Braciole

Braciole is one of my all time favorite foods. It is a special occasion dish that takes some time, but is truly worth it. I decided to make this dish for my friend CJ who was visiting this weekend during the hurricane. Since there was nothing to do, it seemed like a great time to cook a special dish. The key to making great braciole is to rub the meat down with olive oil and spices and then cook it on low heat for hours. The longer you cook, the more tender and flavorful the meat is. You can get away with two hours, but three to four is ideal. Once you stuff and roll the meat, just throw it in some sauce to braise and flip every hour or so.

There are many ways to make this dish, and this one is truly my own. After years of experimenting with different ingredients, I can officially say this one is close to perfect. Next time you have some time on your hands or are making a special meal, definitely give this a try, you will not regret it.

Read more for the full recipe and photos.


Ingredients:
1 lb flank steak
3 tbsp fresh basil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 lb prosciutto, sliced paper thin
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp dried oregano
kitchen string
homemade pasta sauce
salt and pepper


Step by Step Instructions:

1. Lay out the piece of flank steak on a large cutting board

2. Using a meat tenderizer, pound out the meat until it reaches an even thickness

3. Rub the meat with garlic and olive oil

4. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and fresh basil

5. Layer prosciutto over the meat and top with grated parmesan

6. Carefully begin to roll the meat up, keeping the filling in place

7. Tie the meat roll every 3-5" with kitchen string

8. In a cast iron skillet or frying pan, sear the meat for 2-3 minutes on all sides

9. After searing, braise the meat in pasta sauce on low heat for 2-4 hours

10. Remove from pasta sauce, let stand for 10-15 minutes and slice thinly and serve