Matambre Recipes

ROLLED FLANK STEAK (MATAMBRE)

Steps:

• Trim most of the fat. If there's any part that's thicker than the rest, slice and open it like a book so that the whole meat is more or less the same thickness. Place the meat, trimmed fat side up on the working surface and the part where you want to start rolling, nearest to you.
• Season the meat with some salt and black pepper.
• Leaving around 2 inches empty space, start by placing the roasted sweet bell pepper on the meat in a line, followed by the carrot strips. Leave some space between them. Continue making the vegetable lines until the end of the meat.
• Sprinkle chopped garlic and parsley evenly all over the meat, followed by grated parmesan.
• Place the boiled eggs in a line at the beginning of the meat, nearest to you. Grab the eggs with both hands, together with the meat and carefully roll it tightly into a log. Using a kitchen twine, start by tying one end of the rolled flank steak to secure it so the filling doesn't come out. Then continue tying the whole log tightly. Run the kitchen twine lengthwise also, just to double secure it. No matter how you do it, the objective is to tie the log tightly. Set aside.
• Fill a half a pot with water, vegetable bouillon powder, salt and bring it to a boil. Find a pot that's huge enough to fit the rolled flank steak without having to bend it. When the water is boiling, carefully place in the rolled flank steak inside the pot. Add more hot water into the pot until it covers the whole log. Cover the pot halfway with a lid, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. Important note: The water level should always cover the whole log during the cooking time. Add more hot water as needed.
• After 1 hour, turn off the heat and fully cover the pot. Leave the rolled flank steak in the pot, in the broth, until it's completely cooled. This can take a few hours. Make sure the log is fully submerged in the broth. This will prevent it getting dry and turning dark.
• After it has completely cooled, remove from the pot and wrap it tightly with some cling films. Keep in the fridge overnight before slicing it. The next day, remove the cling films and slice the rolled flank steak in 3/4 inch thickness. Don't slice too thin as the filling might fall out. Serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

MATAMBRE ARROLLADO (ARGENTINIAN STUFFED FLANK STEAK)

Steps:

• Place the flank steak on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, butterfly the steak by gently slicing it in half through one of the long sides so that you can unfold the steak like a piece of paper that has been folded in half. Leave one side connected, creating one large, flat steak.
• Once butterflied, pound the steak with a meat mallet until it is an even thinness throughout.
• In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, lime juice, and olive oil.
• Place the steak in a large, seal-able container (or Ziploc plastic bag). Pour the marinade over the steak, making sure it is evenly coated. Cover the steak and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
• Preheat your oven to 350F.
• Remove the steak from the marinade and place it on a flat surface so that the grain of the meat is parallel to you.
• Season the steak lightly with salt and pepper.
• Evenly distribute the chopped spinach, chopped parsley, and minced garlic over the whole steak, leaving a 1 inch edge (the edge furthest from you) free of filling.
• Lay rows of sliced carrots, pepper strips, and quartered eggs parallel to you (with the grain of the meat). Leaving a 2 inch edge at the end the steak.
• Carefully, tightly, roll the steak up around the filling, starting with the edge that is closest to you.
• Place the roll seam-side down on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet.
• Tie the roll in three places with kitchen twine or thread.
• Bake the roll at 350F for 1 hour.
• Once done, remove the meat from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
• Serve hot or cold with chimichurri sauce (see the recipe below).

STUFFED FLANK STEAK (MATAMBRE)

Steps:

• Trim any fat from the meat, split it horizontally and pound it gently with a mallet to flatten. Place meat in a shallow glass dish. Combine the marinade ingredients and pour them over the meat. Cover, refrigerate and marinate 4 to 5 hours or overnight.
• Remove the meat from the marinade, place on a flat surface and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the meat with the spinach leaves and arrange the carrots across the meat.
• Carefully roll the meat jellyroll fashion, so the grain runs the length of the roll, and tie it with a string at 1inch intervals.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pan over moderate heat. Add the meat and sear until browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Place the roll in an ovenproof casserole dish and pour the beef stock over to cover the meat.
• Place the meat in the oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until desired doneness. To serve hot, remove the meat and place it on a platter. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes, carefully remove the strings and slice the roll into 3/4 inch slices. Serve with Salsa Criolla.
• In a medium bowl, combine the onions, tomatoes, jalapeno, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Whisk together the oil and vinegar in a small bowl and pour over the tomato mixture. Mix well, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Adjust seasonings before serving with the meat.
• about 2 cups of salsa

