Braciole
Braciole are one of those recipes that while they are a bit time consuming to prepare, they are really simple and don't require any super-human chef skills. AND they make a beautiful presentation when you serve them.
In my family we use either beef or pork for our braciole. The first step in the perfect braciole is to prepare the meat. You want to pound the meat into a uniform thickness between 1/8 and 1/4 inch. Once the meat is pounded, you can sprinkle any combination of the ingredients on the meat. I am a fan of salt, pepper, garlic, basil, rosemary, and grated cheese if I’m using the braciole for gravy.
In the photo above, the pork braciole is smothered with wild mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes in a brown sauce and served with roasted broccoli and orzo pepe e cacio (Romano cheese and pepper).
For the sauce, I used the drippings from the braciole, added 1/2c of red wine until it began so simmer, the stirred in a slurry of 1T of flour whisked and dissolved into 1/4 c water mixed with 2T of balsamic, vinegar, 2 T of Worcestershire sauce and 1 T of soy sauce. Once all the liquid was combines, I reduced the heat to a very slow dimmer and added the thinly sliced mushrooms and sun-dried tomato slivers until the mushrooms were tender and the sauce thickened. Just before serving, I returned the pork braciole to the pan to heat.
If I’m planning to serve them braised as a main course, I will add some bread crumbs and shredded mozzarella. You can go really wild and add a layer of prosciutto or other cured meat as well.
I tend to make them smaller if going into gravy and more substantial if they’re the main course. Either way the method is the same: once your fillings are spread onto the meat, you roll the meat like a log cake.
Once rolled, I prefer butcher’s string - but tooth packs work as well - to tie it closed in multiple locations. Once the meat is rolled and tied, I cut cross-ways to size the individual braciole for however I'm planning to use it.
If I’m making gravy with them, I brown them according to my gravy recipe and remove them once cooked but before they disintegrate. If I'm using them for a main course, I brown them slowly in some olive oil and butter with some minced shallots or slivered onion. Once browned, I add red wine and beef broth or consume to cover them and reduce the heat. I slow cook them until they are just about to fall apart.
Brown braised braciole are great with rice, potatoes, quinoa, and a vegetable or salad. The broth can be served as is or thickened into a yummy sauce.
THE RECIPE
Boneless beef or pork
Minced garlic
Salt
Pepper
Basil
Oregano
Rosemary
Parsley
Grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
Shredded mozzarella (optional)
Italian bread crumbs (optional)
Butcher’s string or tooth picks
In case you're interested, the translation of braciole is a slice of meat rolled over coals. Braciole clearly sounds much more appealing.
Braciole were typically served with pasta and gravy, I never had one brown as a main course until I was in college and my mom broadened her horizons.
When we did have them with pasta, it was a special treat, I’m not sure if it was the work involved or the price of the meat. My favorite braciole meat is pork cutlet or boneless chops pounded thin. The most popular beef cuts are flank and top round slices. I used flat iron steak here, and I did not include the mozzarella or bread crumbs.
I prefer tying the braciole closed with cotton butcher's string to using toothpicks that can fall out and end up stabbing you if one accidentally ends up on your fork.
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