Entraña is obtained from the internal part of the rib of the animal, it is the part of the diaphragm and, from each veal, two pieces are obtained. This makes it a gourmet quality food that is quite sought after. What is the best way to prepare it?
What is the entraña de lomo bajo like?
The entrail is a piece that is characterized by being covered by a thick skin membrane on both sides. For proper cooking, it is important to remove this membrane; you can do it yourself, or ask the butcher to clean it for you. How do you know if you have bought entraña? The color of the meat is a little darker than the traditional vibrant red of veal, and the flavor is by far more intense and flavorful.
Cleaning the entraña
If you have bought the piece packaged, you can clean it yourself and remove the membranes. To do this, it is enough to do it the day you are going to prepare the meat. The best way to obtain juicy and tender meat is to leave the piece at room temperature for at least two hours before cooking.
Cleaning the meat is very easy, since it is enough to pull the membrane on both sides by hand. The membranes are easy to remove, but if not, use a knife to do it. Depending on your preference, you can also remove the fat from the sides of the entraña; for this you will need to use a good kitchen knife.
Preparation of the entraña on the stove
The entraña can be prepared in different ways. A very simple and effective way is in a frying pan and without any other seasoning than the ones you prefer.
Ingredients
- A whole piece of entraña.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Preparation
- Cut the entrails in two pieces, depending on the size of the frying pan you are going to use. You may need to cut the entrails in three.
- Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to the pan.
- Place the pan over a high heat, but be careful not to burn the oil.
- Reduce the heat and place the piece of meat in the pan. It is important that the utensil is very hot.
- Cook for three minutes on each side.
- Remove and serve with your favorite garnish.
Recipe for grilled entraña with potatoes and sauce
Ingredients for the meat and potatoes
- 500 grams of entraña.
- Breaded potatoes.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
- Fresh chopped parsley.
Ingredients for the sauce
- Extra virgin olive oil (six tablespoons).
- Two spoonfuls of oregano.
- Three tablespoons of white wine vinegar.
- Two cloves of garlic.
- Chopped parsley.
- Half green bell pepper.
- Half a red bell pepper.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Preparation
- Peel the potatoes and boil them in a saucepan with plenty of water and salt to taste.
- Drain the potatoes and cut them into uniform slices.
- Sauté the potatoes in a pan with a drizzle of oil and fresh parsley.
- Set them aside.
- Preheat the grill or griddle, at high temperature, for at least 10 minutes before cooking the meat. Remember to clean the meat and take it out of the refrigerator two hours before cooking. If you do not have a griddle or grill, you can use a frying pan.
- You will not need to put oil on the griddle or frying pan, as the meat already has enough fat.
- Leave the meat for three minutes on each side.
- When turning, add salt.
Preparation of the sauce
- Place all the ingredients, except the peppers, in a blender.
- Cut the peppers into julienne strips and add them to the sauce.
- Let the sauce rest in the refrigerator for at least two hours. This will allow all the ingredients to concentrate.
- Cut the entraña into steaks, as it is a fairly thick cut, and serve with the potatoes, covering with the sauce you have prepared.
Tips for cooking the strip steak
One of the secrets, not only of the entraña, but of all types of beef, is the cooking time. For a good cut to be delicious, in its juices, with an unequalled flavor and a tender texture, it is necessary to be patient and cook it for many hours, whenever the meat is prepared in the oven. Grilling, as you have already seen, takes much less time, as the meat will be ready in just a few minutes.
It is also very important that the meat be left at room temperature before cooking. The meat, regardless of the cut of beef, should be taken out of the refrigerator a couple of hours before cooking and its temperature reduced. And the marinade? In the case of entraña, since it has a very strong and characteristic flavor, it is best not to marinate it; the meat, by itself, has a unique flavor that will delight diners.