Beef roulades in the air fryer
Classic German beef roulades with mustard, bacon, onion and pickled gherkins. They're browned crisp in the air fryer, then braised until tender in stock so you get both a crispy crust and melt-in-the-mouth meat. Served with brown gravy and boiled potatoes.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Kødhammer Or the bottom of a heavy pot
- 1 Kødsnor Or a metal skewer
- 1 Brush
- 1 Ovenfast form Must fit in the air fryer basket
- 1 Aluminum foil
- 2 Pot For the potatoes and gravy
- 1 Meat thermometer
Ingredients
Beef roulades
- 4 pcs thin slices of beef About 120 g each, e.g. topside or a thin cut of beef
4 tbsp dijon mustard
8 slice bacon
2 pcs onions Cut into thin wedges- 4 pcs pickled gherkins Cut into strips lengthways
1 tsp salt and pepper Freshly ground- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil For brushing
Brown gravy
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp plain flour For the roux
3 dl beef stock- 1 tbsp brine from the pickled gherkins
- 1 tsp gravy browning For colour, if you like
Sides
800 g potatoes Peeled
Instructions
Preparation
- Cut 2 pcs onions into thin wedges and 4 pcs pickled gherkins into strips lengthways. Set aside in two small bowls.
- Place 4 thin slices of beef between two sheets of baking paper and pound flat to about 5 mm with a meat mallet. The thinner the meat, the more tender the roulades will be.
- Spread each slice of meat with 4 tbsp dijon mustard, spreading it evenly out to the edge, and season with 1 tsp salt and pepper.
- Distribute 8 slice bacon and the onion and gherkin strips over the slices. Leave a 2 cm border on each side so the filling doesn't get pushed out while rolling.
- Roll the meat up tightly from the narrow end, and secure each roll with kitchen string or a metal skewer. Never use wooden skewers in the air fryer.
- Brush the rolls all over with 1 tbsp rapeseed oil.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 190 °C.
- Place the rolls in the basket with space between them, and sear for 8 minutes at 190 °C. Turn them after 4 minutes so they turn golden all over.
- Transfer the rolls to a small ovenproof dish that fits in the basket, and pour in 3 dl beef stock and 1 tbsp brine from the pickled gherkins.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminium foil, so the steam stays inside and keeps the meat juicy.
- Put the dish back in the air fryer, and let the rolls simmer for 30 minutes at 160 °C, until tender and the core temperature is about 85 °C. The roulades need to be braised through, not served pink.
Gravy and serving
- Meanwhile, boil 800 g potatoes until tender in lightly salted water, about 20 minutes depending on size.
- Melt 1 tbsp butter in a saucepan, and stir in 1 tbsp plain flour to make a smooth roux.
- Stir in the pan juices from the dish a little at a time, so the gravy becomes smooth, and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste with 1 tsp gravy browning, salt and pepper.
- Let the rolls rest for 5 minutes, remove the kitchen string or skewers, and serve with boiled potatoes and the brown gravy.
Notes
Tips for the best result:
Pound the meat completely flat and roll it up tightly — a loose roll falls apart during frying, and the filling burns in the basket. Braising under foil is what makes beef roulades tender; skip it and the meat stays tough no matter how long you cook it. Variation:
Use coarse mustard instead of dijon for more bite, or tuck in a slice of pointed cabbage along with the bacon. A tablespoon of whipping cream stirred into the gravy at the end makes it rounder in flavour. Serving:
Classic with boiled potatoes and brown gravy. Red cabbage, pickles or a dollop of redcurrant jelly go well with the tangy gherkin flavour. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can sear the rolls in two batches and gather them in the dish before braising.
Pound the meat completely flat and roll it up tightly — a loose roll falls apart during frying, and the filling burns in the basket. Braising under foil is what makes beef roulades tender; skip it and the meat stays tough no matter how long you cook it. Variation:
Use coarse mustard instead of dijon for more bite, or tuck in a slice of pointed cabbage along with the bacon. A tablespoon of whipping cream stirred into the gravy at the end makes it rounder in flavour. Serving:
Classic with boiled potatoes and brown gravy. Red cabbage, pickles or a dollop of redcurrant jelly go well with the tangy gherkin flavour. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can sear the rolls in two batches and gather them in the dish before braising.
Nutrition
Calories: 590kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 38gFat: 28gSaturated fat: 11gPolyunsaturated fat: 2gMonounsaturated fat: 11gTrans fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 1100mgPotassium: 1100mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 150IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 4mgNet carbohydrates: 37g
