Argentina Skirt Steak Matambre Recipes

MATAMBRE - ARGENTINIAN STUFFED FLANK STEAK

Steps:

• Prepare grill: Prepare your grill for cooking over medium direct heat.
• Butterfly the flank steak: Using a sharp knife slice it and open it up like a book (see instructions above for how to butterfly a flank steak). If you want to make the meat thinner, you can pound it with a mallet to flatten it out and even out the thickness
• Make chimichurri: In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, cilantro, parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
• Spread sauce over steak: Spread the cilantro and parsley mixture over the flank steak, and brush it evenly over the entire surface of the steak.
• Assemble matambre: Arrange the quartered eggs in 3 rows across the flank steak at different intervals. Repeat with the sliced peppers. Carefully roll the meat up over the filling, I did it from left to right, across the grain, jelly roll style. Tie with butcher's twine to hold it together. Season the outside of the roll generously with salt and pepper.
• Grill: The temperature on your grill should read around 400 F degrees. Place the roll on the grill and grill on both sides for about 4 or 5 minutes per side, about 20 minutes in total.
• Rest: Let the roll rest for 15 minutes before slicing into it.

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 WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Steps:

• For the flank steak: Prepare an outdoor grill for cooking over direct and indirect heat (if your grill has a thermometer, aim to keep the temperature at about 350 degrees F throughout grilling).
• Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring and finely crumbling with a wooden spoon until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and let cool.
• Set the flank steak on a cutting board. Use a knife to score the steak down the middle against the grain, halfway through its thickness. Working from the center line, out toward the edges, cut thin flaps from the score to the edge, like a gatefold. Pound with the flat side of a meat mallet to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch. Sprinkle both sides of the steak with salt and pepper and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Chop the cilantro, parsley, olives, pickled jalapenos and garlic together on a cutting board to make a chunky paste. Brush the steak with the mustard. Spread the herb paste over the steak, leaving empty a 1-inch border around the edges. Pat to adhere the paste to the meat. Starting a third of the way in from the right, make 4 equidistant lines of egg. Between the egg lines, mound lines of chorizo, then carrots and then peppers, covering all but that first third of the steak's surface. Roll the steak around the fillings like a jelly roll, from the filled to the empty side. Tie closed at 2-inch intervals around the circumference with kitchen twine. Tie 1 more piece of twine lengthwise around the meat.
• Lightly oil the grill grates. Grill the steak on the direct-heat side of the grill to brown all 4 sides, about 2 minutes per side. Move the steak to the indirect-heat side of the grill, cover and cook, turning occasionally and testing the temperature frequently, until the very center reads 115 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, for a steak that is well-done on the outside and medium-rare in the center, 25 to 30 minutes more. Transfer the matambre to a cutting board to rest.
• For the chimichurri sauce: Finely chop the cilantro, parsley and garlic on a cutting board. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the red pepper flakes, vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in the olive oil.
• Untie and slice the flank steak into 6-thick slices on a slight bias. Serve with the chimichurri sauce for drizzling.

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 - 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.

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.

CHURRASCO (GRILLED MARINATED SKIRT STEAK)

Steps:

• Pat the steaks dry and place in a large zip-top bag.
• Combine the garlic, oregano, vinegar, olive oil, adobo seasoning and salt in the bowl of a pilón or mortar and pestle, or a small food processor. Grind into a thin paste, then pour the marinade over the steak. Zip the bag then shake well to coat the meat, rubbing in gently as needed. Let rest on the counter for 10 to 20 minutes, or refrigerate overnight if you have time. Be sure to let the steak come to room temperature before grilling.
• If using a charcoal grill, start by building a fire with hardwood and kindling, then adding lump hardwood charcoal once the fire is kicking. Allow the fire to mellow. If using a gas grill, set the temperature to 500 degrees.
• Meanwhile, make the wasakaka: Combine the lime juice, parsley, cilantro, oregano, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk to incorporate. If you'd like a creamier sauce, blend in a small food processor or blender. (Wasakaka will keep for 3 or 4 days in a sealed jar in the refrigerator.)
• Once the grill is ready, remove skirt steak from the bag and shake off excess marinade. Place on the grill and sear for 1 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, pull up the corner to ensure the steak has a good dark char, bordering on burned in places, before flipping, then cook for 1 more minute for rare, 2 minutes for medium-rare. Be careful not to overcook or steak will be tough.
• Remove steak from grill and let rest for 5 to 7 minutes. Slice into strips and pour over wasakaka, or serve sauce on the side. Taste and sprinkle with additional salt, if desired.