My mom recently put in a request for braciole. And by put in a request, I mean she went to Esposito’s in the Italian Market, purchased braciole, and told me I was going to make it.
I was excited to try; I’ve never made braciole before. Braciole is a thinly pounded meat that is topped with a filling and then rolled up and secured either with string or toothpicks. The rolled meat is browned and then added to a tomato sauce to cook.
I have to let you know. Braciole is a labor of love. There is so much prep work! The version I am sharing below is a recipe from a family friend that my parents have been using for years. I decided to make it in my slow cooker so that I could leave and run some errands while it cooked. Because of the prep work involved though, this is definitely a weekend meal.
Ingredients:
For Braciole:
- 3 eggs, hardboiled, diced
- 2 russet potatoes, boiled and diced
- 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 lb mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
- 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 8 pieces of braiole, or 2 lbs top round, cut into half inch thick slices
- 8 slices prosciutto
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/3 cup dry red wine
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 (26 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 (26 oz) can strained tomatoes
To hard boil eggs, add the eggs to a pot and cover with cold water. You want the water to be at least 1 inch above the eggs.
Bring the water to a full rolling boil, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, remove the eggs from the pot lightly smash against a hard flat surface (like your countertop) a few times. Add to a bowl of ice water and let cool.
Once cool, remove the eggs from the ice water and peel.
Finely chop the hard boiled eggs and add to a large bowl.
To boil potatoes, peel your potatoes and add to a pot. Fill with cold water (at least 1 inch above the potatoes) and bring to a rolling boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until a fork can go into the potatoes without being super mushy. Remove from the water and let cool. Finely dice the potatoes and add to the same large bowl as the hardboiled eggs.
Add in the chopped green pepper, onions, mushrooms, breadcrumbs, cheese, and parsley to the large bowl and mix to combine.
Note: Esposito’s sells their own braciole, which means the meat is already pounded thin and filled with a breadcrumb mixture. I unrolled their braciole and added my ingredients inside. If a local store near you doesn’t have something similar, purchase 2 lbs top round and cut into half inch thick slices. Lay the beef slices between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat mallet to flatten the slices into even thickness.
Lay a slice of prosciutto on top of the flattened meat.
Top with a layer of the mixture (the amount will depend on the size of the meat).
Roll the meat up, tucking in the sides to keep the mixture inside.
Wrap with bakers twine firmly to keep everything rolled up. Set aside.
To make the sauce, heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add one tablespoon olive oil and the onions and garlic, stirring occasionally. Cook for 4 minutes or until fragrant.
Add in the tomato paste stirring to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
Add in the red wine and stir with a wooden spoon. Add in the spices, stirring to combine, and pour into your slow cooker.
Pour in the crushed and strained tomatoes, stirring to combine.
Using the same saute pan, heat over medium high heat. Add one tablespoon olive oil and the braciole and brown on all sides.
Add the braciole to the sauce in the slow cooker.
Cook on low for at least 4 hours.
Feel free to serve it with the strings still on the braciole, just warn those digging in!
This is one hearty dish. Even my husband (who tends to eat 3 servings in one sitting) had to stop after one.
The mixture inside is nice and rich. The acidity of the tomato sauce helped cut through some of the richness which was really tasty.
The beef became fall apart tender in the slow cooker, so yummy!
This recipe can be served with pasta, but honestly can probably be eaten on its own as well. It also freezes well; just add the braciole to a freezer safe dish and fill with the sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 eggs, hardboiled, diced
- 2 russet potatoes, boiled and diced
- 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 lb mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
- 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 8 pieces of braiole, or 2 lbs top round, cut into half inch thick slices
- 8 slices prosciutto
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/3 cup dry red wine
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 (26 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 (26 oz) can strained tomatoes
Instructions
- To hard boil eggs, add the eggs to a pot and cover with cold water. You want the water to be at least 1 inch above the eggs.
- Bring the water to a full rolling boil, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, remove the eggs from the pot lightly smash against a hard flat surface (like your countertop) a few times. Add to a bowl of ice water and let cool.
- Once cool, remove the eggs from the ice water and peel.
- Finely chop the hard boiled eggs and add to a large bowl.
- To boil potatoes, peel your potatoes and add to a pot. Fill with cold water (at least 1 inch above the potatoes) and bring to a rolling boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until a fork can go into the potatoes without being super mushy. Remove from the water and let cool. Finely dice the potatoes and add to the same large bowl as the hard boiled eggs.
- Add in the chopped green pepper, onions, mushrooms, breadcrumbs, cheese, and parsley to the large bowl and mix to combine.
- Note: Esposito’s sells their own braciole, which means the meat is already pounded thin and filled with a breadcrumb mixture. I unrolled their braciole and added my ingredients inside. If a local store near you doesn’t have something similar, purchase 2 lbs top round and cut into half inch thick slices. Lay the beef slices between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat mallet to flatten the slices into even thickness.
- Lay a slice of prosciutto on top of the flattened meat.
- Top with a layer of the mixture (the amount will depend on the size of the meat).
- Roll the meat up, tucking in the sides to keep the mixture inside.
- Wrap with bakers twine firmly to keep everything rolled up. Set aside.
- To make the sauce, heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add one tablespoon olive oil and the onions and garlic, stirring occasionally. Cook for 4 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add in the tomato paste stirring to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add in the red wine and stir with a wooden spoon. Add in the spices, stirring to combine, and pour into your slow cooker.
- Pour in the crushed and strained tomatoes, stirring to combine.
- Using the same saute pan, heat over medium high heat. Add one tablespoon olive oil and the braciole and brown on all sides.
- Add the braciole to the sauce in the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for at least 4 hours, then serve alone or over pasta.
- Feel free to serve it with the strings still on the braciole, just warn those digging in!
What do you think?