Beef Braciole

RECIPE FORUM Your Favorite Recipes
1

Beef Braciole

Ingredients
◦8 slices beef braciole, beef very thinly sliced
◦Coarse salt and black pepper
◦1 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs,
◦1/2 cup milk
◦3/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
◦1 small onion, finely chopped
◦1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves,
◦Plain round toothpicks
◦2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil,
◦2 cloves garlic,
◦2 tablespoons butter
◦12 crimini mushrooms, finely chopped
◦2 tablespoons flour
◦1 cup dry white wine
◦1 cup beef broth
◦1 rounded tablespoon tomato paste

Instructions

1.Season meat with salt and pepper.
2.In a medium bowl, moisten bread crumbs with milk.
3.Add grated cheese, onion, parsley, salt and pepper to the crumbs and combine well. Spread a thin layer of stuffing down the center of each beef slice and roll tightly.
4.Fasten rolled meat with plain toothpicks.
5.Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
6.Add oil to a hot pan along with garlic.
7.Set meat into pan and brown on all sides, 6 minutes.
8.Remove the meat from the pan.
9.Add butter to the pan.
10.Add mushrooms to the melted butter.
11.Saute mushrooms 5 minutes.
12.Add flour to the pan and cook 2 minutes.
13.Whisk wine into the flour and mushrooms and scrape up pan drippings.
14.Reduce wine 1 minute, then whisk in beef broth and tomato paste.
15.Set meat back into sauce and reduce heat to medium low.
16.Partially cover pan with a cover left ajar an inch.
17.Simmer meat in sauce 10 to 15 minutes.
18.Transfer beef rolls to a platter, removing toothpicks.
19.Pour pan gravy down over the beef rolls and serve.

2

1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 anchovy fillets, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup buffalo mozzarella bocconcini balls, sliced in half if large size
1/2 cup store-bought, drained and roughly chopped roasted red peppers
3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-pound piece flank steak
3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered lengthwise

For the Braising ingredients:

Extra-virgin olive oil
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, gently smashed
2 small onions, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes (recommended: San Marzano)
8 vine-ripened tomatoes, separated from vine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons good-quality balsamic vinegar
1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped for garnish

Directions

To make the Braciole: Toast the panko bread crumbs in a dry skillet with a little olive oil over low heat, until golden. Add to a large mixing bowl along with the anchovy, garlic, bocconcini, red peppers, parsley, a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper, to taste. Stir together until well combined.

Set the flank steak on a piece of plastic wrap. Make a deep horizontal slice along the steak almost all the way through and fan open like a book. Lay another piece of plastic wrap on top. Using the smooth side of a meat mallet, gently flatten the steak until about 1/2-inch thick; take care not to tear. Discard the top sheet of plastic wrap; rub the surface with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread the stuffing evenly over the meat, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Arrange the eggs lengthwise down the center of the meat and roll up like a jelly roll log, using the plastic wrap as support. Tie the roll with kitchen twine in 4 to 5 places to secure - this will help hold the shape and keep the filling from falling out.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put a roasting pan across 2 burners and heat over medium heat. Add a 3-count of olive oil and add the thyme and garlic. Cook for about a minute until fragrant. Carefully add the braciole and sear until evenly browned all over, approximately 2 minutes each side.

Add the sliced onions and bay leaves, then stir in the beef broth to deglaze. Add the canned tomatoes over the top, then nestle in the whole vine tomatoes around the braciole. Bring to a simmer, then cover with foil and put in the oven to braise for 45 to 60 minutes. When done, remove the foil and remove the braciole to a carving board to rest. Carefully remove the whole vine tomatoes, with a slotted spoon, to a plate. Let the sauce cool for about 5 minutes. Discard the thyme stems and bay leaf, then add the sauce to a blender and puree. Pour the sauce back into the pan and set over medium heat to bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add the balsamic vinegar. Remove the kitchen twine from the beef and cut into 1-inch thick “pin-wheel” slices. Arrange the slices on a platter and arrange the whole vine tomatoes around the beef. Pour the sauce over the top, garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

3

BEEF BRACIOLE

3 or 4 lbs round rump of beef
1/4 lb. 1/4" thick prosciutto, pancetta or lean salt pork
1/2 lb. lean ground veal
1/4 cup Italian salami
5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter, softened or olive oil
1 large onion, minced
1 carrot, peeled and chopped (optional)
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
pinch cayenne
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup Marsala wine
2 tablespoons flour
2 large cans whole Italian tomatoes
3 large sprigs basil
1/4 tsp. dried oregano

Thinly slice the beef, with the grain, into 1/4 inch thick slices as large as possible from the roast being used.

Place the slices between 2 sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap and flatten using the flat side of a heavy meat cleaver, a smooth meat pounder or a small heavy pan. Pound as thinly as possible without breaking through. Season lightly with salt and pepper (and a light sprinkling of cayenne, if desired). Set aside.

Soak the breadcrumbs in 1/4-cup milk. Squeeze out excess until breadcrumbs are nearly dry.

Note: If you want to make your own breadcrumbs, lightly toast day-old bread (Italian or French breads make the best breadcrumbs) in a tablespoon of olive oil or butter with chopped garlic, parsley, oregano, basil and celery seeds. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Whir in the food processor or grate using a large

Microplane grater until you have coarse crumbs.

Grind the veal, prosciutto (or lean salt pork or pancetta) and salami, 2 cloves garlic and parsley, using a meat grinder or food processor. Combine with the Parmesan cheese, butter or olive oil. Add the breadcrumbs and egg. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Spread this mixture evenly over the flattened beef slices. Roll up tightly and tie securely using cotton or butcher’s string so that none of the stuffing can escape.

Put a small portion of chopped salt pork mixture into the bottom of a heavy Dutch oven and allow it to melt in 1 tablespoon of olive oil with 2 or 3 whole cloves of garlic and chopped onion. Press the garlic flat with the tines of a fork as it begins to soften and color; remove before it browns.

Place the rolled up braciole into the hot oil mixture and turn occasionally until all sides are browned evenly (adjust heat as necessary). Add carrots and onions to the oil to flavor it. When braciole is browned, add the wine, stirring up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a flat rubber spatula.

Reduce heat and simmer until wine has evaporated. Sprinkle beef with flour, turning the beef in the pot until the flour has browned. Add the cans of tomatoes and just enough water or beef broth to barely cover the beef. Add basil, bay leaf and oregano.

Bring water or broth to a boil; reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Season with a little salt and pepper. Continue to simmer for about 2 hours, or until beef is fork tender (depends on the toughness or age of the beef).

When beef is tender, remove from the sauce and keep warm.
If desired, a hand blender may be used to smooth the sauce. Cook sauce over high heat until slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove tying string from the beef rolls. Slice carefully at an angle and arrange decoratively on a serving dish so that the rolled filling is visible. Ladle sauce over the top. Goes well as an accompaniment to ravioli or other pasta.
Braciole keeps well submerged under pasta sauce in the refrigerator or freezer.