Braciole
While I had time off during the Christmas break, I spent it working on a braciole recipe for the slow cooker.
In Italian American cuisine, braciole (the word is commonly pronounced /ˌbrä-zhəl/ from the Sicilian dialect) is the name given to thin slices of meat, usually beef, that are prepared as a roulade, a meat slice rolled around a filling then browned and braised. When I first had braciole, they were small individual servings, like the German Rouladen. However in my search for a slow cooker version, I discovered recipes that made a large roulade versus the individual portions. If Giada can do it, then so can I.
The effort that goes into crafting the individual braciole is intense. Therefore, I was excited that most of the recipes called for a big roast sized braciole. Cutting down the directions to a comfortable level of simplicity makes for a delicious meal without the hours of toil and let's the cook enjoy the food.
I played with these two recipes, Bob's Slow Cooker Braciole and Giada's, to get the guidance for the ingredients and cooking times.
Braciole
Ingredients:
• 26 oz. jar marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/3 cup grated provolone
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1½ lbs. flank steak, pounded to 1/4 inch
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 oz. prosciutto
• 2 – 4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 cup dry white wine
Directions:
1. Pour the marinara sauce into the slow cooker and set on High to warm.
2. Combine the bread crumbs, garlic, chesses and parsley in a small bowl.
3. Sprinkle both sides of the meat with salt and pepper. Lay the flank steak flat on the work surface. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the steak to cover the top evenly. Layer the prosciutto on top of the mixture.
4. Starting at the short end, roll up the steak like a jelly roll to enclose the filling completely. Using butcher's twine, tie the steak roll to secure, or use toothpicks.
5. Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Sear the stuffed flank steak in the hot oil until well browned on all sides, about 8 – 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to the warm sauce in the slow cooker.
6. Deglaze the pan with white wine and add to the slow cooker.
7. Spoon sauce over meat to cover.
8. Turn slow cooker to Low; cook meat until very tender, 6 to 8 hours. Remove string/toothpicks before slicing. Serve with marinara.
My Italian-American co-workers really liked the dish when I brought it to work for lunch, so I'm impressed with the adaption that I did between the two recipes. The marinara does thin out during the cooking. Yet like most dishes, the braciole improves the day after cooking and the sauce thickens up with time. I served this with gemelli (or I'd suggest orecchiette) topped with the marinara and a nice side green salad.
In Italian American cuisine, braciole (the word is commonly pronounced /ˌbrä-zhəl/ from the Sicilian dialect) is the name given to thin slices of meat, usually beef, that are prepared as a roulade, a meat slice rolled around a filling then browned and braised. When I first had braciole, they were small individual servings, like the German Rouladen. However in my search for a slow cooker version, I discovered recipes that made a large roulade versus the individual portions. If Giada can do it, then so can I.
The effort that goes into crafting the individual braciole is intense. Therefore, I was excited that most of the recipes called for a big roast sized braciole. Cutting down the directions to a comfortable level of simplicity makes for a delicious meal without the hours of toil and let's the cook enjoy the food.
I played with these two recipes, Bob's Slow Cooker Braciole and Giada's, to get the guidance for the ingredients and cooking times.
Braciole
Ingredients:
• 26 oz. jar marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/3 cup grated provolone
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 1½ lbs. flank steak, pounded to 1/4 inch
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 oz. prosciutto
• 2 – 4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 cup dry white wine
Directions:
1. Pour the marinara sauce into the slow cooker and set on High to warm.
2. Combine the bread crumbs, garlic, chesses and parsley in a small bowl.
3. Sprinkle both sides of the meat with salt and pepper. Lay the flank steak flat on the work surface. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the steak to cover the top evenly. Layer the prosciutto on top of the mixture.
4. Starting at the short end, roll up the steak like a jelly roll to enclose the filling completely. Using butcher's twine, tie the steak roll to secure, or use toothpicks.
5. Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Sear the stuffed flank steak in the hot oil until well browned on all sides, about 8 – 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to the warm sauce in the slow cooker.
6. Deglaze the pan with white wine and add to the slow cooker.
7. Spoon sauce over meat to cover.
8. Turn slow cooker to Low; cook meat until very tender, 6 to 8 hours. Remove string/toothpicks before slicing. Serve with marinara.
My Italian-American co-workers really liked the dish when I brought it to work for lunch, so I'm impressed with the adaption that I did between the two recipes. The marinara does thin out during the cooking. Yet like most dishes, the braciole improves the day after cooking and the sauce thickens up with time. I served this with gemelli (or I'd suggest orecchiette) topped with the marinara and a nice side green salad.
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