Matambre or Elephant Ear - Forum Categories

Coalcracker

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Date: Sep 25, 2015

Matambre or Elephant Ear

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(Reprint) From Asado Argentina

Matambre translated into English means shoe leather. Some, however, might try to convince you that it is a word mash up of matar (to kill) and hambre (hunger) to equal matambre (hunger killer). Pay no attention to them. I imagine hunger killer was chosen because your jaw will be in so much pain after eating this flavorful yet chewy meat that the slightest thought of food will never again enter your mind. Nor will your system be able to digest that rubberized strip of chest and belly meat.

Often translated as thin beef flank steak, the cut is basically belly meat that runs from the chest to the flank. Not to be confused with the “other” flank steak known as vacio. When matambre de vaca is used to prepare matambre arrollado, or rolled thin beef flank steak, you get this slow cooked succulent tender meat rolled around vegetables, spices, and a sort of bread stuffing mixture. More into the whole matambre usage thing when I dust off the other post. The actual matambre cut that is grilled by itself is another story.

Matambre a la parrilla, or grilled thin flank steak, can end up other end of the spectrum–shoe leather–if not prepared properly or if the quality of meat is poor. You see, I’ve enjoyed some tender matambre that was cooked quite rapidly but that happened once every blue moon. In many other instances each morsel of meat took at least a minute to chew, sometimes more. You really don’t know what you’re going to get when you toss that meat on the grill. I’ve ruined a few meals with what I thought would be tender matambre yet ended up with something that would have sent us to the dentist for false teeth if fully consumed. This is probably why you won’t see it on many restaurant menus.

Matambre, on the other hand is quite unique. Everyone has their own version and many of those vary extensively. I want to find a sure-fire way that works every time whether or not the meat is of good quality.

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Phil ( coalcracker ) Verduce

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Burgermeister

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Date: Sep 25, 2015

Matambre or Elephant Ear	Permalink

It was talked about a little here in this link http://meatcuttersclub.activeboard.com/t55886538/filet-mignon-sucks-overunderrated-meats/ There is a video of someone making matambre in the link. I've also heard it called fly shaker and flutter muscle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vyrpd1rrhwM -- Edited by Burgermeister on Friday 25th of September 2015 08:09:50 PM __________________

Coalcracker

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Date: Sep 25, 2015

RE: Matambre or Elephant Ear	Permalink

Burgermeister wrote: It was talked about a little here in this link http://meatcuttersclub.activeboard.com/t55886538/filet-mignon-sucks-overunderrated-meats/ There is a video of someone making matambre in the link. I've also heard it called fly shaker and flutter muscle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vyrpd1rrhwM -- Edited by Burgermeister on Friday 25th of September 2015 08:09:50 PM Great video, thanks for sharing. Sitting there watching the video I recalled all of the beef items that we used to sell when every meat store used rail beef. Likewise carcass lamb and veal. There were so many different recipes using different cuts that I guess are lost now especially with modern supermarkets and pre-packaged meats. One has to go to specialty meat shops to find these items. The elephant ear was always a challenge because when it got ground and I am sure most cutters did grind them the meat was so pink that you had t make sure you mixed some really red meat with it. Like where the chuck atlas bone is. Then one day we tried selling them rolled and by gosh we sold them and were so happy. Veal breast with pocket was a big item, of course both veal and lamb shanks were hot sellers. Another item that we always carried were fresh pork hocks, nowadays their hard to find. We use to cut loin-veal-chops with the kidney still left in. That was a big item. Even lamb breast were a demanded item and great on the grill. In Italian neighborhood stores you couldn't keep veal bones in the case and bone-in veal neck as well. Ground veal and ground lamb was a constant in the meat cases. Try to find lamb kidneys or veal kidneys these days. (where the heck do they go)? Beef plate was a very big item in winter months, as well as beef neck bones. We use to sell every beef knuckle bone we put out in the case. We would leave traces of meat on it. But the other day I was in some supermarket and they had a beef knuckle bone in the case that cost $6.50. This really pisses me off since they get nothing for fat and bone but yet it is ok to rape the customers. I guarantee you that the bone went out the back door as garbage. And for me when I look back at those days I feel somewhat responsible for helping to eliminate those many beef items people made meals out of. I helped to convert the Mid-Atlantic states from rail beef to boxed beef in the 7 years I worked for IBP. From Southern New York state to Elisabeth City N.C. Every single supermarket chain and all major independents were converted. __________________ Phil ( coalcracker ) Verduce Resourse Page Manager