Beef and Bacon Rouladen

The first time that I had this dish was at my mother-in-law’s home. It is a very tasty and hearty dish, and it is easy to make! This is the one I have been promising you Kat!

Ingredients
8 slices of beef round steak
8 slices of peppered bacon, thick sliced
Dried oregano
Toothpicks
Parsley flakes
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 14.5 oz. cans of low sodium beef broth
1/4 cup of flour
1/3 cup of water

Round Steak and Bacon are ready

Lay out a piece of the steak, sprinkle with a small bit of oregano. Take a slice of bacon and trim it in half to fit the meat then lay it on top of the meat.

Lay the bacon over the meat

Roll from the small end to the large end.

Slowly roll up the bacon inside the meat

Secure with a toothpick and set aside.

Fasten with a toothpick

Continue with the rest of the meat until you have 8 little roll ups…

Add the olive oil to a large fry pan and heat over medium high heat. When the oil is hot add the meat, sprinkle with parsley and brown.

Sprinkle with parsley and brown

When all are browned add the beef broth

Add the beef broth...

to your pan and bring this to a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat down to low, cover and simmer for an hour and a half or until the meat feels tender.

When done, turn off the heat and remove the meat from the pan and set aside. Cover with foil. While the meat cools for a bit, add the water and flour in a glass jar and shake until it is well combined. Slowly stir this into the broth remaining in the pan. Take the toothpicks out of the meat and re-cover with the foil. Turn the heat back on the broth to medium high. Stir constantly until it is thickened and bubbly.

Gravy is made and Rouladen returned to the pan

Return the meat to the pan to heat through. Serve over buttered rice or with a heaping serving of mashed potatoes and spoon some of the gravy over the meat.

Dinner is served!

Don’t forget your vegetable!

Serve this with a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Petite Sirah!

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Bacon

Who doesn’t love bacon? There is nothing like the aroma of bacon cooking or the flavors of it rolling around in your mouth! I love plain bacon, maple bacon, hickory smoked, and especially peppered bacon! I also prefer the thick sliced too! Let’s take a short trip around the world with bacon!

Bacon Slice or Rasher

Australia and New Zealand
The cut of bacon most common is called middle bacon, which is from the front side of the animal and includes part of the loin. It is sold in what they call “rashers.” Due to increasing concerns of ingesting fats, the folks in these countries are typically eating the loin sections or what they call “short cut bacon.”

Canada
In Canada a rasher is just one slice of bacon. The bacon consumed in Canada is actually from the pork belly. They consume back bacon which is from the boneless eye of he pork loin. In the U.S. we refer to this bacon as “Canadian Bacon.” They also consume what is called peameal bacon. This is the back bacon that is brined and then coated in finely ground cornmeal.

Peameal bacon - Flickr Photo by snowpea&bokchoi

United Kingdom and Ireland
Bacon is usually grilled or fried and always part of a full breakfast. And, an individual slice here too is known as a rasher or a collop. Bacon from these regions appear to be from the back and are known as back rashers. Streaky bacon comes from the pork belly. Conor – feel free to add information!

Japan
This regions bacon is smoked and from the belly and is sold in regular lengths or half lengths. It is processed, pre-cooked and has a ham like consistency to it. They also use an uncured belly slices known as bara, which is used in a variety of dishes.

U.S.
Here in the U.S. a side of unsliced bacon used to be called a flitch, and today is just called a slab. An individual slice here is known as a slice or a strip. A rasher typically means a serving of bacon. We use a variety of smokes and flavorings on bacon. Most smoke methods are hickory or corncobs. Flavorings include pepper, maple, red-pepper, molasses, and even cinnamon. The most popular type of bacon is from the belly.

How do you like your bacon? What do you do with bacon? Let me here from you and your love of bacon!

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Chicken Fried Steak

With cooler temperatures now at night, comfort food starts to rear its head more often. So, last night’s menu was Chicken Fried Steak with Bacon Sausage Gravy, mashed potatoes and steamed peas. Total comfort food! Photos will be inserted as soon as my new computer arrives! Enjoy the recipe!

Ingredients:

Steaks:
2 #’s round steak or cube steak, thin sliced and tenderized with a mallet
1 cup of flour
4 shakes of garlic powder
2 shakes of Hungarian paprika
3 shakes of onion powder
2 shakes of Spike
4 twists of fresh ground pepper
2 eggs beaten with a good splash of milk
Vegetable oil for frying

Gravy:
3/4 # New York Style sausage
6 slices of peppered bacon
1/4 cup of flour
2 1/2 cups of hot milk

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the sausage in a baking pan sprayed with non stick spray. Bake for 15 minutes and turn. Bake until cooked through. Cut the sausage into 1/3 inch slices. Set aside. Save the fat drippings.

Fry up the peppered bacon until crispy. When cooled, crumble and add to the sausage. Take the bacon drippings and add to the sausage drippings to make 1/4 cup of drippings.

Bacon & Sausage Ready for the Gravy

In a bowl beat the eggs with the splash of milk. Take a cooling rack and a piece of foil. Lay the foil under the rack. In a gallon size plastic bag combine the flour with all the seasonings. Shake the bag and you are now good to go. Take a piece of the steak and shake it in the flour. Next dip it in the egg mixture, then back into the flour bag to coat a second time. Set the coated piece on the rack to dry. Repeat this with all the meat.

Steak is Ready to Fry!

In a frying pan, heat oil over medium high heat enough vegetable to coat the pan. When the oil is hot fry the meat two pieces at a time until browned on both sides.

Steak is Cooking. Can You Smell It?

Drain on paper towel and place in a warmed oven.

With the meat all cooked, in a pan add the sausage/bacon drippings. Heat over medium heat and slowly add the flour. Gradually add the hot milk a bit at a time stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Add the sausage and bacon bits. Serve over the steak along with mashed potatoes and steamed peas.

Now Grab a Glass of Wine and Enjoy!

Serve Merlot with this recipe!

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