STUFFED FLANK STEAK (MATAMBRE)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Use a boning knife to butterfly flank steak: Working across the grain, make a cut down the center, but only halfway through meat. At the top of that cut, make perpendicular cuts, one in each direction, this time with the grain. Again, cut only halfway into steak. Repeat perpendicular cuts at the other end of the center cut. Cuts should resemble the letter H.
• At the top of the original center cut, hold the knife parallel to the meat and insert knife. Slice toward you, making a pocket. This cut should almost reach the outer edge, halfway through the meat's thickness. Repeat on other side. Open the flaps.
• Season meat liberally on both sides with salt and pepper, then place it cut side up, wide side facing you. Season with marjoram, cumin and garlic and cover it with a fairly even layer of parsley-cilantro mix. Then arrange carrots, olives and onions horizontally over the full width of the meat. Scatter a relatively even layer of watercress over all.
• Roll meat up from the bottom like a jellyroll; grain of steak should run length of roll. Tie in three or four places with butcher's twine.
• Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or roasting pan large enough to accommodate rolled steak. Deeply brown it on all sides, about 15 minutes total, then transfer pan to oven and roast for about 30 minutes, until meat is cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 30 minutes before serving. Or, put meat in a clean baking dish, weight it with a plate with something heavy on it and chill overnight. Take matambre from refrigerator and slice it into 1/2-inch to 1-inch pieces about an hour before serving at room temperature.

MATAMBRE

Steps:

• Butterfly the steaks by slicing them horizontally from 1 long side to within 1/2-inch of the opposite side. Pound the steaks between plastic wrap to flatten them further. Trim off all the sinew and fat.
• Lay 1 steak cut side up on a jelly-roll pan. Sprinkle the steaks with the vinegar, garlic, and thyme. Cover and marinate, refrigerated, for 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Lay the steaks end to end, in the direction of the grain of the meat, so that they overlap. Pound the overlapping area to join them securely. Spread the spinach leaves evenly over the meat and arrange the carrots across the grain of the meat in parallel rows about 3 inches apart. Place the eggs between the carrots. Scatter the onion rings over the meat, sprinkle with parsley, salt, and pepper.
• Carefully roll the matambre with the grain, jelly roll style, into a thick long cylinder. Tie with butcher's twine at 1-inch intervals. Place the matambre in a large casserole or roasting pan along with the beef stock. Add enough cold water to come a third of the way up the roll. Cover tightly and bake 1 hour.
• Serve warm or chilled, sliced into 2-inch thick slices.

ARGENTINE STUFFED FLANK STEAK: MATAMBRE

Steps:

• Butterfly the steak by slicing lengthwise and opening it up like a book. Pound the meat gently with a mallet to flatten and even out the thickness; rub all sides with olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper.
• With the steak lying lengthwise, scatter the spinach leaves evenly over the surface of the meat, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Arrange the carrots in long rows across the steak, about 2 inches apart. Put the egg strips and olives between the carrot rows. Scatter the onion rings and cheese over the filling, sprinkle with salt and red pepper flakes. Carefully roll the meat up over the filling, from bottom to top, into a long thick cylinder (jellyroll-style.) Tie with butcher's twine to hold it together, as you would a roast.
• Coat a large Dutch oven or pan with olive oil and put over moderate heat. Lay the stuffed steak in the hot oil and sear until browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour in the wine and enough water to come up almost to the top of the meat. Toss in the head of garlic, onion, and herbs to flavor the broth. Cover, and slowly simmer on medium-low heat until the meat is fork-tender, about 1 1/2 hours, turning the meat over once halfway through cooking. Taste the broth before serving and adjust spices, if necessary.
• Transfer the matambre to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes. Remove the kitchen strings and cut crosswise into 1-inch slices ¿ the colors of the filling will look absolutely gorgeous spiraled in the steak. Spoon some of the sauce over the meat and serve. Matambre is good hot, room temperature, or cold.

