Beef Braciole
Updated May 23, 2024
- Total Time
- 2½ hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4ounces pancetta, cut into a ¼-inch dice
- ½cup bread crumbs
- ¼cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino cheese, plus more for serving
- 3tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 8thin (¼-inch-thick) top round steaks (about 2 pounds), or 2 (1-inch-thick) top round steaks, each sliced horizontally into 4 thinner steaks
- 1cup dry red wine
- 2(28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
717 calories; 37 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 18 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 13 grams sugars; 60 grams protein; 1342 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Place a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is crisp and the fat has rendered, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a medium bowl.
- Step 2
To the bowl, add the bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, 2 tablespoons parsley, 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt; set aside.
- Step 3
Pound the steaks thinly until they are about 8 inches long and 4 inches wide. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Cut each steak in half to create 4-by-4-inch pieces.
- Step 4
Working with one piece of steak at a time, sprinkle 1 rounded tablespoon of the bread crumb mixture evenly over each steak. Roll the steak up, then thread a toothpick along each seam to retain the filling.
- Step 5
Reheat the oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat and add another tablespoon of olive oil. Working in two batches, add the steak rolls, seam side down, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the seam is sealed and the steak begins to brown. Flip and brown the other side for another 3 to 4 minutes and place on a dish to reserve until all the rolls are seared.
- Step 6
Deglaze the pot by adding the wine and stirring and scraping to release any browned bits then simmer, stirring frequently, until the wine has reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, swishing out each can with about 1 cup of water and adding to the pot. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley and bring to a low boil over medium heat.
- Step 7
Add the steak rolls to the Dutch oven and reduce the sauce to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and simmer, until the meat is very tender and the toothpicks release easily, about 1½ hours. Discard the toothpicks.
- Step 8
Using tongs, transfer the braciole to a large, shallow serving platter and season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle some sauce over the meat and garnish with grated cheese and chopped parsley.
Private Notes
Comments
My mother-in-law was Sicilian…my father-in-law was from Naples. The arguments in the kitchen were constant…and in retrospect, very fun to watch. I learned so much about Italian cooking from them. Their braciole was wonderful, but no pancetta…just the best cheese you could get…freshly grated…garden plum tomatoes and fresh Italian parsley for the sauce, if you grew them…slow simmering, and fresh herbs. I’m still trying to duplicate that recipe!
Finely minced or crushed garlic may be added to the bread crumbs and the roulades may be tied with kitchen string or twine rather than secured with toothpicks. They will hold together during frying and simmering better if tied.
My Polish Mother-in-Law made a version of these that she called Beef Rollups. Inside was a shmear of mustard and a dill pickle. They were delicious!
This was fantastic. I’m a vegetarian 99% of the year but once or twice a year, I crave a good meat dish. This was the ticket. I followed the directions almost exactly. However, I did add toasted pine nuts to the filling & gnochi to the sauce at the very end. And, because my family wasn’t ready when I called them to dinner… We ended up eating about an hour and a half later; so the dish simmered for an accumulative of 2 1/2 hours. Perfect you could cut them with a fork. And good grief- the sauce was delectable. (OK… Back to being a vegetarian now!) I just said you
Good recipe. But I'm pretty handy with a knife and there's no way I'm slicing a 1" top round into 4 1/4"-thick steaks. You'd either need a ton of patience or a big meat slicer to do that cleanly.
@Gina Corsun I add egg. Helps hold everything together.