Beef Roulade with Red Cabbage (Rolada z modrą kapustą)
Rolada z modrą kapustą Say it: roh-LAH-dah z MOH-drah kah-POOS-tah
Rolada z modrą kapustą is the Sunday beef roll of Silesia, in southern Poland. Thin slices of beef are spread with mustard, wrapped around smoked bacon, onion and sour pickle, then braised slowly until they fall apart. 'Modra kapusta' is the local name for red cabbage, braised with bacon and apple into a sweet-sour, glossy tangle. The plate tastes of long, slow cooking: deep meaty sauce, tangy pickle, and cabbage that is soft but still bright.
Beef Roulade with Red Cabbage (Rolada z modrą kapustą)
Rolada z modrą kapustą
Pronounced roh-LAH-dah z MOH-drah kah-POOS-tah
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 50 min
- Total
- 2 hr 20 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, mustard. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the roulades
For the red cabbage (modra kapusta)
Method
Pound each beef slice between two sheets of plastic wrap to an even 1/4 inch (6 mm). Season both sides with the salt and pepper, then spread each slice with a generous teaspoon of mustard, right to the edges.
Lay a slice of bacon, a few onion rings and a pickle quarter along one short end of each slice. Roll up tightly from that end, tuck in the sides, and tie each roll in two or three places with kitchen twine, or pin firmly with toothpicks.
Heat the lard in a heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Brown the roulades on all sides, turning with tongs, for 8 to 10 minutes, until deeply golden and crusted, then lift them onto a plate.
Lower the heat, add the remaining onion to the same pot and cook for 5 minutes until soft and golden, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the flour for 1 minute, then pour in the stock and bring to a simmer.
Return the roulades to the pot with the bay leaves, allspice and juniper. Cover and cook very gently for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, turning every 30 minutes, until a knife slides through the meat with no resistance; add a splash of water if the sauce reduces too far.
While the meat braises, make the cabbage. Render the diced bacon in a wide pot over medium heat until the fat runs and the edges crisp, about 5 minutes, then add the chopped onion and cook 5 minutes more until translucent.
Tip in the shredded cabbage, grated apple, cloves, allspice and bay leaf, then the vinegar, sugar, water and wine. Stir well, cover, and simmer gently for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the cabbage is silky and glossy and the liquid has almost gone.
Season the cabbage with salt, pepper and a little more vinegar or sugar to taste; it should be sweet-sour, not flat. Keep it warm.
Lift the roulades out, snip off the twine and keep them warm. Strain the braising liquid, skim the fat, and simmer it down for 5 minutes until it coats a spoon, then taste and season. Serve the roulades whole or sliced into thick rounds, napped with sauce, with the cabbage alongside.
Regional variants
In some Silesian homes a piece of raw kiełbasa or a slice of hard-boiled egg goes into the filling, and the cabbage is cooked with a smoked pork rib for extra depth. Outside Silesia the same rolls are often served with plain boiled potatoes instead of dumplings.
Cook's notes
- Ask the butcher to slice the beef across the grain about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick; thin, even slices roll without bulging and turn tender in the braise.
- Both the roulades and the cabbage taste even better the next day, so they are good to cook ahead and reheat gently in the sauce.
- If the finished sauce seems thin, whisk a teaspoon of flour with a little cold water and stir it in, then simmer 2 minutes until glossy.
Serve with
Silesian potato dumplings (kluski śląskie) or boiled potatoes, and a cold lager or a dry Riesling.
Make ahead and storage
Braise up to 2 days ahead and cool in the sauce, then refrigerate; reheat covered at 325°F (165°C) for about 30 minutes. The cabbage keeps refrigerated for 3 days.
