How to Make Italian Beef Braciole
Learn how to make authentic Italian beef braciole and why it's the best Sunday supper recipe ever. It's got it all...tender top round beef is rolled around a zesty parmesan cheese and garlic breading and then simmers in a rich, super easy tomato basil sauce. Served over homemade pasta or creamy polenta and you've got the most satisfying and flavor-packed dinner!About 2 lbs of meat makes 8 rolls.
Servings 4
Equipment
- 16 pieces of kitchen twine approximately 6-8" long
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ small white onion finely chopped
- 2-4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ c dry white wine
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes can also use puree or passata
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 fresh basil leaves
For the breadcrumb filling
- 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs or panko (pulse in blender briefly)
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 Tablespoon parsley chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
For the braciole
- 2 lb sirloin top roast
- 8 slices prosciutto
Instructions
Make the sauce
- Saute onion in olive oil for 3-5 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until you can smell it.1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 small white onion, 2-4 cloves garlic
- Pour in the white wine. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and swirl around until melted and caramelized another two minutes.1/2 c dry white wine, 6 oz tomato paste
- Add the crushed tomatoes or puree along with the salt, pepper and basil leaves.28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 6 fresh basil leaves
- Simmer for about 30 minutes or so covered.
Mix the breadcrumb filling
- Add the breadcrumbs and cheese to a medium bowl. Stir in the egg, garlic, parsley and mix until combined. The filling should hold or clump together into a small ball when pressed.1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 egg, 2 Tablespoon parsley, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon garlic
Prep the meat
- Slice the beef into pieces about 1” thick. Place each slice between two pieces or a folded piece of parchment paper. Use a meat tenderizer or mallet to flatten the meat to about 1/4” thick.2 lb sirloin top roast
Roll the braciole
- Place a slice of prosciutto on top of each flattened piece of beef.8 slices prosciutto
- Start with 1 T of filling and use your hands or the back of the spoon to press it across the prosciutto topped beef. Add another spoonful of filling. Press down on the filling to flatten and adhere to prosciutto.
- Start at the short end and roll up the braciole to enclose the filling. Tie each end with a piece of kitchen twine. Don’t pull too tightly but firm enough to make a sealed roll. Repeat with all the beef and filling.
- Trim any “tails” of twine as needed.
Cook
- In a separate large skillet, heat a little olive oil. Use tongs to brown the braciole on all sides turning as you go for about 2 minutes. Nestle each braciole in the sauce. Cover and cook over on low for about 1 hour until tender. Serve with sauce and parmesan cheese over pasta, potatoes or creamy polenta.
Notes
Make ahead tips:
- Make the sauce ahead of time.
- Flatten, fill and roll the braciole. Tie and refrigerate
- Milanese cut steak. A thin cut steak I have found packaged in the meat section of my grocery store.
- Flank steak (best for making one large braciole). I recommend a meat mallet with spikes to tenderize when pounding.
- Chuck roast. A more marbled cut making it trickier to roll but has big flavor.
