My mouth watered when I saw these. I realized I hadn’t made braciole in ages! What is braciole? Thin slices of meat, filled with cheese and spices and rolled, then tied with a string or held together with toothpicks. Beef seems to be the most commonly known, however you can also make braciole with chicken, pork and even fish!

In his YouTube video, Kenny Palazolo uses three types of steaks with different seasonings: top round, skirt steak and New York Strip. Kenny says the skirt steak is the tenderest meat, while the top round is the toughest meat. He provides us with his Saltimbocca sauce, which earned him a white apron on Master Chef Season 10.

As a bonus, Kenny shows you how to filet and how to butterfly your meat. This gives you a nice thin piece to roll your braciole.

Kenny shares his mother’s recipe with her secret ingredient – so you know it’s special! His great-grandmother made the skirt steak with hard-boiled eggs. This recipe is without cheese. Why? Kenny has no idea!

He suggests a good balsamic vinegar – aged 25 years! Since you’re only using a little, you can treat yourself.

String vs. toothpick: toothpicks are easier, but string allows you to pan sear it before putting it in the gravy.

After searing the braciole in oil, Kenny pops the top round braciole into the gravy, and the skirt steak and New York strip into the oven at 350 degrees for about ten minutes or until done. Just looking at the bubbling gravy makes me want to sit down and eat dinner with Kenny! It reminds me of Sunday mornings growing up when a pot of gravy was simmering on the stove, just waiting for my mom to come home from church. Sunday dinner at our house was noon. When mom came home from church, we sat down to our pasta and gravy, meatballs and beef. And of course, we ended our meal with insalata!

Below are three recipes for braciole. He doesn’t bother with amounts or tablespoons – like a true Italian, he adds a pinch of this and a sprinkle of that so watching the video really helps!

Top Round with Seasoning Paste and Pignoli Nuts:

Seasoning paste…3-4 cloves of grated fresh garlic, pecorino romano & parmesan cheese, fresh Parsley, salt, pepper, good balsamic vinegar, good olive oil, pignoli nuts

Skirt Steak with Hard-Boiled Eggs:

Salt, pepper, garlic powder, fresh parsley, hard-boiled eggs

New York Strip with Prosciutto and Spinach:

Salt, pepper, garlic powder, fresh parsley, grated pecorino romano & parmesan cheese, prosciutto, spinach with garlic & oil, 6 cheese blend

Saltimbocca Sauce:

2Tbls butter, 1/4 cup marsala wine, 1/4 cup chicken broth, salt, pepper, fresh parsley, corn starch & warm water ( to thicken )

Hope you enjoy the video! Which braciole is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!

Angela DiCicco, The Italian Grandmama