Which cuts of meat suit benløse fugler?

The recipe uses 1 kg of beef — mock tenderloin, flat steak, or round steak. The meat is cut into barely finger-thick slices across the grain and pounded well.

How long should they cook?

The rolls are dredged and browned in butter or fat, thinned with boiling stock, and cook for 3/4–1 hour. Figure around 110 minutes total with preparation.

What is used for the filling?

1 tablespoon of ready-made forcemeat per slice, a little of the spice blend (salt, pepper, ginger, cloves), and finely sliced marrow. Kidney suet or a slice of pork can be used instead of marrow.

How are the rolls held together, and what is served with them?

The meat slice is rolled up tightly, if desired around a sausage pin, and tied with string. The pins and string are removed before serving, and the dish is served with a brown thickened sauce.

Benløse fugler (Norwegian beef roulades) II

Name: Benløse fugler (Norwegian beef roulades) II
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Norwegian
Ingredients: 1 kg beef (tenderloin, flat steak, or round steak); 500 g meat forcemeat (ready-made, see separate recipe); 200 g marrow (or kidney suet, or thin pork slices); 1 tbsp salt; 1 tsp pepper; 0.5 tsp ginger (ground); 0.25 tsp cloves (ground); 2 tbsp wheat flour (for dredging the rolls); 50 g butter (or cooking fat); 5 dl meat stock (boiling)

Benløse fugler ("boneless birds," traditional Norwegian beef roulades): thin, pounded slices of beef filled with meat forcemeat, spices (salt, pepper, ginger, cloves), and marrow or pork, rolled and tied, dredged and browned, then cooked 45–60 minutes in stock and served with a brown thickened sauce. For 1 kg of meat you use 500 g forcemeat and 200 g marrow.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 643 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

Benløse fugler is a traditional roll of thin meat slices with a filling, known in Norwegian cookbooks since the 1800s. Erken fills them with her own meat forcemeat and marrow, and lets them simmer tender in stock.

How to make it

1
Pound the meat
Cut the meat into barely finger-thick slices across the grain and pound the slices well flat.
2
Fill and roll
Place 1 tbsp of ready-made forcemeat on each slice, sprinkle with a little of the mixed spice blend (salt, pepper, ginger, and cloves), and add finely sliced marrow, kidney suet, or a slice of pork. Roll the slice up tightly, if desired around a sausage pin, and tie with string.
3
Brown
Dredge the rolls in flour and brown them in butter or fat in a pot.
4
Cook
Thin with boiling meat stock and let the rolls cook 45–60 minutes until tender.
5
Serve
Remove the pins and string and serve with a brown thickened sauce.

Changes from the original

Quantities are given in modern units and the spices gathered into a single blend. Marrow can be replaced with kidney suet or a slice of pork, as the original allows. Frying is specified in butter or cooking fat.

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From1914 1949 Modernised

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Frequently asked questions

Which cuts of meat suit benløse fugler?: The recipe uses 1 kg of beef — mock tenderloin, flat steak, or round steak. The meat is cut into barely finger-thick slices across the grain and pounded well.
How long should they cook?: The rolls are dredged and browned in butter or fat, thinned with boiling stock, and cook for 3/4–1 hour. Figure around 110 minutes total with preparation.
What is used for the filling?: 1 tablespoon of ready-made forcemeat per slice, a little of the spice blend (salt, pepper, ginger, cloves), and finely sliced marrow. Kidney suet or a slice of pork can be used instead of marrow.
How are the rolls held together, and what is served with them?: The meat slice is rolled up tightly, if desired around a sausage pin, and tied with string. The pins and string are removed before serving, and the dish is served with a brown thickened sauce.

Equipment for this dish

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