Our new cookbook Best of the Best Cookbook Recipes arrived. My husband without missing his cue, immediately began thumbing through the plethora of recipes. In most instances he will give a quick summary of his thoughts on a new cookbook. There are only one or two responses “There are a lot of good recipes” or “I did not see anything interesting”. This time was a little different. He was immediately drawn to the the Mario Batali recipe for Pork Shoulder Braciole (the word is commonly pronounced /bra’zhul/). This is a simple Italian dish that was common growing-up in my husband’s second generation Italian-American family. Braciole is prepared often using thin slices of beef, pork or chicken that are rolled with cheese and bread crumbs, then lightly fried in olive oil. The dish is traditionally served with a salad or potatoes. In my husband’s family braciole cooked along side the meatballs and sausage in their Sunday sauce.
There are so many versions of this dish. Mario Batali brings this simply prepared Italian dish to a new level, while still keeping it’s authentic Italian roots. He adds chopped salami, orange zest, Percino cheese and mint. Instead of frying, he grills the braciole to intensify the flavors.
Pork Shoulder Braciole
Recipe from Mario Batali
Serves 6
1-1/2 cups toasted bread crumbs
4-ounces thinly sliced salami, cut into 1/4 inch wide matchsticks
Combine the bread crumbs, salami, pecorino, mint, parsley, and orange zest in a large bowl and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of the olive oil and mix well with your hands or a spoon. Set aside.
Cut twenty-four 10-inch pieces of kitchen twine. Using a meat mallet, pound the pork pieces very thin. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. Spread a thin layer of stuffing (about 1/3 cup) on each slice of meat. Starting from a long side, roll each one up like a jelly roll and tie with 2 pieces of the twine, making a little packet. Place on a plate and refrigerate until ready to cook.
Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill.
Brush the rolls lightly with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the rolls over medium-high heat and cook, turning occasionally, until deeply marked with grill marks on all sides, about 15 minutes. Turn off one burner if using a gas grill, and move the rolls to the cooler part of the grill. Cover the grill and cook, turning occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 185 degrees to 190 degrees F.
Transfer the rolls to a platter and serve with orange wedges.
Hi Velva! I could use some of this right now… great looking dish. Thanks for the comments and compliments on my blog — so nice to hear what people think!
Boy, does this look good. I love Mario's food (Po is one of my favorite places for pasta), but it's usually so over-the-top complicated. This looks perfect, and perfectly delicious.
I've made bracciole with round steak before but never pork. Looks really yummy the way you have it garnished and photographed. p.s. Thanks for visiting my website. Always nice to see comments–as you know.
mmmm they look delicious. I like the contrast of meat and orange. And the grill cooking is intriguing to me. Your dish is amazing.In Italy there are many regions and I didn't know this recipe, maybe because its provenance is from another region of my country.Here what are known as braciole in the USA are named involtini. That comes from an Italian verb = voltare (to turn) the slice of meat around the filling. You can use the meat you prefer among chicken, turkey, beef or pork. And it's a second course (we eat pasta as main course ;))The filling may be made by a mix of eggs, parsley, carrot, ham, onion, cheese (best parmesan cheese), bread crumbs soften with milk and so on. After filled the involtino is held together with a toothpick (made of wood) and cooked in a pan with various sauces. They are particularly good stewed with potatoes.
This recipe is indeed very interesting, but thinly sliced pork shoulder makes sense for braciole. I don't make braciole often enough, probably because in my hubby's first-generation Italian family, it wasn't used, and he underappreciates it. But I may try this one soon and see what he thinks of it. BTW, thanks for visiting my blog. Would love to exchange links with you. If you add me to your blogroll, I'll add you to mine. Let me know.
ótimo, livro novo é sempre muito bom. Adorei! Grande, novo livro é sempre muito bom. Adorei! Achei este prato bonito. Eu amo isso aqui no seu blog. ABraço querido, Nil
Ok, Kathy and I are just saying, but the following 'out of context' quote from your blog is the type of thing you find in the front of certain magazines – \”My husband without missing his cue, immediately began thumbing….\” Priceless!
Thanks for visiting my blog Velva! If you are able to put your platter of braciole in the grass you must have a very good dog at present. Oh well, we love them all naughty or nice!
That dish looks great, and I would lay in the yard on a beautiful day, but could I have a sexy man feed it to me too? :)Ah ha the word verification is 'yardie' too funny!
I've made braciole with steak but not pork. Boy does this look good. Wish I had seen this earlier for a potluck this weekend! There will be other occasions where this will be perfect! Great find and share!
