1. Buy meat. Go to the butcher counter and ask for some sort of round roast slices 1/8-1/4 thick. Sometimes they will know what rouladen is if you to tell them that is what you are making. The butcher who sliced the meat this time apparently got confused so my mom was really nervous how it was going to turn out. 

Step 2.  Peel 2-3 onions and slice into 1/2 inch vertical slices. The amount varies. 

Step 3. Slice and entire pack of bacon into 3/4 inch pieces. Use the end parts to render the fat later. 

Step 4. Open meat from the butcher. Pound it to an even thickness, or , as we did today beat the living crap out of it until my mom decides it might be usable. 

It's a great stress reliever. 

Step 5. Slice into rectangles. I'd say 2" by 4". Enough to stuff and roll. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place a few chunks of bacon and some onion onto each piece of meat. 

Step 6. Get 2 toothpicks per section. Roll up carefully and secure with toothpicks. 

My mom totally kicked my ass at this point. Don't be like me. 

Step 7.  Sift flour over rolled pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge remainder of pieces in the excess flour. 

Step 8.  Fry excess bacon pieces in a hot skillet to render the fat. Add more vegetable oil if necessary. Brown the rouladen in the oil until brown in all sides. 

Step 9. Removed browned rouladen to large oven proof and continue with the remaining rouladen until it is all brown. 

Step 10. Fry remaining bacon and/or onion and add to pan. Add water to pan and scrape and tasty brown bits. Put water in the oven proof pot with rouladen. 

Step 10. Add water to bring level to halfway up the rouladen. Bake at a 325 degree over for 2-3 hours. 

After 2-3 hours the meat should be tender. You can use the gravy to make mushy rice but with everything else, you just dish it up and eat it. 

We also served it with carrots. If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, good for you.  My mom was disappointed in the outcome and says she is never buying meat from ingles again.  She also says it was her worse effort ever. 😩. It really was fine. 

MUSHY RICE

start with 2 parts water and rouladen juice and 1 part rice. Cook as normal. Once the water gets absorbed add more juice or water. Repeat a few more times until the rice is overlooked and the desired consistency is reached.