How to Make Braciole - An Easy Braciole Recipe for a Special Dinner (2024)

FAQs

What cut of meat is best for braciole? ›

To make the braciole, you'll need flank steak that has been butterflied and pounded until it is 1/4-inch thick for the base of the braciole. First, layer the steak with prosciutto, then top it with the toasted panko (toasting the breadcrumbs first means they will absorb the flavor of the roll and sauce).

You can easily make braciole a day or two ahead of time, I've done that many times especially for parties. If I make them ahead of time for a party I also like to take my time removing the strings and cutting the rolls while they're cold.

Further, if you haven't pounded the meat thin enough, it can still be tough after cooking, so make sure to pound it to an even, thin slice. Lastly, the cooking time matters, as if you cook it too short it can be tough, so make sure to cook it slow and prolonged to get a more tender result.

Etymology. Italian, literally, slice of meat roasted over coals, from brace live coals, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Swedish brasa fire.

The Ribeye is generally considered to be the most flavourful steak. These steaks are cut from the ribs and contain a lot of marbling throughout. The muscle from where the Ribeye is cut, isn't used often so the meat is very tender.

Tenderloin steak and top blade steaks ranked first and second. Top round steak ranked last. Roasts were more tender than steak counterparts.

Seasoning a steak overnight is all about enhancing flavor and, in some cases, tenderizing the meat. When you season a steak and let it sit in the refrigerator for several hours or even a full day, you're giving those seasonings time to work their magic.

There is only one real difference in the actual techniques of braciole versus involtini. "Involtini" translates to "little bundles," and as such, it's used to refer to smaller and thinner cuts of meat.

Braising the meat rolls slowly at low heat ensures tender meat that won't dry out. Braising the braciole in a covered pan for half the cooking time before finishing with the lid off guarantees the sauce doesn't over-reduce.

Pasta alla carbonara! If the mixture of egg yolk and grated cheese is to thick it will be difficult to coat the pasta evenly, if it's too thin one risks cooking the eggs to a mess of scramble eggs and cheese. If the guanciale is cooked for too long it will be too crispy or even hard as bullets.

Does braciole freeze well? ›

However, it can be kept warm over very low heat for up to 30 minutes covered in the pan. How to Store: Store the steak and sauce covered in plastic for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Braciole will freeze well covered in a container for up to 3 months.

Besides top round, bottom round, eye of round, flank steak, or sirloin can be used. They should all be pounded flat to 1/4″ thick for easy rolling. Kitchen twine will hold more securely, but toothpicks work well and are far easier to remove.

While it has deep roots in Italian cuisine, the Braciole most familiar to American palates is largely an Italian-American invention, molded by the hands of immigrants adapting to a new land while longing for their native flavors. In Italy, "braciole" often refers to simple grilled slices of meat, usually pork.

The cut of beef used for Italian beef is typically chuck. The beef is slow cooked until fall-apart tender, then piled high in a hoagie bun with some of the meat's tasty, sloppy cooking juices.

Capicola, commonly known as capocollo in Italy, is a classic cured meat made from pork neck or shoulder, with paprika, spices, and herbs. It is also dry-cured, very thinly sliced, and commonly served as an appetizer or snack.

The other common way to make braciole is to use the top round cut of beef, which is a little less expensive than flank steak. Instead of being prepared as one long, thin roast, top round is sliced and pounded into multiple smaller steaks that are then rolled into individual bundles.

Veal shanks are the traditional meat for osso buco, and probably what you're familiar with seeing on restaurant menus. But the shank portion of several animals can benefit from this same preparation. You'll want to use shanks for this; otherwise it's not osso bucco.