Three Cheese Bracciole question
#9
  Re: (...)
I am thinking of making these for MIL's birthday dinner, yes I'd use the beef ( ), but was wondering if I could make and freeze them a week or two ahead, thaw, then reheat in the tomato sauce.

This recipe was made for a recent birthday dinner review (Daphne, perhaps) so I know that a couple of us has made them. I did a chicken version, but I want to know what you all think of freezing the beef version.

My niece has a gluten allergy so this would be a good alternative to using a bread stuffing in the traditional bracciole (hope I'm spelling this right!)
Vicci

my cooking adventures
www.victoriasdays.blogspot.com
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#10
  Re: Three Cheese Bracciole question by foodfiend (I am thinking of mak...)
Hey, I had a problem with the spelling AND I mispronounced it for weeks...LOL! (Who knew it was pronounced brajoule?) It's the Two-Cheese Braciola with "Sunday Gravy" recipe!

Yes, we liked this very much. I would think you could make the recipe up to removing the braciola and make the gravy, but don't combine. I'd then freeze it. When you are ready to make it, I'd thaw it, combine it in the slow cooker, and proceed as written. You may could combine the braciola with the sauce before freezing, but I'd be afraid it would not cook out right in the end.

But we'll see what the experts say.

To speed things up...here's the recipe:


* Exported from MasterCook *

Two-Cheese Braciola with "Sunday Gravy"

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Beef

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
For the braciola-
1/4 cup parmesan cheese -- grated
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 pounds flank steak -- trimmed and pounded 1/2 thick
3 ounces prosciutto -- thinly sliced
6 slices provolone cheese
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the sauce-
3/4 cup dry red wine
28 ounces tomatoes -- drained
1/2 cup onion -- diced
1/4 cup carrot -- diced
1/4 cup celery -- diced
4 cloves garlic

Combine parmesan, basil, and oregano; sprinnkle herbed cheese mixture over pounded flank steak. Top with prosciutto and provolone.

Tightly roll steak, starting at one short side an tucking in any prosciutto or provolone that extends outside the roll.

Tie rolled-up steak with butcher's twine, spacing knots about 2 inches apart all along the length of the roll. Season beef with salt and pepper.

Sear outside of the rolled-up steak in oil in a large saute pan over high heat until beef is well browned on all sides, 8-10 minutes total.

Transfer rolled-up steaks to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker.

Deglaze the saute pan with wine scraping up any browned bits in the bottom, cooking until liquid is reduced to about 1 tablespoon; pour liquid into a blender.

Add tomatoes, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to blender; puree until smooth. Transfer sauce to the slow cooker. Cover.

Cook beef until tender, on high-heat setting for 4-5 hours or on low-heat seatting for 6-7 hours.

Transfer braciola to a cutting board, remove twine, and cut into 8 slices. Serve braciola with sauce over hot cooked bucatini or other pasta.

Description:
"Pounding the flank steak thoroughly with a meat mallet is critical- it tenderizes the meat, evens the thickness of the steak so that it cooks to a uniform doneness, and makes the beef easier to roll."
Source:
"Cuisine at Home Slow Cooker Menus; page 61"

Review thread: Two-Cheese Braciola with "Sunday Gravy" Review
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#11
  Re: Re: Three Cheese Bracciole question by Gourmet_Mom (Hey, I had a problem...)
Okay, so I would prepare the beef up to removing it from the saute pan (after browning) and freeze the rolls. Then prepare the sauce (deglazing with wine, blending with tomatoes, etc.) and then freeze that sauce.

I would plan to take the braciola and the sauce from the freezer the day before, thaw, heat the sauce the afternoon of the party, pour into the slow cooker, then add the beef rolls and ... heat for how long? I've only used a slow cooker once.

I've always known how to pronounce braciola (Italian grandparents), but didn't see the word written until a few years ago.
Vicci

my cooking adventures
www.victoriasdays.blogspot.com
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#12
  Re: Re: Three Cheese Bracciole question by foodfiend (Okay, so I would pre...)
Vicci, the recipe says, "Cook beef until tender, on high-heat setting for 4-5 hours or on low-heat setting for 6-7 hours." In the end, my "stuffing" was gone. Granted the flavor was there. I could taste the cheese in the beef....so flavorful! So how long? I'd experiment. If you don't use the slow cooker, I'd cook it about an hour on a low setting....slow cooker, about 3 hours. But I'd play with it and test it at intervals. In the end, I was happy with the intense flavor of the cheese IN the meat, even though the cheese was no "there". I'm rambling now. Maybe somebody else has made it that could advise. I got the idea that the stuffing was not SUPPOSED to be there, but the flavor WAS. But then, I've never had a true Braciola! I guess I'm not a good one to ask.
Daphne
Keep your mind wide open.
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#13
  Re: Re: Three Cheese Bracciole question by Gourmet_Mom (Vicci, the recipe sa...)
If I was cooking this for clients I'd do it all ahead of time and just reheat. Looks like the kind of recipe that would freeze and reheat very well. However, one of the things I loved about this when I made it was the smell in the house. Would hate to have that smell and not be able to serve it up so I think your idea of browning the rolls, making the sauce and then freezing is a good one. Then the day you are serving it, you could heat and cook in the crock pot for the specified time and everyone would be able to enjoy that wonderful smell before dinner.
Shannon
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#14
  Re: Re: Three Cheese Bracciole question by Dismc (If I was cooking thi...)
Daphne, when my Mom makes it there's always a nice layer of (bread-based)stuffing that is very visible with the meat. I do think I will use my crockpot (I've only annealed glass beads in it...) since I'll have so much else going on. Did you use the low heat setting or high?

Shannon, I'll be making these then transporting, so the smell in the house will only be for DH and myself (and we don't eat red meat, but maybe just a taste...). Thanks for the comment Looks like the kind of recipe that would freeze and reheat very well. . I was hoping that would be the case!
Vicci

my cooking adventures
www.victoriasdays.blogspot.com
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#15
  Re: Re: Three Cheese Bracciole question by foodfiend (Daphne, when my Mom ...)
I used the low setting, Vicci. But the high setting would probably work well, also. Doing it low and slow had it almost falling apart.
Daphne
Keep your mind wide open.
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#16
  Re: Re: Three Cheese Bracciole question by Gourmet_Mom (I used the low setti...)
Thanks, Daphne.
I told my Mom this evening that I was going to make a cheese-stuffed braciola and there was silence for a few seconds before she said "really? Well, that should be... interesting?!".
Vicci

my cooking adventures
www.victoriasdays.blogspot.com
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