Braciole (Italian Stuffed Steak)

This Braciole recipe is a traditional Italian recipe of beef that is stuffed and braised in tomato sauce. It’s pure Italian comfort food.  Continue reading to learn how to make Braciole.

This time of the year is very special to me. October 20 was my father’s birthday. Well, it may have been the 21^st, but that’s a story for another blog post.

My dad’s favorite meal was braciole (pronouced: brah-joel). One day we were talking and he mentioned that his mother used to make it for him. According to him, she made the best braciole. Tender rolls of thinly sliced beef filled with homemade stuffing and braised all day in her homemade sauce.

It’s the way things were done back them. Dinner took all day to make and those that made it did so with love.

My dad wished out loud that he could have his mother’s braciole again. That’s when I set out on a quest to recreate my grandmother’s recipe. However, the only thing I had to go on were my father’s 25 year old memories.

Much like most things my grandmother made, her braciole was one of those dishes that had no recipe and no instructions.

I made several versions, tweaking the recipe as I went along, until I finally had it. A braciole recipe that was so good, it’s no wonder my dad had been dreaming of this dish for 25 years.

That year, I surprised him with braciole for his birthday. He was floored – it tasted just like my grandmother’s. Even though I was giving him a gift – he gave me one right back – that compliment. From that year forward, I made braciole for his birthday.

My father passed away in 2013. And, even though he’s not with us, I still like to celebrate him by making his favorite meal. It’s a small way that I can continue to honor his memory and celebrate the memories that we have of him.

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Braciole (Italian Stuffed Steak)

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time2 hrs 15 mins

Total Time2 hrs 45 mins

Course: Main Dish

Servings: 4

Author: Christina Hitchcock

Ingredients

• 8 thinly sliced top round steaks
• 10 slices bread - cut into 1” cubes
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• ½ small onion - finely diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley - minced
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 6 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Marinara sauce

Instructions

• Pound steaks to ¼ thickness, if not already sliced thin.
• Season both sides of the beef with salt and pepper.
• In a large bowl, mix bread, garlic, onion, parsley, cheese, seasoning, salt and pepper.
• Add water one tablespoon at a time until the mixture is moistened and sticks together but does not become too wet.
• Place a thin layer of bread mixture on the entire steak, leaving ½ inch border on each side.
• Roll steak and filling like an egg roll – fold one end over about 1 inch. Fold in sides, about ½ inch, and continue to roll, being careful fold in the sides as you go.
• Tie the rolls up (like a package) using kitchen string.
• Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Quickly brown steak rolls on all sides.
• When steak is browned, transfer to large pot and cover steak rolls with your favorite marinara sauce.
• Simmer over medium-low heat for at least 2 hours.

Notes

Note 1: For a variation on this recipe, you can use a slice of proscuitto, ½ slice of provolone cheese and a teaspoonful of ricotta cheese in lieu of the bread filling.

Note 2: This is one of those meals that I make in large batches. I find it's just as easy to double the recipe and freeze some rather than only making a single serving.

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