Tasty’s Beef Braciole a Stuffed Italian Beef Roll

If you don’t want to serve the same ole’ meal for the holidays or any special occasion, you might want to try this Beef Braciole. With a review that states “It’s the most delicious thing they ever tasted!”, I mean “wow” ever? Let me know what you think. Serves 8

Some tips for this recipe are...

1) If you can't use twine, tooth picks will work
2) Definitely brown the meat and veggies to develop all the great flavor.
3) Make sure to reduce all the wine before adding the tomatoes.
4) The tomato sauce should go halfway up the Braciole in the oven, need more? Add more 😏
5) I’m going to cut the amount of breadcrumbs in half and add mushrooms, for more flavor.

Ingredients:

Stuffing:
1/4 cup breadcrumbs 
1/4 cup mushrooms, finely chopped 
1 cup shredded pecorino romano cheese 
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped 
1/3 cup shredded provolone cheese
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced, divided

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steak:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 lb flank steak 

Salt and pepper, to taste 

Sauce:

2 tablespoons canola oil 

1 tablespoon butter
1 medium carrot, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
28 oz can crushed tomatoes 
1 tablespoon dried oregano 

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

To serve:

1 lb orecchiette pasta, cooked
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese 

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons 

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, pecorino Romano, ½ cup (20 g) chopped basil, provolone, parsley, 5 minced cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, and the olive oil. Stir and set aside.

Lay the flank steak on a cutting board. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Cover the the meat with a sheet of parchment paper. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the steak until it’s ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.

Remove the parchment and sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the steak. Starting from the bottom, roll the meat into a log. Using butcher’s twine, tie up the roll so it holds its shape while cooking. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the canola oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the steak roll and, without moving it, cook until a dark brown crust forms on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn the roll and repeat until all sides and the ends have been seared. Remove the roll from the pan and set aside. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Add the butter, carrot, onion, celery, remaining 3 cloves of garlic, salt, and pepper to the pan and cook until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the white wine and stir to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook until the wine reduces and the pan is slightly dry again. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.

Return the beef roll to the pot. Cover and bake for 1 hour, flipping the roll halfway through (if the sauce is drying up too much, add more crushed tomatoes or water), until the beef is tender. Slice the braciole and arrange on a serving platter with the sauce. Serve the braciole with orecchiette. Garnish with grated pecorino Romano and fresh basil. Yum Yum!