Matambre – Argentinian Stuffed Flank Steak
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This Matambre is an Argentinian Stuffed Flank Steak with hard boiled eggs, bell peppers, a mixture of cilantro, garlic and olive oil. The matambre is then grilled to perfection and cut into thin slices before enjoying.
What Is Matambre?
Over the years, I’ve loved sharing with you recipes from all over the world. This Argentinian stuffed flank steak, called matambre, is one of the most popular recipes I’ve shared with you. It such a simple dish, yet elegant, impressive and very little effort required.
Matambre, also known as saudero in some Latin American countries, is the name of a dish consisting of a thin cut of beef, like flank steak. When translated literally from Spanish, the word “matambre” is a combination of two words: matar and hambre. Matar means “to kill”, and hambre means “hunger”. Therefore, “matambre” translated literally means hunger killer. It is also referred to as Matambre Arrolado or Matambre Relleno.
It is normally stuffed or filled and it comes from Argentina or Uruguay. The ingredients for the stuffing can vary from province to province, but mostly commonly include whole carrots, hard boiled, eggs and lots of black pepper.
The thin cut of beef is a cut from the side of the cow, between the skin and the ribs, usually known as “fly shaker” or “elephant ear”. Because this is usually hard to find in stores here, flank steak is a great and affordable substitute.
Why You’ll Love This Matambre Recipe
- Simple Recipe! Don’t let the elegant look of this beautiful plate of meat scare you away! It’s a really quick and easy entree made with basic ingredients that comes together in just a little over 30 minutes.
- Authentic Argentinian Flavor! This South American dish is fabulous with hard-boiled eggs, bell peppers, and a super garlicky homemade chimichurri inspired sauce all rolled up into perfectly grilled juicy flank steak.
- Impressive and Easy! With vibrant colors and gorgeous grill marks, matambre is impressive in taste and presentation, but it’s unbelievably easy to make. Your guests will be totally wowed when you serve this special dish.
- Flank steak – you’ll need about a 2 pound piece of flank steak. I usually buy mine at Costco, they come 2 in a package, use one and freeze the other for later. Super economical.
- Olive oil – You’ll need some olive oil for the quasi chimichurri sauce.
- Garlic – lots of garlic as usual.
- Herbs – such as fresh cilantro and parsley.
- Salt & pepper – use as much or as little as you like.
- Red pepper flakes – to kick things up a notch, use more or less as you like.
- Hard boiled eggs – cut into quarters.
- Bell peppers – I used half a green and half a red bell pepper for color. You could also add some thin strips of carrots if you like.
Although this matambre is fancy enough for a special occasion, it’s really easy to make. I grilled my matambre but you can also roast it in the oven. I have provided instructions for both.
The first step is to prepare the flank steak. Using a sharp knife slice it and open it up like a book (see instructions below 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.
I made up my my own concoction with some olive oil, tons of garlic, cilantro, parsley, black pepper, salt and a bit of red pepper flakes. It’s sort of like a chimichurri sauce, but not really.
Now begins the fun part. Spread the chimichurri mixture over the flank steak, and brush it evenly over the entire surface of the steak. 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.
Prepare your grill for cooking over medium direct heat. The temperature on your grill should read around 400°F (204°C). Place the roll on the grill and grill on both sides for about 4 or 5 minutes per side, about 20 minutes in total. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of the roll should read 130°F(54°C). Let the roll rest for 15 minutes before slicing into it.
What Is Flank Steak?
Flank steak comes from the cow’s lower chest or abdominal muscle. I love using it, because it’s usually inexpensive, but a super flavorful and versatile cut of beef. It’s usually sold about a foot long and one inch in thickness. This cut is also known as jiffy steak or London broil.
How To Butterfly A Flank Steak
A flank steak is so versatile and once you butterfly it, it opens up to all kinds of possibilities when it comes to different fillings.
- Lay the flank steak flat on a cutting board.
- Use a sharp knife to cut into the steak from top to bottom to bottom, keeping the knife level with the cutting board. Keep your other hand flat on top of the knife to hold it secure.
- Fold the top half back and continue cutting the top half away from the bottom half, working slowly. Continue cutting until the steak opens up flat. Do not cut all the way through the steak.
- If your cut isn’t even, don’t worry. You could always pound it with a meat mallet to make it more even. In the end it really doesn’t matter, because you’ll be filling it then rolling it back up.
How To Roast Matambre In the Oven
- Preheat your oven to 350°F(176.6°C)
- Place the roll seam-side down on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Bake the matambre for 1 hour or until the meat reaches 130°F(54°C). Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing into it.
Expert Tips
- Use a sharp knife. You must use a sharp knife like a chef’s knife to butterfly the flank steak. A dull knife will not cut it. It’s also important not to use a serrated bread knife, which will just tear the meat.
- Tie it with twine. The stuffed flank steak needs to be secured with twine so that the filling doesn’t fall out as the meat grills. If you don’t have any twine you can also use skewers to keep the roll closed.
- Same cooking time on all sides. For the best results, you should cook the matambre for about 5 minutes on all four sides, not more on one or less on another. This is the key to evenly grilled meat.
- Let it rest. To keep the meat as juicy as possible you must let it sit for 15 minutes after it’s cooked. This step is not optional. If you cut into the matambre right away all the juices will run out and the meat will become dry.
Storage
Transfer leftover matambre to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. I wouldn’t keep it longer because of the hard boiled eggs.
Hi! I made this for my family tonight. The flavors were amazing! This recipe was fun to make. I drizzled a small amount of good quality balsamic vinegar over the top. The only complaint from my family was I didn’t make enough for seconds.
Other Delicious Steak Recipes To Try
- Italian Stuffed Flank Steak
- Blue Cheese and Steak Crostini
- Creamy Polenta with Grilled Steak and Roasted Tomatoes
- Crock Pot Roast
- Beef Brisket Gyros
- Steak Fry Bread Tacos
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Matambre – Argentinian Stuffed Flank Steak
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pound flank steak
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup cilantro (chopped)
- ¼ cup parsley (chopped)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 hard boiled eggs (quartered)
- ½ medium green bell pepper (sliced)
- ½ medium red bell pepper (sliced)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Prepare your grill for cooking over medium direct heat.
- 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
- In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, cilantro, parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Spread the cilantro and parsley mixture over the flank steak, and brush it evenly over the entire surface of the steak. 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.
- The temperature on your grill should read around 400°F. Place the roll on the grill and grill on both sides for about 4 or 5 minutes per side, about 20 minutes in total.
- Let the roll rest for 15 minutes before slicing into it.
Equipment
Notes
- Oven instructions: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the roll seam-side down on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Bake the matambre for 1 hour or until the inside reaches 135°F. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing into it.
- Leftovers: Transfer leftover matambre to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. I wouldn’t keep it longer because of the hard boiled eggs.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Recipe originally shared September 2015.
