How to make meat carpaccio?

Carpaccio is one of the trendiest dishes in restaurants; it is delicious! It can be served as a starter but also as a main dish. The best thing is that preparing is effortless, although properly defrosting the meat is crucial.

What is beef carpaccio?

Carpaccio is a raw meat dish characterized by cutting meat into skinny slices. It is advisable to ask the butcher to cut the beef since the thickness of the pieces should be similar to that of ham; however, you can also cut it with a sharp knife, so the meat is in skinny slices.

Not just any type of meat can be used to prepare carpaccio. We advise you to use Iberian pork, especially pluma or presa; these cuts have a perfect balance between lean and fat, which makes the texture unique. Your guests will love it!

In addition, the Iberian pig is a breed that follows strict quality controls, so it is possible to consume its meat raw without any problem. However, a particular freezing and thawing process must be followed. The heart must be frozen three days before consumption and thawed in the refrigerator. Afterward, it should be taken out so that it reaches room temperature.

Please note that beef carpaccio is not eaten hot but cold, but not frozen, just out of the refrigerator. The carpaccio is accompanied by a dressing that enhances the meat's flavor and grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Iberian beef carpaccio recipe

Ingredients

Half a kilo of Iberian feather or Iberian prey.
Coarse salt.
Freshly ground black pepper.
Juice one or two lemons.
Extra virgin olive oil.
100 grams of Parmesan cheese in flakes.
50 grams of arugula.

Elaboration

As already mentioned, the meat should be frozen three days before consumption. The day you prepare the beef carpaccio, move the heart from the freezer to the refrigerator and place it on a plate.
Take the meat out of the fridge to allow it to come to room temperature for one hour before slicing it.
Remove the excess fat. You can cut this fat and pull it with your fingers. It should come out quickly.
Use a knife with a sharp enough edge to cut the meat into skinny slices. They don't have to be uniform, but thin enough.
Now it's time to season the beef with salt and pepper and drizzle it with lemon juice. You can take a deep bowl and squeeze the lemon. Add the salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to mix the ingredients.
Then dip the slices and stir with your hand so the meat is impregnated with the dressing.
Let it rest for about five minutes. This will not only allow the meat to take in the flavors of the mixture but will also help tenderize the cut.
In the meantime, wash and place the arugula on a comprehensive and large enough plate. Remember to dry the arugula very well with kitchen paper. The arugula mustn't retain moisture, as this would change the recipe's flavor and spoil the carpaccio.
Once the arugula is dry and well distributed in the bowl, dress it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Remove the carpaccio from the bowl where it is marinating. Distribute it over the bed of arugula. Some slices can be mounted on top of each other, but ideally, place the meat in a wide circle, covering most of the surface of the plate.
Pour a little of the marinade liquid over the top.
Finish the beef carpaccio recipe by grating a little Parmesan over the top or pouring the cheese flakes over it. If you can have the cheese ready in advance, even better.

Alternatives for meat carpaccio

Meat carpaccio is very easy to prepare and does not require much elaboration. The seasoning can vary considerably, as you can not only use salt, pepper, and lemon, but you can also add the aromatic herbs you like the most to the mixture; for example, a little oregano or parsley makes a big difference.

If the arugula is not to everyone's liking, that's fine. Serve the carpaccio alone, without any salad. It is also delicious! In addition, you can sprinkle some dried fruits on top, such as nuts or even sesame seeds, which will add a special touch to the recipe!

Garnish for carpaccio

Beef carpaccio is a versatile dish that goes well with any side dish. However, salads go best with this recipe; arugula is an alternative, like lettuce or other green leaves. Tomato is an excellent side to this dish, which can be served as a starter and as a main course.

In Italian restaurants, for example, carpaccio is served as a starter and precedes a good plate of pasta.