The story behind the recipe
The "Silesian Beef Roll" has been on the List of Traditional Products of the Ministry of Agriculture since September 12, 2006. The product card describes it as a piece of beef rolled up with smoked bacon or lard, onion, and pickled cucumber, with visible traces of thread. According to interviews with residents of Świerklaniec, Bytom, Radzionków, and Zbrosławice, the roll was known even during the interwar period and "was initially served on special occasions, primarily at weddings." The Silesian Tourist Organization adds that it was only the improvement of living conditions that brought it to christenings, communions, and holidays, and later to Sunday dinner.
In Opole Silesia, since 2007, the "Opole Beef Roll" has also been on the list. Its card recounts a memory from Dorota Simonides: on Saturday evening, "the sound of mallets echoed throughout the family house," as in every apartment, beef was pounded for rolls for Sunday. Inside went onion, smoked meat or sausage, cucumber, and a piece of bread, and the rolls were tied with white threads. According to Marek Szołtysek, quoted by Natalia Jóźwiak, beef was more valuable in Silesia than cheap and common pork, which is why it made it to the festive table. It is not certain how the filling should look exactly: some sources add sausage, others only bacon, and some rolls are made with pork.
"Modro kapusta," or salad of red cabbage with onion, apple, and crispy bits of smoked bacon, has been on the same list since August 31, 2006. The name comes from the dialect word "modra," meaning blue. Red cabbage likely arrived in Silesia in the 18th century with German settlers, as noted by researchers Dorota Świtała-Trybek and Lidia Przymuszała. The roll, Silesian dumplings, and modra kapusta together make a "typical Silesian dinner."
Ingredients
Rolls and Sauce (4 pieces)
-
600 g beef from the round (for rolls) (4 slices of about 150 g, cut across the grain)
Abroad: USA and Canada: top round or bottom round; UK and Australia: topside or silverside; Germany: Rinderrouladen -
150 g smoked bacon
Abroad: USA: thick-cut smoked bacon; UK: smoked streaky bacon; Germany: Räucherspeck -
2 pcs pickled cucumbers (about 150 g)
Abroad: Germany: Salzgurken; USA and Canada: fermented kosher dill pickles - 1 pc onion (about 120 g)
- 2 tbsp mustard (about 40 g)
-
40 g lard (for frying)
Abroad: lard -
1 tbsp (about 7.5 g) all-purpose flour (for coating the rolls)
Abroad: USA and Canada: all-purpose flour; UK: plain flour - 500 ml hot water (for stewing, more if needed)
- 2 pcs bay leaves
-
4 pcs allspice (whole berries)
Abroad: allspice -
1 tbsp all-purpose flour (for thickening the sauce, mixed with 50 ml of cold water)
Abroad: USA and Canada: all-purpose flour; UK: plain flour - salt and pepper (to taste)
Modra Kapusta
-
800 g red cabbage (about half a medium head)
Abroad: USA and UK: red cabbage; Germany: Rotkohl or Blaukraut -
100 g smoked bacon (cut into small cubes)
Abroad: USA: smoked bacon; UK: smoked streaky bacon; Germany: Räucherspeck - 1 pc onion (about 100 g)
- 1 pc sour apple (about 150 g)
- 2 pcs cloves (not necessarily)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) wine vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 1 tsp (about 4 g) sugar
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Method, step by step
-
Cut the beef across the grain into 4 slices. Cover each slice with plastic wrap and pound with a mallet to a thickness of about 3–5 mm (1/8–¼ inch). Hit harder at the edges than in the center, so the meat does not tear.
-
Cut the bacon and cucumbers into thin strips, and the onion into small pieces. Divide the filling into 4 equal parts.
-
Season the meat slices with salt and pepper and spread a thin layer of mustard on them. Along the wider side of each slice, place the bacon and cucumber, and sprinkle the onion over everything. Fold the sides of the slice inward and roll the meat tightly into a cylinder.
-
Tie each roll tightly with white kitchen twine, both lengthwise and crosswise. Instead of twine, you can use toothpicks or steel clips for rolls. The roll must hold together before it goes into the pan.
-
Dust the rolls with a spoonful of flour. In a pan, heat the lard strongly and brown the rolls on all sides until a dark golden color, for about 10 minutes. Do not move them until the side is browned.
-
Transfer the rolls to a pot with a thick bottom, pour in the fat from the pan, and add enough hot water to reach halfway up the rolls. Also pour a little water into the pan and add it to the pot, as the browned bits give color to the sauce. Add bay leaves and allspice. Simmer covered on low heat for 60–90 minutes, turning the rolls and basting them every 20 minutes, until a fork goes in easily.
-
While the rolls are stewing, prepare the modra kapusta. Remove the outer leaves, cut the head in half, and remove the tough core.
-
Shred the cabbage into strips about 5 mm (¼ inch) thick, pour boiling water over it, and cook with cloves for 5–10 minutes until tender but still slightly crunchy. Drain, remove the cloves, and immediately sprinkle the cabbage with vinegar to preserve its color.
-
Render the bacon for the cabbage in a pan until crispy, add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent. Peel the apple and grate it on a coarse grater. Mix the cabbage with the crispy bits, onion, and apple, season with sugar, salt, and pepper, bring to a boil again, and set aside.
-
Remove the tender rolls and take off the twine or remove the toothpicks. Strain the sauce, bring it to a boil, thicken with flour mixed with cold water, and cook for 2–3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Return the rolls to the sauce to warm them up, and serve with Silesian dumplings and modra kapusta.
Photos
