First Matambre & 2 questions

Made my first matambre today following recipe in HTG. Made the recommended Chimichunga sauce which made for a nice spicy compliment. Prep and cooking were uneventful. Smelled great cooking. Cooked for 2 hours and let it sit for 10 minutes before cutting. When I started cutting, it started to fall apart. I was able to reassemble it into pieces that looked like they were supposed to and served it to people using a spatula. It sure ate great, I plan to make it again. See links below.

Before I make it again I'd like to see if we can figure out why they are falling apart. I read Grillslinger's recent post and those of several others where they said it fell apart. I'd love to hear from anyone who's had luck keeping the matambre in one piece. I followed the HTG recipe to the letter. Those who had it stay intact-how did you pull that off?

Also I can't seem to get the links to work for Thumbnails. I can get the full sized picture to show up here, but I wanted to be dial up user friendly. When I try to post either of the two codes for thumbnails here, I just get the 2 IMG codes showing up. I've also tried using the Image Shack furnished url's without the IMG codes. No glory. I'm using the code for the direct links below since I can't make the others work. Is there something else I must do? I hit the IMG button, then paste the hotlink for forums url and then hit them IMG button again. Also could someone let me know if the direct links worked ok for them.

Thanks in advance.

Here's all the Goes-intas- in place and ready to wrap:


Here's the finished product:


Sliced and reassembled:

jfm0830,
The matambre looks great! You've done an excellent job.
For thumbnails use this option: “Thumbnail for forums (1)” and it will work.
As far as the thing falling apart, let it rest uncovered a little while longer prior to slicing, the will allow it to set better.

BBcue-Z. Thanks for the quick reply and kind words.

As for the photos I've tried both of the Thumbnails for forums urls Just to show you: On the line below the words Test 1, I pasted the link you suggested. Below the line Test 2. I use the IMG button before and after I pasted the url. I'm not seeing it so I assume no one else is either.

The only other thing I can think of is I'm on a Mac and maybe one of the symbol characters is not translating right.

Test 1


Test 2
[img][img]http://img134.echo.cx/img134/8761/img36481gk.th.jpg[/img][/img]

Great looking matambre...I'm looking forward to the answer myself....next time mine might make it in one piece!

Were you using a sharp serrated knife?
If not, give it a try; serrated knives are best for this purpose.
And the thumbnails worked.

For slicing a stuffed roast I would use an electric knife.

Completely eliminates tearing of the meat.

Most if not all serrated knives will tear meat

Scalloped edge knives will do a better job.

Knives sold as never need sharpening will tear meat (and everything else)

I'd suggest getting a decent grandin edge ham slicer or salmon slicer.
You can cut meat so thin you could starve. Here more than anywhere
I'd spend the extra bucks for a Wusthoff or Messermeister.

Cheap steel might work with other applications but not here, we're
talking about a 12" razor blade. Cheap means it dulls quickly.

Just so you know, I'm a knife nut!

Rob

That looks really really good!!

Well I see Mr. Rod Serling of Twilight Zone fame is paying my computers a visit. Imagine my surprise when I log in today and find visible thumbnails. I just tried again with this message and they don't show up in the message preview. I was always afraid to post without my seeing the preview. I'm putting my first brisket about 4 hours along under Test 3 Header.

As for the knife, I did use an electric knife. The upper half of the meat sliced fine, but started falling apart towards the bottom. Yardburner I'm not into knives so please pardon a beginners question: Are the Wusthoff or Messermeister a) an Electric Knife, b) replacement blades for an electric knife or c) a hand knife? Thanks in advance. I have no problem spending money if that is what it takes to get the job done right.

Test 3-My first Brisket 4 hours along:

Wustof and Messermeister are traditional knives.

I agree with Z on the letting it rest part. Or maybe it
just plain got overcooked.

Still looks great though. You guys are making me
do one soon.(as soon as I get an entire weekend to
stay home)

Rob

jfm0830 wrote:

Made my first matambre today following recipe in HTG.

Looks great! Awesome job...


-Adrian

Sorry if I am asking a question you already answered YB, but I am shopping for an electric knife and I was wondering what you would recommend?

Just wanna let you know taht you are costing me money. I started looking at Wusthof knives (never heard of them until this post) and wow! Now that is a knife, as Crocodile Dundee would say.

hotchef:

Let me pile on and add a second question to Yardburner:

The blades on electric knifes are serrated. How easy is it for amateurs to sharpen a blade with that kind of complexity?

TIA.

jfm0830 wrote:

The blades on electric knifes are serrated. How easy is it for amateurs to sharpen a blade with that kind of complexity?

Good question. I hadn't thought of asking that, but have wondered about it in the past.

jfm0830 wrote:

hotchef:
The blades on electric knifes are serrated. How easy is it for amateurs to sharpen a blade with that kind of complexity?

I always thoughtn that serrated blades, especially cheaper ones are basically unsharpenable.