The word roulade originates from the French word ‘rouler’ which means ‘to roll’. Roulade can be both sweet and savory. If it’s sweet, it usually involves a cake base. The savory ones include meat and may or may not use pastry.
You will find that roulades are very popular in many European countries. The techniques used are similar but the flavors and ingredients often differ. In Poland, we have the Polish pork belly roulade recipe. This is a savory recipe and is really simple to make. All it requires is a good slice of pork belly, seasoning and patience while it bakes. The resultant dish is packed with flavor and has a nice succulent feel to the meat.
Polish Pork Belly Roulade Recipe – Boczek Rolowany
Part I – Wash The Pork Belly
For the Polish pork belly roulade recipe, you will need 3 lbs (1.35 kg) of pork belly. Wash the pork belly gently and pat it dry using a paper towel. This will get rid of all the excess moisture.
Part II – Slice The Pork Belly
This is one of the most important steps when making the roulade. Slice the pork belly in half keeping 1” attached. You need to do this lengthwise so that when you are done, the slice of meat will open like a book.
Part III – Use A Meat Tenderizer On The Meat To Make It Soft
Part IV – Season The Meat
Add 2 tsps. of salt, 2 tbsps. of paprika, 2 tbsps. of marjoram and 1 tsp of black pepper to the meat. This will act as the seasoning. You can swap the marjoram with any other herbs. This will give the Pork belly roulade a slightly different taste. It is also a great way to experiment with flavors.
Park V – Roll The Meat
Gently roll the meat to create a roll. You will see the layers of the roulade if you look at it from the sides.
Park VI – Tie The Roulade
The roulade now needs to be tied up so that it does not come apart when it is cooked. To do this use either a butcher’s twine or a kitchen string. Tie the roulade lengthwise and make sure that you knot it tight or it will still come apart.
Part VII – Place The Roulade In A Baking Dish
Part VIII – Cover And Bake
Cover the dish with a lid and bake at 355°F (180°C) for 1h 10 minutes.
Part IX – Remove The Lid And Bake For Another 15 Minutes
Part X – Let It Cool
Once the roulade is done baking, remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool. Cut the strings and remove them only after the roulade has cooled. You can now serve the roulade either cold or warm.
Polish Pork Belly Roulade FAQ
Why Do You Need To Tenderize The Meat?
Tenderizing meat is done to ensure that the cooked meat is easier to cut or chew. Now this can be done in many ways and it normally depends on the cut of meat and the recipe. In this recipe you will use a meat tenderizer to pound the pork belly. Pounding of the meat breaks the connective tissue and causes the muscle fibers in the meat to separate. This makes the meat a lot easier to chew.
What Herbs Can I Use To Season The Meat?
In this recipe, I use marjoram but you can swap it with sage, rosemary, parsley or thyme.
What Can I Serve Polish Pork Belly Roulade With?
Polish pork belly roulade pairs well with potatoes. This could be mashed potatoes or baked potatoes with herbs. You could also serve it with grilled vegetables and/or a salad.
Polish Pork Belly Roulade Recipe - Boczek Rolowany
Ingredients
- 3 lbs (1,35 kg) of pork belly
- 2 tsps of salt
- 2 tbsps of paprika
- 2 tbsps of marjoram or any other herbs
- 1 tsp of black pepper
- butcher's twine/ kitchen string
Instructions
- Wash the pork belly and dry it with a paper towel.
- Cut the belly in half, lengthwise. Leave around 1'' attached so that you can open it like a book.
- Use a meat tenderizer on the meat to make it soft.
- Season with all the spices.
- Roll up the meat to create a roulade.
- Use a butcher's twine or kitchen string to hold roulade together and tie tightly lengthways.
- Place roulade in a baking dish.
- Cover the dish with a lid and bake at 355°F (180°C) for 1h 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Wait until the roulade is completely cold, then remove the string.
- Serve cold or warm.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 77Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 1187mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 2gSugar: 0gProtein: 6g
These data are indicative and calculated by Nutritionix
