Rouladen

This typical German food involves wrapping thinly sliced meat – usually beef but also veal or pork – around a filling of bacon or pork belly, chopped onions, pickles and usually mustard, and then browned and simmered in broth (braised). The mixture changes between regions, with some variations including minced meat. It is common to serve this dish with gravy, dumplings, mashed potato or blaukraut (cooked red cabbage). This was once considered a common dish using cheap meats but is now eaten at festivals, weekends and family meals.

Pork Rouladen with Onion and Wild Mushroom Stuffing

Ingredients 1 Whole Pork Loin with fat cap 1 stick Butter 4 lbs Mixed Wild Mushrooms (portabellas, oyster, shiitake, crimini), diced 1 Yellow onion, ¼-inch dice ¼ cup Sour Cream 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard 2 lbs Bacon, cooked and chopped 4 cups Chicken stock 1 cup German Riesling ¼ cup Flour Salt and Pepper

Method 1. Remove pork loin from refrigerator and bring to room temperature. 2. Preheat an oven to 350F. 3. In a large skillet over medium heat, combine ½ stick of butter, onions and mushrooms. 4. Sauté until softened and well browned. 5. Season to taste with salt and pepper 6. Add mustard, chopped bacon and sour cream and adjust seasoning. 7. Prepare your pork loin by making a slice horizontally approximately ½-inch from the bottom and continue to cut while rolling back the top of the pork loin until you have a sheet of pork that is ½-inch thick. 8. Spread mushroom and onion mixture over the loin 9. Roll the loin back up, then tie roast together. Place into a roasting pan with the chicken stock, wine and flour. 10. Place in the oven and cook until the internal temperature of the roast reaches an internal temperature of 155. (approximately 1 ½ - 2 hours) 11. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and allow the loin to rest approximately 20 minutes. As the loin rests, the internal temperature will continue to rise. The finished temperature should be the USDA standard of 160 degrees. 12. Adjust the seasoning of the gravy with salt and pepper. 13. Slice the rouladen into ½-inch thick slices and serve with the gravy.