Beef Braciole

Before the holidays, I made Giada's beef braciole for some guests. It was super, super simple -- especially if you use a simple jar marinara sauce like I did instead of making your own. Didn't hurt things a bit... I'm finally learning to do myself a few small favors at a dinner party, so that I can spend some time with my guests, and can get dinner on the table before 9 pm.



I thought it was just fantastic. The beef was so incredibly tender. I made sure to roll up the flank steak in such a way that when it was sliced, I would be going perpendicular to the fibers in the meat, just as I do with slicing it for fajitas. It just melted in your mouth.



I save the red meat for guests or special occasions, and this one really did not disappoint. I don't know if it is just me... Perhaps it is because I grew up on my dad's sauce (which I'm posting soon), but the flavor of red meat and tomato sauce makes me very nostalgic. This had that incredibly indulgent flavor, with a great presentation, and without the four or five-hour cooking time!