Equipment
Ingredients
Meat & Marinade
- 1000 g flank steak, butterflied
- 4 garlic, minced
- 15 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 5 g dried oregano
- 2 g red pepper flakes
- 30 ml olive oil
- 15 ml red wine vinegar
- 15 g kosher salt
- 5 g black pepper, freshly ground
Filling
- 50 g watercress, tough stems removed
- 150 g carrots, julienned
- 60 g green olives, pitted and halved
- 3 eggs, hard-boiled and quartered
Cooking Liquids
- 15 ml olive oil
- 500 ml beef broth
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 386 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbohydrates
- 5 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 1280 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 208 mg
- Potassium
- 758 mg
- Calcium
- 110 mg
- Iron
- 4.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 53 mg
- Phosphorus
- 411 mg
- Zinc
- 7.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 276 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 9 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.7 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 78 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.15 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.34 mg
- Niacin
- 12.7 mg
- Folate
- 45 mcg
- Water
- 177 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 175°C/350°F. Ensure your oven rack is in the lower-middle position to accommodate the Dutch oven.
Lay the butterflied flank steak flat on a cutting board. Cover with plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound the meat to an even 1cm thickness, forming a rough rectangle.
In a small bowl, mix the minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, 30ml olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Rub this mixture evenly over the top side of the meat.
Arrange the watercress leaves in an even layer over the seasoned meat, leaving a 3cm border around the edges. Layer the julienned carrots, halved green olives, and quartered hard-boiled eggs in horizontal rows across the meat.
Starting from one of the long edges, carefully and tightly roll the meat up, enclosing the filling completely. Secure the roll tightly with kitchen twine, tying knots at 3cm intervals.
Heat the remaining 15ml of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Carefully place the rolled matambre into the pot and sear on all sides until a deep brown crust forms.
Pour the beef broth into the Dutch oven, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Cover tightly with a lid, transfer to the preheated oven, and braise for 2 hours, or until the meat is completely tender. To break down connective tissues in this cut, internal temperature should exceed 90°C/195°F.
Carefully remove the matambre from the Dutch oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Allow it to rest undisturbed for at least 30 minutes. This prevents the juices from running out and helps the filling set.
Using kitchen shears, carefully cut and remove all the twine. Slice the matambre crosswise into 2cm thick rounds and serve.
Chef's Notes
- For the cleanest, most professional slices, wrap the cooked matambre tightly in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator overnight. Slice it cold, then gently warm the slices in the braising liquid before serving.
- When butterflying the flank steak, orient your cuts with the grain. This ensures that when you roll and eventually slice the meat crosswise, you will be cutting against the grain, resulting in tender bites.
- Sprinkling a small amount of powdered gelatin over the inner surface of the meat before layering the ingredients acts as a natural glue, binding the spiral together beautifully as it cooks and cools.
- Ensure your kitchen twine is 100% natural cotton. Synthetic twines can melt during the searing process, ruining the dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store tightly wrapped in plastic wrap to help the roll hold its shape.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in individual slices separated by parchment paper.
Reheating: Warm slices gently in a skillet with a splash of beef broth over medium-low heat to prevent drying out.
Troubleshooting
The matambre unravels when sliced
Cause: The meat was not tied tightly enough, or it was sliced while still too hot.
Fix: Secure loose pieces with toothpicks before serving, or present it rustically.
Prevention: Tie the roll very tightly at close intervals. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes, or ideally chill it completely before slicing.
Meat is tough and chewy
Cause: The meat was undercooked and the connective tissues did not break down.
Fix: Return the whole or sliced meat to the braising liquid and simmer gently until tender.
Prevention: Ensure the braising liquid simmers steadily and cook for the full 2 hours, checking for fork-tenderness.
Cultural Context
Matambre Arrollado translates roughly to 'hunger killer' (matar hambre), a nod to its history as the first cut of beef cooked over the fire to quickly satiate hungry gauchos while the rest of the asado cooked. Today, this colorful spiral is an iconic Argentinian dish, frequently served cold as a festive appetizer or warm as a hearty main course.