Tomatoes on the Vine 
What a delicious recipe! Those flavors are making me so hungry…and I bet it is wonderful on the grill. Yummy!
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hooray for mario! that's a nice preparation of pork, velva! the citrus and mint must make a masterful combinaion. 🙂
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These look great… Jelly roll meat!and cooked on the grill. I am saving this.
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I'm craving a big old hunk of pig now…looks great!
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I love combining meat with fruit, plus it makes for a beautiful presentation. This looks great!
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this looks great your hubby is a foodie as well then!
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What a delicious preparation of pork, sounds just scrumptious! The addition of oranges is great!
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Hi Velva! I could use some of this right now… great looking dish. Thanks for the comments and compliments on my blog — so nice to hear what people think!
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This sounds like a most delightful recipe. It looks so tasty. Comforting and delicious!
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Boy, does this look good. I love Mario's food (Po is one of my favorite places for pasta), but it's usually so over-the-top complicated. This looks perfect, and perfectly delicious.
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the oranges seem to really define and make a difference
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Delicious. I definitely will do this. Love the oranges in there – beautiful and complementary.
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I was looking for something special to make Sunday evening, Im excited to try this out. Figtreeapps
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Glad to hear I'm not the only cookbook addict out there! There is nothing like these classic Italian family dishes.
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I've never heard of braciole before. It looks delicious!
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I've made bracciole with round steak before but never pork. Looks really yummy the way you have it garnished and photographed. p.s. Thanks for visiting my website. Always nice to see comments–as you know.
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What a wonderful & tasty meal!!Delicious!
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Very delicious and i definitely will try this ,Thank you for ur nice words and visiting our site.
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Very nice, I just found your blog and have been enjoying reading your posts. I am also in the Tally area.
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Oh my this looks great! Your husband sounds like mine. This is a recipe we will be trying.
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This looks like something my family would enjoy. Thanks for visiting my blog. I am a new blogger and it's good to get feed back.
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mmmm they look delicious. I like the contrast of meat and orange. And the grill cooking is intriguing to me. Your dish is amazing.In Italy there are many regions and I didn't know this recipe, maybe because its provenance is from another region of my country.Here what are known as braciole in the USA are named involtini. That comes from an Italian verb = voltare (to turn) the slice of meat around the filling. You can use the meat you prefer among chicken, turkey, beef or pork. And it's a second course (we eat pasta as main course ;))The filling may be made by a mix of eggs, parsley, carrot, ham, onion, cheese (best parmesan cheese), bread crumbs soften with milk and so on. After filled the involtino is held together with a toothpick (made of wood) and cooked in a pan with various sauces. They are particularly good stewed with potatoes.
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This recipe is indeed very interesting, but thinly sliced pork shoulder makes sense for braciole. I don't make braciole often enough, probably because in my hubby's first-generation Italian family, it wasn't used, and he underappreciates it. But I may try this one soon and see what he thinks of it. BTW, thanks for visiting my blog. Would love to exchange links with you. If you add me to your blogroll, I'll add you to mine. Let me know.
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I am following you and would love for you to add me to your blogroll so I can add you to mine. Let me know.
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ótimo, livro novo é sempre muito bom. Adorei! Grande, novo livro é sempre muito bom. Adorei! Achei este prato bonito. Eu amo isso aqui no seu blog. ABraço querido, Nil
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I love getting a new cookbook and diving right in! The flavors here sound amazing.
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This look like something I would love to try, great recipe, i love pork!
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Nice clicks. Truly speaking you have a lovely blog. 🙂 Keep it going. Nithyawww.4thsensesamayal.blogspot.comwww.nitsarts.blogspot.com
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Sounds easy and delicious. Have to try it sometime soon.
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I love pork!!!That recipe looks amazing! Love all the flavors.
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Thanks for visiting our blog! This is a nice, creative pork recipe!
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it was great
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Ok, Kathy and I are just saying, but the following 'out of context' quote from your blog is the type of thing you find in the front of certain magazines – \”My husband without missing his cue, immediately began thumbing….\” Priceless!
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Thanks for visiting my blog Velva! If you are able to put your platter of braciole in the grass you must have a very good dog at present. Oh well, we love them all naughty or nice!
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I love pork meat! This looks very tasty!
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That dish looks great, and I would lay in the yard on a beautiful day, but could I have a sexy man feed it to me too? :)Ah ha the word verification is 'yardie' too funny!
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I've made braciole with steak but not pork. Boy does this look good. Wish I had seen this earlier for a potluck this weekend! There will be other occasions where this will be perfect! Great find and share!
LikeLike