Matambre arrollado or matambre relleno (Muh-tom-blay Are-row-lah-doh or Ra-lyah-no) is a dish made of the matambre cut of beef, marinated overnight then stuffed with vegetables, hard-boiled eggs and herbs, and rolled. It is then grilled or oven-roasted. It is served sliced—with the fillings making a colorful display—either hot or cold. It is often eaten with chimichurri sauce or cold with mayonnaise on a crusty roll.
The name matambre translates to “matar” + “hambre” (to kill + hunger). It the name of a very thin cut of beef in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, taken from between the skin and the ribs of the steer. Some people refer to it as the “fly shaker,” because it is the muscle animals twitch to repel flies and other flying insects. It is also known in packing houses as “elephant ear”. In keeping with the gaucho (cattle rancher) culture of Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, this hearty meat dish is often considered just a little tidbit to tide guests over while they sip Malbec red wine and wait for the main BBQ event, the asado, to begin.
Matambre Arrollado – Argentinian Stuffed Flank Steak
Equipment
- Roasting pan
- Kitchen twine (string)
Ingredients
- 2 lb Flank steak
- 1 RECIPE Chimichurri Verde
- 1 large Carrot, julienned
- ½ large Red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 3 Hard boiled eggs, peeled and quartered lengthwise
Instructions
- Prepare Steak – Butterfly flank steak by carefully slicing through steak longways leaving top-and bottom at the end connected like a book binding. Open the halves like a book creating one large thin slab.
- Prepare Arrollado – Place the open meat with grain of the meat parallel to you. Season well with plenty of salt and pepper. Leave 2-inches of the edges free of filling. Brush chimichurri over the inside of the meat. Lay 3 equally spaced rows along the grain, each consisting of ⅓ of carrot sticks, pepper slices, and quartered eggs. Starting with the edge closest to you, roll the steak tightly over the filling rows. With the seam at the bottom, tie the roll in three places with kitchen twine.
- Grill – Heat grill to medium-high with cover down. Place meat on oiled grates and cook about 5-6 minutes per side on all 4 sides of the rolled matambre.Roast – Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Place rolled meat seam down in a foil lined baking tray. Bake for 1 hour. Serve – When matumbre is done, remove from oven or grill and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove twine and cut into ½-inch slices. Serve either hot or warm with remaining chimichurri sauce.
