Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pieces of beef top sirloin, 1 pound each, butterflied and pounded flat by your butcher
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese or a combination of both
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped oregano (optional)
- 2 tbsp chopped mint (optional)
- 3 or 4 garlic cloves – finely chopped
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Prepare the stuffing:
- Soak the golden raisins in hot water for about 15 minutes and then drain and squeeze the water out. Place in a large bowl.
- Using a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium-low heat, toast the panko breadcrumbs. Do not use any oil. Just swirl the breadcrumbs around and stir with a wooden spoon. Keep a careful eye because they can burn in seconds. When done, immediately remove to the same bowl as the raisins.
- If the pine nuts are not yet toasted, toast using the same process as the breadcrumbs. The pine nuts contain oils so be even more diligent that they don’t burn. Remove immediately to the large bowl.
- Let the items in the bowl cool and then add the cheeses, parsley, other herbs and chopped garlic.
- Using clean hands, incorporate 1 tbsp of olive oil into the mixture and mix with your hands. Add enough oil so the filling comes together but is not yet a paste.
- Taste the filling and add salt and pepper to taste. You will also be salting the inside of the meat so don’t overdo it.
Prepare the roll:
- Lay out the meat prepared by your butcher on a cutting board. Smooth out any thick spots with a meat mallet or rolling pin.
- Liberally season the meat’s surface with salt and pepper.
- Spread out the prepared stuffing on the beef. Keep it about 1-inch back from the edges.
- Now, using a friend to help, roll up the beef roll. Start by rolling it up length-wise. If that doesn’t work because of the dimensions, start again and roll the other way.
- Tie the roll at regular intervals with butcher twine.
To grill:
- Prepare a hot grill. The grilling surface should be very hot!
- Liberally salt and pepper the beef roll all over the exterior.
- Drizzle olive oil on some folded paper towels. Using long tongs, coat the area of the grill you intend to use with the olive oil.
- Grill the beef roll turning about every 10 minutes to get a nicely browned exterior. Cook until the center of the roll reads 125ºF when measured with the meat thermometer. As the meat rests, it will rise to about 135ºF.
- Remove to a pan, sprinkle with salt and cover with aluminum foil for 10 mins.
- Remove the butcher twine with scissors, thickly slice and serve.
Notes
Special equipment:
- Meat mallet or rolling pin
- Kitchen twine and a friend to help you tie the rolls up
- Digital meat thermometer
- Meat mallet or rolling pin