ColombianSobrebarriga
Braised beef flank in tomato sauce
Sobrebarriga en salsa criolla: Bogotá's slow-braised beef flank in tomato-onion sauce, browned in the oven
Sobrebarriga is a Bogotá Sunday lunch: beef flank (the thin covering of the belly, which is what the name means) braised for hours with beer, onion and herbs until it can be cut with a spoon, then finished in a rich hogao of tomato and onion. Families in the Andean highlands serve it with salt potatoes, rice and a slice of avocado. The common mistake is hurrying the braise: flank stays stringy until it has cooked for at least two and a half hours. Simmer it gently until a fork slides in easily. The beer cooks for a long time, so most of the alcohol is driven off but not all; for an alcohol-free version use beef stock with 1 tbsp of brown sugar. Chef's tip: after braising, brush the meat with mustard and give it 15 minutes in a hot oven for a browned, slightly crisp top.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 6
- Per serving
- 440 kcal
Ingredients
For the braise
- 1 ½ cups lageror beef stock
- 4 ¼ cups water
- 1 onionquartered
- 4 garliccloves, crushed
- 4 fresh thymesprigs
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
For the hogao
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 6 spring onionschopped
- 4 ripe tomatoesgrated
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 3 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 2 ⅝ lb beef flank or skirt in one piece in a large pan with 1 ½ cups lager, 4 ¼ cups water, 1 onion, 4 garlic, 2 bay leaves, 4 fresh thyme, 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp ground black pepper. Bring to the boil, skim the foam, then cover and simmer gently for 2½–3 hours, turning once, until a fork slides in easily.
170 minStep 2: Lift the meat out and keep 300 ml of the cooking liquid.
Step 3: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Cook 6 spring onions for 4 minutes until soft, then add 4 ripe tomatoes and ½ tsp ground cumin and cook for 10 minutes until thick and jammy.
14 minStep 4: Add the reserved cooking liquid to the hogao and simmer for 5 minutes until saucy. Stir in 3 tbsp fresh coriander.
5 minStep 5: Heat the oven to 425°F. Put the meat in a roasting dish, brush with 1 tbsp Dijon mustard and roast for 15 minutes until browned on top.
15 minStep 6: Slice across the grain, spoon the sauce over and serve with potatoes, rice and avocado.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 440 kcal
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sobrebarriga take?
- About 200 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 180 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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 onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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