Crock Pot Beef Braciole

This is such an amazing dish, 

looks incredible on the serving plate 

and tastes like heaven. 

We often crack up when we see the episode on "Everybody Loves Raymond" where Debra serves her Braciole to Ray and Frank and receives hailstorms of compliments for the Barone men and scorn from Marie...

Please, don't be overwhelmed by the amount of instructions, this is quite easy once you cook filling & assemble.  The sauce doesn't have to made that day you can even use your favorite homemade sauce or GOOD store bought sauce.

This is a great dish for company or a special family meal- 

as Briciole is quite impressive, 

it really is one of those set and forget it type recipes, you can start it earlier in the day then go about whatever tasks you have to get ready for company. 

This looks close--Thank me Later!

For Sauce:

• 2 (26 ounce) jars San Marzano Roma Tomato Puree
• 2 T of homemade Italian Herb Mix (posted the other day)
• 1 T dark brown sugar
• pinch baking soda
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 3/4 C of your favorite Red dry red wine, I like Lambrusco
• 1/2 C Beef Stock
• 4-8 oz crimini mushrooms sliced & sauteed
• 1-med onion, diced finely & carmelized
• 3-5 cloves garlic, grated & cooked through
• Grated Parmesano Reggiano cheese to taste to sauce
• Mix up in bowl, cover & set aside while you make the meat portion of recipe~ leaving broth and wine out -add to crock after you add Beef

Beef and Filling

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs- (I use bread crumbs from my freezer storage of homemade bread scraps)
• 2 (2 1/2-pound) flank steak, pounded to 1/4 inch
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 cup shredded/grated  Italian cheese blend (I LOVE Asiago, Parmigiano Reggiano, & Pecerino Romano)
• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 5 slices smoked turkey bacon { Can use hickory smoked thick sliced bacon}, cooked crisp and crumbled-cook the remaining veg in the drippings:
• 4 oz sliced crimini mushrooms
• 3 gloves garlic, crushed and minced or grated
• 1 small onion diced, finely

Directions:

1.  Cook bacon in skillet then remove bacon pieces, leaving drippings behind. Saute mushrooms & onions in drippings, once onions are translucent & fragrant add grated garlic~ cook for a minute. Remove from oil and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Combine the eggs and the breadcrumbs in a small bowl, then sprinkle both sides of the meat with salt and pepper.

         3.Pat the breadcrumb mixture over one side of the 
           flank steak, leaving about a one inch border around 
           edges.
        
         4.Top breadcrumbs with the bacon, onion, garlic   
         mushroom crumble mixture; sprinkle with 
         shredded/grated cheese. Starting from one long  
         side,tightly roll flank steak into a log. Use string or 
         toothpicks to secure the log in 4 or 5 places.

• Sear the stuffed flank steak in the hot oil (Add EVOO if not enough bacon drippings) until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker.
• Add wine and broth to pan to pick up the brown bits add the rest of the sauce ingredients to pan and heat thru, pour over meat & cover with a tight lid.
• Turn slow cooker to Low; cook meat until very tender, 6 to 8 hours. Remove string/toothpicks before slicing. Serve with fresh pasta.

I often serve Braciole with homemade eggless pasta, a spinach salad with Balsamic and Extra Virgin Olive along with home made Artisian-hand-shaped bread with herbed dipping oil along with a great Lambrusco red wine. 

I have had guests rave about for years and often request the recipe~ family will always ask for seconds!! 

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