Italian Beef Braciole With Pine Nuts And Raisins

Are you looking for a delicious and impressive dish to serve at your next dinner party? Beef Braciole with Pine Nuts and Raisins might just be the perfect choice! This classic Italian dish features thin slices of beef rolled up with a mixture of pine nuts, raisins, and other savory ingredients. The end result is a flavorful and tender entrée that is sure to wow your guests. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the history of Beef Braciole, break down the recipe step by step, and provide tips on how to make it perfectly every time. So grab your apron and let’s get cooking!

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How to Make Beef Braciole

Beef Braciole is a traditional Italian dish that consists of thin slices of beef rolled up with fillings such as pine nuts, raisins, and Parmesan cheese. The rolls are then braised in a tomato sauce until they are tender and flavorful. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make this delicious dish:

Prep Time: 30 minutes	Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours	Servings: 4

Ingredients

1.25-1.5 pound top round
3 Tbsp pine nuts
½ cup chopped parsley
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp garlic paste
3 Tbsp raisins
3 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup grated Parmigiano reggiano
1 roll of kitchen twine

Instructions

Pound out beef into 4 equal pieces roughly ¼” thick. Using plastic wrap on the bottom and top of the meat makes it easy to flatten meat and avoid a mess. A good size for the meat is 5″ by 7″. This allows for an easy roll-up and the ability to tie them up like in the picture.
Arrange the 4 pieces of meat out on a cutting board and spread ¼ of the garlic paste on each piece. Next, sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
Then sprinkle ¼ of the breadcrumbs, raisins, cheese, parsley, and pine nuts onto each piece.
You should have a thin layer of the mixture on each of the 4 pieces. Roll them up tightly and tie kitchen twine around them to keep them together. Don’t be shy with the twine, it will all be taken off before the meat is served. Toothpicks can also be used.
Heat a large pan on medium heat with olive oil. Sear the pieces on all sides, turning them every 2 minutes or so to brown them nicely. The whole frying process should take roughly 10-15 minutes.
After the braciole is fried, add to the pot of sauce and braise for 2-3 hours on low heat with the lid left slightly ajar.
Remove braciole from the sauce and cut away the twine with knife or kitchen scissors. Serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano, bread, and pasta for a complete meal. Enjoy!

Notes

meat – Many cuts of beef can be used like top round, bottom round, the eye of round, or flank steak. They should all be pounded flat to within a ¼-3/8″ thick.
breadcrumbs – Seasoned or unseasoned is fine. Use a good amount but don’t go too heavy as it could make it difficult to roll the braciole.
cooking time – The longer the braciole braises, the better. The meat goes from tough to tender as it cooks. 2-3 hours is a good amount of time, but longer will definitely not hurt. Just keep the tomato sauce set to a very low simmer.
leftovers – Italian beef braciole can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. It will taste even better the next day. Just reheat on a stovetop until completely heated through. Freeze for up to 3 months.