Schweitzer Steak

This recipe from the 1700’s in a German Cooking book that a friend gave to me from a yard sale called the Cuisines of Germany. I was looking for a recipe similar to a braised steak. I mean there are Schnitzels, and Goulash and Sauerbraten and other Rindfleisch braten’s but I wanted something like a braised beef steak that in the United States we would call amongst other names Swiss Steak.

The interesting thing about this recipe is that it does something I truly love to do with steaks and that is to wrap bacon around them like a Filet Mignon. I just have never done that with a braised steak like a Swiss Steak.

The other interesting thing about this recipe is that you don’t add any braising liquid to the pan.

Sprinkle the herbs on the bacon

Wrap the bacon around the steaks and secure with a toothpick

Melt the butter with the oil in the pan till it starts to sizzle and brown the steaks in the pan.

Then add the carrot slices and onions

The original recipe said to cover the pan with a heavy lid,
or seal the lid with a flour and water paste and simmer for 4 hours on really low heat in the fire.
I cooked it for 2 hours on the stove on a low flame.
I am thinking you could cook them on low in a crockpot for 4 hours also.

It will develop it’s own juices. Check for tenderness.
You should be able to put a table knife tip through it with no resistance.
Cook an extra 30 minutes if not. If you want to thicken the juices,
remove the steaks to a plate and add the flour and water to the simmering juices.
Blend in completely and cook for a few minutes.

Add Capers and Cream if desired.

Here I served 2 of the steaks, with the thickened sauce, the vegetables on the side,
Rotkohl (sweet and sour purple cabbage) and Spaetzle.