Polish Beef Rolls {Zrazy Zawijane}
Tender, aromatic beef in rich, smooth sauce… traditional Polish beef rolls, is one of the most signature Polish dishes. Yes, we are not only about pierogi and cabbage 🙂
Even though beef is the most expensive of all meats in Poland, we did manage to come up with a few interesting dishes made of beef. There aren’t many though. I believe Poles do not know how to make a good beef steak and are convinced that Polish beef is tough and unless you stew it in sauces or soups, it’s uneatable. A few years ago, my American husband proved my family wrong. We found a nice and marbled piece of beef and grilled steaks at a family gathering. Guests were savoring and nodding with surprise when perfectly medium-well done stakes were served after being grilled and rested for a couple of minutes. Minds were changed that day 🙂
Beef rolls are a bit time-consuming to make, but very much worth it. Be patient, and give yourself some credit for trying. If keeping them rolled is a bit difficult, use more toothpicks, or string instead, and wrap each roll around with string. Just make sure to remove it before serving.
We always ate this smooth rich sauce with buckwheat and a side of cold beet salad. The aromatic grain soaks up the sauce perfectly and the beets complete the trio. I can’t think of a better way to eat this.
Polish Beef Rolls {Zrazy Zawijane}
Ingredients
- ½ an onion
- 8 pickles
- 8 steaks (about 2.5 lbs / 1.2 kg of lean beef - eye round steak)
- Salt and pepper
- 8 tbsp of brown mustard
- 8 oz / 250 g of smoked bacon
- Toothpicks
- Grease for sautéing
- Another 1 ½ onions
- 1 qt / 1 l of beef or chicken stock
- 4 bay leaves
- 4-6 whole peppercorns and allspice berries (each)
- 3-4 dried mushrooms (if you have)
- 3 tbsp of all-purpose flour
- ½ c / 120 ml of cold water
Instructions
Slice onion in half and then into thin wedges. Quarter each pickle.
Pound steaks out to about a pancake thickness. Sprinkle each one with salt and pepper and then spread about a tablespoon of mustard onto one side (thin layer - see pictures).
Cut bacon strips to fit the length of each steak and lay two pieces in the middle of each steak. Add pickles and onions.
Fold meat around the bacon / pickle / onion “stuffing”. Fold the other end over the top, and secure the edges with toothpicks. Use as many as you need.
In a large frying pan, heat a thin layer of grease. Place rolls in single layer and sauté until golden brown on each side.
Take out rolls and add sliced 1 ½ onions. Sauté for about 5 minutes. Add rolls, beef / chicken stock, spices, and mushrooms and simmer on low for about 45 minutes. Take rolls and spices out and blend sauce with an immersion blender. Thicken the sauce by mixing flour and cold water and adding to the sauce. Bring to boil.
Taste. Add more salt, if needed.
Notes
Make sure to remove toothpicks before serving.
If you are not a fan of buckwheat, serve over mashed potatoes. Besides cold beet salad, a side that will go well with this dish are buttered string beans, carrot salad, leek salad or even fried cabbage. Explore all salads on my page to find your favorite.
Happy exploring and smacznego!
Anna
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I love your recipes. But a quick spelling correction for you:
Steak / steaks: cuts of beef meat
Stake / stakes: pieces of wood used to hold up plants, or which you stab into the hearts of vampires to kill them.
They are homonyms; they sound exactly the same.
Drew, thank you 😉
How I miss taste of zrazy!
Recipie looks delicious. Will use it in the near future!
Get to cookin!
love these recipes do you have a cookbook?
Yes, I recently published a small Christmas themed book. Look in the BOOKSHELF tab.
This is my most favorite dish. I have this three times a year. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. I have known about this recipe all my life. It’s a tradition to have this every year in my house. And going one year without it. Would be totally uncool in my book. God Bless and have happy holidays.
Just found you, and I love you!
I will be making more polish dishes, and brushing up on my Polish as well.
My Grandmother came from Poland, grew up eating the best tasting main dishes, and deserts. Can’t wait to get your book,
Best wishes!!!!