Zrazy

1. 1A thin pounded sheet of beef (or other meat) is the wrapper
2. 2Rolled around a filling — classically chopped egg, fried onion, breadcrumb, pickle or mushroom
3. 3Secured into a roulade and seared, then braised slowly in liquid
4. 4Served napped in its braising gravy
5. 5Distinct from minced 'zrazy' patties — the canonical form is a rolled cutlet

Pounding the meat thin

A thin, even cutlet can be rolled tightly and turns tender when braised

Rolling and securing the roulade

Enclosing the filling in a sealed roll is the structural identity of zrazy

Searing then braising

Browning builds flavour and the slow braise tenderises the rolled beef and forms the gravy

Served

Sliced or whole roulades in gravy

Temperature

hot

Portion

one or two roulades per plate

Pairs with

Buckwheat kasha · Mashed potato · Pickles · Bread

• Beef → Pork or vealadmissible

  Other meats work for the roulade

• Rolled cutlet form → Plain flat steak with no fillinginadmissible

  Without the enclosed filling and roll it is no longer zrazy

• Not pounding the meat thin enough to roll
• Rolls unravelling because they aren't tied or pinned
• Braising too short, leaving the beef tough
• Confusing the rolled cutlet with the minced-patty version

A rolled-meat dish shared across the former Polish-Lithuanian and Ukrainian lands, with strong claims in Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine and many regional fillings.

Shared by: Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania

1. 1.Ukrainian and Polish culinary tradition

Confidence: high