MATAMBRE: STUFFED FLANK STEAK

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Use a boning knife to butterfly flank steak: Working across the grain, make a cut down the center, but only halfway through meat. At the top of that cut, make perpendicular cuts, one in each direction, this time with the grain. Again, cut only halfway into steak. Repeat perpendicular cuts at the other end of the center cut. Cuts should resemble the letter H. At the top of the original center cut, hold the knife parallel to the meat and insert knife. Slice toward you, making a pocket. This cut should almost reach the outer edge, halfway through the meat's thickness. Repeat on other side. Open the flaps. Season meat liberally on both sides with salt and pepper, then place it cut-side up, wide side facing you. Season with marjoram, cumin and garlic and cover it with a fairly even layer of parsley-cilantro mix. Then arrange carrots, olives, and onions horizontally over the full width of the meat. Scatter a relatively even layer of watercress over all. Roll meat up from the bottom like a jellyroll; grain of steak should run length of roll. Tie in 3 or 4 places with butcher's twine. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or roasting pan large enough to accommodate rolled steak. Deeply brown it on all sides, about 15 minutes total, then transfer pan to oven and roast for about 30 minutes, until meat is cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 30 minutes before serving. Or, put meat in a clean baking dish, weight it with a plate with something heavy on it and chill overnight. Take matambre from refrigerator and slice it into 1/2-inch to 1-inch pieces about 1 hour before serving at room temperature.

ARGENTINA SKIRT STEAK - MATAMBRE

Steps:

• Arrange the steaks in a nonreactive baking dish and set aside while you prepare the marinade.
• Combine the bell pepper, garlic, oil, vinegar, oregano, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and stir to mix well. Pour over the steaks in the baking dish and toss well to coat. Add the bay leaves, cover, and let marinate in the refrigerator, for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
• Preheat the grill to high.
• Combine the ingredients for the spice mixture in a small bowl.
• When ready to cook, oil the grill grate. Drain the steaks and place on the hot grate. Sprinkle the steaks with half the spice mixture and grill, turning with tongs, until medium to medium-well done, about 4 minutes per side, sprinkling with the remaining spice mixture after turning.
• Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let stand about 3 minutes, then cut into 1-inch squares and serve on toothpicks.
• Serves 6 as an appetizer or 4 as a main dish.

MATAMBRE - ARGENTINE ROLLED, STUFFED FLANK STEAK

Steps:

• Butterfly the steaks by slicing them horizontally from one long side to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of the opposite side.
• Pound the steaks between plastic wrap to flatten them further.
• Trim of all sinew and fat.
• Lay one steak cut side up on a 12x18-inch jelly-roll pan.
• Sprinkle with half the vinegar, half the garlic, and half the thyme.
• Cover with the other steak, also cut side up, and sprinkle with remaining vinegar, garlic, and thyme.
• Cover and marinate for 6 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator.
• Lay the steaks end-to-end, in the direction of the grain of the meat, so that they overlap by about two inches.
• Pound the overlapping area to join them securely.
• Spread the spinach leaves evenly over the meat, and arrange the carrots across the grain of the meat in parallel rows about 3 inches apart.
• Place the egg quarters between the carrots.
• Scatter the onion rings over the meat, and sprinkle the surface with the parsley, salt and pepper.
• Carefully roll the matambre with the grain, jelly-roll style, into a thick, long cylinder.
• Tie at 1 inch intervals.
• Place the matambre in a large casserole or roasting pan along with the beef stock.
• Add enough cold water to come a third of the way up the roll.
• Cover tightly and bake at 375°F for one hour.
• To serve hot, remove the matambre to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Remove strings and cut into 1/4 inch slices.
• Moisten with a little pan liquid, which can also be served on the side.
• Alternately, press the matambre under weights to until the juices drain off, refrigerate thoroughly, and slice as above.