Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1½ lbs flank steak
4 slices of thick-cut bacon, diced
1 (10 oz pkg) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and pressed until dry
1 medium red, orange or yellow bell pepper, julianned
1/2 lb mushrooms, halved lengthwise then sliced
1 garlic clove, diced then pressed
4 oz shredded Colby & Monterey Jack cheese mix
1 raw egg
1 teaspoon steak seasoning, as desired (check the salt content and adjust if needed)
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon grapeseed oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (if finishing the cook today – see NOTE)
2.Meanwhile, heat a large, ungreased, saute pan over medium heat until hot
3. Add diced bacon to the pan and cover
4. Allow the bacon to steam undisturbed about 2 minutes, then stir occasionally until crispy (3-4 minutes) Remove the bacon and set aside to drain and cool. Reserve 1 teaspoon of bacon grease in the hot pan
5. Add to the pan the bell pepper and garlic, and cook for 3-4 more minutes until tender, then set aside
6. Drain and press the spinach to get all the water out. Set aside
7. Butterfly the flank steak with the fibers running along what will become the long side (be careful not to slice it into two pieces. Pound it if necessary to flatten
8. Season inside of flank steak with 1/2 of the salt and pepper, seasoning to taste
9. In a medium mixing bowl combine spinach, bacon, bell peppers, garlic, cheese mixture, egg, and steak seasoning of choice
10. Spread cooled bacon and vegetable mixture evenly over the seasoned flank steak.
11. Roll the flank steak.
12. Truss up with kitchen twine, or skewer, as desired
13. Brush on the cooking oil and season the outside of the roulade with a light sprinkle of herbs or salt and pepper
14. In a large skillet, heat grapeseed oil over high heat until very hot. Sear all of the sides of the roulade until golden brown. (2-3 minutes per side)
15. Place the browned roulade in 400°F oven and cook until the internal temperature reaches 125°F for medium rare (approximately 18-20 minutes, depending on your oven). Let the roulade rest, loosely covered with foil, for 20 minutes after removing from the oven and the residual heat will raise the temperature of the meat to 130-135°F.
16. Remove the twine or skewer and slice just before serving.

NOTE: The beef roulade can be held up to 3 days before cooking; place it in the fridge after step 12. When you are ready to prepare and serve it, remove it from the fridge an hour early to bring to room temperature. Then, follow the rest of the instructions, starting at step 13.

Disclaimer: USDA recommends a minimum temperature of steak to be 145°F, which is classified by many chefs as “medium” and by many steak lovers as overcooked. “Medium rare, 125°F to 135°F, is the temperature range at which steaks are at their most tender, juicy, and flavorful, as shown here.