Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Braciole (Stuffed Meat Rolls)
Southern Italian comfort food: thin slices of beef stuffed with garlic, parsley, cheese, and sometimes pine nuts, rolled up and braised slowly in Sunday tomato sauce.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 120 min
- Total
- 150 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- hard
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 6 servings
- thin beef slices (flank steak or top round)
- garlic (minced)
- fresh parsley (chopped)
- pecorino romano or parmesan cheese (grated)
- pine nuts and raisins (optional, Sicilian style)
- extra virgin olive oil
- dry red or white wine
- tomato passata or crushed tomatoes
- kitchen twine (for tying)
- salt and pepper
Equipment
- Meat mallet
- Large Dutch oven
Instructions
- 1
Pound the Meat
Pound the beef slices until they are uniformly thin, about 1/4 inch thick. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- 2
Prepare Filling
Mix together minced garlic, chopped parsley, grated cheese, and (if using) a few pine nuts and raisins.
- 3
Stuff
Spread a thin layer of the filling mixture evenly over each slice of beef, leaving a small border around the edges.
- 4
Roll and Tie
Roll the beef up tightly like a cigar to enclose the filling. Tie each roll securely with kitchen twine in 2-3 places so it doesn't unroll during cooking.
- 5
Sear
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the braciole well on all sides to develop a deep crust.
- 6
Deglaze
Pour in a splash of wine and scrape the bottom of the pot. Let the wine evaporate.
- 7
Add Tomato
Pour in the tomato passata. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- 8
Braise
Cover partially and simmer on very low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours. The meat must become tender enough to cut with a fork.
- 9
Rest
Remove the braciole from the sauce and let them rest for 10 minutes. Carefully snip off and discard the kitchen twine.
- 10
Serve
Serve the braciole sliced into medallions, covered with the rich meat-infused tomato sauce. The sauce is often used to dress pasta as a first course.
Cooking Tips
- Tying the meat with string is essential. Toothpicks often fail during a long braise, resulting in the filling spilling into the sauce.
- The slow cooking in tomato sauce is what tenderizes the tough, lean cuts of beef traditionally used.
Variations
- Involtini di Maiale: Use thin slices of pork loin instead of beef, often stuffed with breadcrumbs and cheese.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- A staple of the Italian-American 'Sunday Gravy', originally hailing from Naples and Sicily.
Nutrition Estimate
480 calories · 42g protein · 10g carbs · 28g fat · 3g fiber per serving
