Barbecue University™

Kill Your Hunger with Argentina’s Famous Matambre

Sometimes less is more. Sometimes more is more. As a rule, Argentinean and Uruguayan grilling is a study in simplicity: slabs of grassfed beef seasoned solely with salt and grilled over blazing wood or charcoal. That’s it.

No complex rubs. No soulful marinades. Just fire charred meat in all its primal glory.

But there’s one dish that inspires South American grill masters to get fancy: Matambre. The name says it all: “hambre” is the Spanish word for hunger. “matar” means to kill. Put them together, and you get one of the most satisfying grilled dishes in South America.

Matambre

At its most rudimentary, Matambre is a simple steak (usually flank or skirt) seasoned with salt, garlic, and dried oregano. You grill it over a wood fire, cut it into bite size pieces, to be skewered on toothpicks and served as an appetizer.

Brazilians soak the meat in a spicy garlic-and-lime-based marinade before rolling it with bacon and cheese and roasting it on a rotisserie.

But for me, the ultimate Matambre is the beef roll served at the Montevidean restaurant El Palenque. Picture a belt-loosening array of sausage, carrots, bell peppers, and cheese rolled in an oregano and sage–scented sheet of flank steak. Sliced crosswise, it forms a handsome spiral of beef studded with a stunning mosaic of vegetables, cheese, and sausage.

Knowing about the restaurant’s mighty portions, I ordered a half serving of Palenque’s hunger-killer. The slice came as thick as a proverbial phone book. I don’t see how you could order this “appetizer” and still have room for the rest of the meal.

Because of the innate toughness of the cut of meat used in the dish, Matambre requires prolonged cooking to attain the proper tenderness. You might think that lengthy cooking would be difficult, if not impossible, via direct grilling. (Uruguayan grills don’t have lids.)

But South American grill masters have developed an ingenious method. They swaddle the Matambre in aluminum foil and cook it for several hours over a low fire. The foil prevents the outside of the meat from burning, while holding the Matambre neatly in shape.

We recently prepared Matambre at my Barbecue University® at the Alisal Ranch in Solvang, California. The only remotely tricky part of the recipes is butterflying the flank steak. And even that become easy if you hold the steak flat with one hand, while slicing in small increments with the other.

Matambre can be cooked ahead and reheated. For that matter, it can be served hot or cold. It’s a guaranteed showstopper at your next tailgate party or barbecue. Here’s how to make it.

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