Matambre facts for kids
Matambre is a special kind of meat cut that's very popular in countries like Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. It's a thin piece of beef, often described as a "flank steak," but it's not exactly the same as what you might find in other places. This unique cut comes from between the skin and the ribs of a cow. Some people even call it the "fly shaker" because it's the muscle the animal uses to twitch and shoo away flies!
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What is Matambre?
The word "Matambre" doesn't just mean the meat itself. It also refers to a delicious dish made from this meat! This dish is often called matambre arrollado or matambre relleno, which means "rolled" or "stuffed" matambre.
A Delicious Stuffed Roll
Imagine a meat roll filled with all sorts of yummy ingredients. That's what matambre relleno is! Cooks stuff the thin matambre meat with vegetables, colorful peppers, ham, hard-boiled eggs, and tasty herbs.
After being stuffed, the roll is either boiled or roasted in an oven. When it's ready, it's sliced into pieces. The colorful fillings inside make each slice look amazing! You can enjoy it hot or cold. Many people love to eat it with chimichurri sauce, which is a popular green sauce.
Why is it Called Matambre?
The name "Matambre" is quite interesting! It comes from two Spanish words: "matar" (which means "to kill") and "hambre" (which means "hunger"). So, "Matambre" literally means "hunger killer." It's a perfect name for a dish that's so satisfying!
The Matambre Meat Cut
Matambre is a very specific cut of meat from the side of a cow. It's located right between the animal's skin and its ribs. Scientists call this muscle the cutaneous trunci.
A Thin and Unique Muscle
This muscle is thin and has a rose-colored look. In meat packing places, it's sometimes called the "fly shaker" or "elephant ear." It's also known as the "twitch" muscle because the cow uses it to twitch or tremble its skin. This helps the animal get rid of flying insects like flies.
Because it's so thin, matambre is perfect for rolling up. This makes it easy to stuff with different delicious fillings, creating the famous matambre dish.
How Matambre is Prepared
In Argentina, matambre is sometimes served as a steak, but that's not the most common way to enjoy it. The most popular method is to make "matambre arrollado," which means "stuffed matambre."
Argentine Matambre Arrollado
The ingredients used for matambre arrollado can change depending on the region in Argentina. However, some common fillings include whole carrots, hard-boiled eggs, and lots of black pepper.
These ingredients are carefully placed inside the thin matambre meat. Then, the meat is rolled up tightly. Cooks often sew or pin the roll together to make sure it stays closed during cooking. It's then boiled in milk or water, and sometimes roasted in the oven.
After cooking, the matambre roll is cooled down. It's then sliced into thin pieces, much like lunch meat. People often serve it in a toasted French roll with mayonnaise. Sometimes, they add Argentine chimichurri sauce for extra flavor.
Matambre in Milk (Matambre a la Leche)
In Uruguay, and sometimes in Argentina, there's another popular way to prepare matambre called "matambre a la leche." This means "matambre in milk."
For this dish, the matambre meat is first marinated in milk. Then, it's baked flat in the oven. During the cooking process, more of the milk marinade is added. Towards the end, lightly beaten eggs and cheese are put on top, making it extra creamy and delicious.
Matambre Like Pizza (Matambre a la Pizza)
Another fun way to eat matambre is "matambre a la pizza." This version is prepared differently. Instead of being rolled up, the matambre is laid flat. Then, it's topped with classic pizza ingredients. Imagine tomato sauce and gooey mozzarella cheese on top of your matambre!
See also
In Spanish: Matambre (corte de carne) para niños
