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Morcon
Stuffed beef roll
Morcon: beef roulade rolled around sausage, egg, carrot and pickle, braised in tomato
Morcon is a fiesta and Christmas centrepiece from Spanish-era kitchens in Pampanga and Batangas: a thin sheet of beef wrapped around strips of sausage, carrot, pickle and boiled egg, tied up, browned and braised slowly in tomato sauce until meltingly tender. Sliced, it shows a colourful mosaic, and the reduced sauce is spooned over steamed rice. It takes time but can be cooked a day ahead and reheated in its sauce. Chef's tip: pound the beef to an even thickness before rolling; thick patches tear the roll and stay tough while thin ones fall apart.
- Total time
- 165 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the roll
- 2 ⅝ lb beef flank or topsidein one piece, butterflied to a 1 cm sheet
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp calamansi or lemon juice
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 Chorizo-style sausages or hot dogshalved lengthways
- 1 carrotcut into long batons
- 4 sweet gherkinshalved lengthways
- 3 eggshard-boiled, quartered
For the braise
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onionchopped
- 4 cloves garlicminced
- 14 oz tomato passata
- 2 ½ cups beef stock
- 1 tbsp sugar
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Lay 2 ⅝ lb beef flank or topside between sheets of cling film and pound with a rolling pin to an even 1 cm thickness. Mix 4 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp calamansi or lemon juice and 1 tsp black pepper, rub it over the beef, cover and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
15 minStep 2: Lay the beef flat, short end towards you. Arrange rows of 3 Chorizo-style sausages or hot dogs, 1 carrot, 4 sweet gherkins and 3 eggs across it, leaving 3 cm bare at the far end.
8 minStep 3: Roll up tightly away from you, tucking in the fillings, and tie with kitchen string every 3 cm. Pat the outside dry.
10 minStep 4: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy casserole over a medium-high heat and brown the roll on all sides until deeply coloured, 8–10 minutes. Lift out.
10 minStep 5: Lower the heat, fry 1 onion and 4 cloves garlic in the same pot until soft, then add 14 oz tomato passata, 2 ½ cups beef stock, 2 bay leaves, 1 tbsp sugar and any leftover marinade. Bring to the boil.
6 minStep 6: Return the roll, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes, turning every 30 minutes, until a skewer slides into the beef easily.
90 minStep 7: Lift the roll out and rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile boil the sauce uncovered until it is thick and glossy, 10 minutes.
15 minStep 8: Remove the strings, slice 1.5 cm thick with a sharp knife and serve with the sauce spooned over.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does morcon take?
- About 165 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 120 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
- What can I use instead of calamansi or lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
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