Pickle Steak Stew (aka Lazy Beef Rouladen)

Traditional beef rouladen is a German dish in which thinly sliced beef is wrapped around varying vegetables and then cooked until tender. When I was in high school, my mom and I found a recipe for beef rouladen in our church cookbook. We quickly fell in love with the recipe, and it became a family favorite. I lovingly and jokingly named it “Pickle Steak.” When I went away for college and then moved from home, I always asked my mom to make “Pickle Steak” when I came home to visit. I now frequently make the recipe for my own family. However, one day I was in the mood to make the recipe but did not have the top round steaks needed. I did, however, have stew beef! So, I created the Pickle Steak Stew! It tastes exactly like the original recipe without taking the time to roll the steaks and vegetables hence the nickname lazy beef rouladen. It’s incredible comfort food, and it freezes well too. I hope you enjoy it!

1 to 1-1/4 pounds beef stew meat 1/3 cup flour 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper ½ teaspoon onion powder 2 tablespoons canola oil ½ cup dill pickle juice 1-1/2 cups beef broth 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard ¼ cup ketchup 1 large onion, sliced ½ cup sliced hamburger dill pickles or dill pickle spears chopped ¾ – 1 pound baby carrots 1 tablespoon dried thyme Dried parsley for garnish

Yield: 4-6 servings