Beef Rouladen

1. Season beef slices with salt, paprika, and freshly ground pepper. Thinly spread mustard on top of each slice.
2. Chop one onion. Cut one carrot into strips. Cut pickle in half lengthwise. Divide chopped onion, carrot strips, pickles, and bacon strips on one end of each roulade.
3. Roll up slices (think 'burrito'), tucking the ends in and securing with skewers, wooden cocktail picks, or thread.
4. Set Instant Pot (IP) to sauté. Once hot, add butter (or oil), about 4 tbsp. Brown rouladen well on all sides.
5. Once the rouladen are browned, remove to a plate. Remove most of the fat from IP.
6. Slice remaining onion. Add to the IP. Add carrots and celery. Lightly brown vegetables. Add tomato paste.
7. Add beef broth or water (and wine, see below), stir to scrape up brown bits from bottom of IP.
8. Return rouladen to IP. Seal pressure cooker and set to Manual High Pressure for 20 minutes and use Natural Release for 10 minutes, then do a quick pressure release to release any remaining pressure.
9. Remove rouladen and keep warm. Set IP to sauté. Make gravy by either blending the cooking liquid with hand blender and thickening with about 1 - 2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in a bit of water. Alternatively, sieve out vegetables and thicken. Or just thicken as is.
10. Season gravy to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. If you wish, add sour cream to gravy.
11. Remove skewers, picks, or thread to serve rouladen with their gravy.

Hints:

• Have butcher cut beef top round into thin slices, about ⅜ inch thick. Each roulade should measure at least 6 inches by 4 inches. Gently pound meat until it is about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. Be careful not to put holes in meat. The larger the roulade, the easier it is to roll up.
• Replace ½ cup of the water or broth with red wine.
• For my traditional rouladen recipe, check out German Beef Rouladen.