Argentine tenderized flank steak pizza (matambrito a la pizza)

This tenderized flank steak (matambre o matambrito tiernizado in Spanish) is one of the favorite dishes of Argentinians. Flank steak is the abdominal part of the cow, full of flavor but also quite fibrous. That’s why this cut requires certain specific knowledge to succeed with the cooking, but at the end of this article, you will know all the secrets to prepare it at home without any problem.

The flank steak or “matambre” of the cow corresponds to the last layer of the abdominal muscles, and it’s equivalent to the pork belly. But when it comes to cooking them, there are some differences between both cuts: first of all, beef flank steak is always cooked without the outer skin. But above all, while pork belly is a cut that always turns juicy and requires a shorter cooking, this beef meat can be very hard and chewy. That is why the previous step that gives its name to this recipe: ​​the tenderization of the meat.

Start by preheating the oven to about 170 degrees. Since the flank steak has a lot of fat, it is advisable to remove at least part of it before cooking it. Then place it in a baking dish, with the fat side up. Eventually cut some irregular parts and redistribute them, to cover the entire mold. However, keep in mind that the idea is to cook a single piece of meat, we don’t want several trimmings that turn the recipe into a stew.

Season the flank steak with spices to taste (chopped garlic, bay leaf, thyme, sweet paprika or ground chili, peppercorns and salt). Cover it completely with milk and bake for at least an hour, until the liquid has completely evaporated.

While the flank steak becomes tender in the oven, prepare the tomato sauce:
Chop the onion and garlic. Sauté them over low heat in a saucepan with olive oil. Salt lightly to extract moisture from the vegetables, which helps prevent burning. When the onion is transparent, add the crushed tomato. When using canned tomatoes, separate the juice and use it in another recipe. Season with oregano, pepper and paprika to taste. Cook over low heat, stirring sporadically to prevent it from burning or sticking to the bottom. The sauce will be ready when the moisture from the tomato has evaporated and the mixture has thickened. Reserve.

After the hour in which the flank steak has become tender, remove it from the oven and wait for it to cool a little to remove the rest of the fat (although it is a little more laborious, I prefer to have done it before cooking, because at this point, I can continue with the next step).

Cover the tenderized flank steak with some slices of ham. Then spread the tomato sauce, finally cover with the mozzarella cheese. If desired, decorate with some tomato slices.

Return to the oven and cook for about 10 more minutes, or until the cheese has completely melted.

Tips and tricks:

1. While baking the meat with milk, add a whole red pepper in another tray. When it’s fully cooked, keep in a plastic bag for 15 minutes. In this way, it will be very easy to peel. Then cut it into strips, discarding the inner seeds. The combination of ham with roasted bell peppers is very delicious, both on the pizza and in this recipe.
2. A substitute method to tenderize flank steak (perfectly valid but may be less traditional) is to boil it in a broth of vegetables and spices. It is then cooked over low heat for about an hour. In this case, it is advisable to start cooking with boiling water, since when we add the meat to cold water, much of the flavor remains in the resulting broth.