Sunday, November 27, 2011

Benløse Fugle (Boneless Birds)

It's time for a Danish meal again.   This time round I'm making some Benløse Fugle or as translated into English, Legless Birds, although in my house we call them Boneless Birds.  And don't get fooled by the name, this is a beef dish.     This is a little more difficult to do than most of my dishes, mainly because you have to be dexterous enough to be able to tie string.  (or use a toothpick to keep it together, just remember to remove the toothpicks before serving).
Benløse Fugle (Boneless Birds)

I usually figure on two pieces of meat per person. 
The recipe follows at the end.

Benløse Fugle (Boneless Birds) ingredients

 Cut the meat into 12 uniform size pieces and pound thin into approximate square shapes.
Preparing Benløse Fugle (Boneless Birds)

Cover each piece of meat with a thin slice of bacon, trimming them to fit, then sprinkle with salt and pepper, adding a rounded tablespoon of minced onion.
Preparing Benløse Fugle (Boneless Birds)

Roll up and tie firmly with white thread  (I keep a spool of heavy duty cotton thread in my spice drawer), taking care so the filling doesn't ooze out of the ends.   Or thread a toothpick across the ends to keep it closed.  
Rolling up Benløse Fugle (Boneless Birds)

Roll in the flour, coating it very lightly, and brown them in the hot butter on all sides in a moderately hot pan.   (I forgot to roll them in flour this day, whoops, tasted OK though).
Browning Benløse Fugle (Boneless Birds)

Add the beef bouillion or prepared Au Jus, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, or until tender.  Or place into a 325 degree oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours.  
Cooked Benløse Fugle (Boneless Birds)

Add water if necessary to keep the level of fluid up.   Turn the rolls from time to time. When done, remove the 'birds' from oven or skillet, set aside while you skim the fat and thicken the liquid with a slurry of 1 tablespoon flour to 1/2 cup of ice water.  Cook for a couple of minutes to thicken and to take away the 'raw' taste of the flour,  then serve the 'birds' with the rich brown gravy.   The bacon adds a lovely richness and great mouth feel.

Serve with some potatoes or noodles and corn or your favorite vegetable.  
Benløse Fugle (Boneless Birds) ready to eat

Serves 2-4
 

yield: 4 servingsprint recipe

Benløse Fugle (Boneless Birds)

prep time: 15 MINScook time: 1 hour and 30 MINStotal time: 1 hours and 45 mins
Despite the name, this has nothing to do with any kind of poultry. Benløse Fugle (Boneless Birds)are named that because they do resemble a boneless bird when prepared, but the beefy taste will wow you.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 lbs.Round Steak, sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • Sliced Bacon, about 16 slices
  • 3/4 cup Minced Onion
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup Flour (reserving 1 tablespoon for the gravy)
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Beef Bouillion or 1 1/2 cups of prepared Au Jus mix.

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1.  Cut the meat into 12 uniform size pieces and pound thin into approximate square shapes. 
  2.  Cover each piece of meat with a thin slice of bacon, trimming them to fit, then sprinkle with salt and pepper, adding a rounded tablespoon of minced onion. 
  3. Roll up and tie firmly with white thread (I keep a spool of heavy duty cotton thread in my spice drawer), taking care so the filling doesn't ooze out of the ends. Or thread a toothpick across the ends to keep it closed. 
  4. Dredge in the flour, coating it very lightly, and brown them in the hot butter on all sides in a moderately hot pan. 
  5. Add the beef bouillion or prepared Au Jus, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Or place into a 325 degree oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours. 
  6. Add water if necessary to keep the level of fluid up. Turn the rolls from time to time. When done, remove the 'birds' from oven or skillet, set aside while you skim the fat and thicken the liquid with a slurry of 1 tablespoon flour to 1/2 cup of ice water. Cook for a couple of minutes to thicken and to take away the 'raw' taste of the flour, then serve the 'birds' with the rich brown gravy. The bacon adds a lovely richness and great mouth feel. Serve with some potatoes or noodles and corn or your favorite vegetable.
All recipes and their respective images are either original or adapted and credited, and are all the sole property of Sid's Sea Palm Cooking © 2011-2020, with all rights reserved thereof.

This recipe and many more Danish Recipes are in my cookbook Hygge- Danish Food and Recipes Dansk Mad og Opskrifter til et Hyggeligt Hjemme, available on Amazon. Also available as an ebook.
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Sidsel Munkholm - Author
Sidsel Munkholm - Author

Sid loves to cook, feed people and have fun in the kitchen. She shares her successes and the involuntary offerings she sometimes gives the kitchen goddess as well. And she's still looking for the mythical fairy to help her clean the kitchen after a marathon cooking session. Currently working on a cookbook showcasing the recipes from her Danish heritage.

3 comments:

  1. Hi Sid … also in the avian family were Veal Birds. Similar to your Benlose Fugle in preparation but we would pound rouladen as thin as possible and then roll them around parsley. Pinned with toothpicks, browned, then adding some water or stock. Amazing gravy. Served over small boiled potatoes (or mashed, if necessary). Absolutely wonderful. Skaal.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That sounds great as well. Thanks for the idea, and recipe.

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  2. The correct translation is indeed boneless birds, as "ben" can mean both leg and bone, but in this context refers to them appearing somewhat like a stuffed bird, just sans bones. The French version of the same dish translates to "Headless birds" or "voisin sans tete"

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