The Chivito Steak Sandwich is a Classic You Will Love

Fancy a great steak sandwich? Why not try your hand at making a chivito steak sandwich, the famous steak sandwich of Uruguay? If you love hamburgers, then chances are that you will just adore a chivito steak sandwich.

Look at that picture. The chivito is full of individual goodies. Now just think of the combination of them all. What a mouth watering prospect.

Filled with filet steak, bacon, cheese, onion, red bell pepper, chimichurri sauce, lettuce, tomato and that most Uruguayan of touches, sliced hard-boiled eggs.

Full of color and taste, you won’t go hungry after eating this delicious sandwich. And it’s easy to substitute any of the ingredients.

Steak in Uruguay is revered and Uruguay out-ranks Argentina and every other country in the world for per-capita beef consumption. The famous pampas of Argentina, conveniently extend well into Uruguay.

Not only is the beef as good in Uruguay as in neighboring Argentina, it is half the cost. So it is little wonder Uruguayans know a thing or two on how to cook beef.

The chivito is everyday street food in Uruguay. It is popular and they are available everywhere throughout the country. The “hamburger” of Uruguay but made with real steak rather than mince. Read on to discover the pleasures of chivito, mate and the famous Montevideo rambla.

Chivito Steak Sandwich, Mate and The Rambla

Montevideo is a city blessed with one of the best riverside, coastal walkways anywhere in the world.

The rambla is fully paved, wide and with no development between it and the water, the locals flock to it in the summer, to cycle, jog, take family walks or just to hang out and watch the world go round.

It is incredibly popular with families as there are adjoining parks, great swimming beaches, and playgrounds. It is a convivial atmosphere where people are clearly enjoying themselves.

One of the quaint activities to undertake on the rambla is to take part in the mate(pronounced ma-TAY) tradition of Uruguay. You will find many people carrying their thermoses full of boiling water, their mate cups and mate sipping straw, so mate can be enjoyed throughout the day.

It is rather like having a mobile tea set with many people having rather ornate mate sets all carried in a specially designed leather carrier. Mate tastes a little like green tea, it’s rather an acquired taste, in my opinion, but we certainly enjoyed mate on more than one occasion

And the favored food to eat on the rambla? Well nothing would beat a chivito. You will find chivitos everywhere throughout Montevideo and Uruguay. In cafes, in street stalls, you are never too far away from being able to buy a chivito.

The chivito is a steak sandwich, generously filled with a multitude of ingredients. They are cheap to purchase and they are delicious. Read on for the recipe.

Chivito Steak Sandwich, A Classic of Uruguay

There is nothing difficult about making a chivito steak sandwich. If you are looking for an alternative to a world obsessed with hamburgers, then you should seriously consider these. They are delicious.

No mince to be found here, this wonderful sandwich should be made with a small beef tenderloin. Sliced hard boiled eggs are also a mandatory component and the traditional “sauce” is mayonnaise, although in our recipe we have used chimichurri sauce, found throughout South America, which goes brilliantly with steak or roast lamb.

Be flexible with your ingredients and go with what you have. The secret to the chivito is having your ingredients prepared so you are all set to cook, either on a BBQ or inside under the broiler/grill.

So if you like hamburgers, try the chivito. A good chivito is a step up from a hamburger, in my opinion. And if you are traveling to Montevideo, buy a chivito and take a seat by the rambla and undertake some people watching. It is a great way to relax and take in the sounds and sights of Montevideo.

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The Chivito Steak Sandwich is a Classic You Will Love

Print Recipe

A chivito steak sandwich is a great alternative to a gourmet hamburger. Discover the taste of Uruguay and imagine yourself sitting by the famous Montevideo rambla watching the world go past.

Servings	Prep Time	Cook Time
2people	10 minutes	12minutes

Servings	Prep Time
2people	10 minutes

Cook Time

12minutes

• Course Main Dish
• Cuisine Uruguayan

Ingredients

• 2 beef, tenderloin (eye fillet) steaks small about 3.5 ozs (100 gram) each
• 1 clove garlic finely sliced
• salt, ground sea
• black pepper, ground
• paprika, smoked
• 2 slices bacon or pancetta
• 1 onion, brown large, sliced into thin rings
• 1 bell pepper (capsicum), red sliced lengthways into 1 inch (2.5cm strips)
• 2 slices cheese
• 2 round rolls
• 1/4 cup chimichurri sauce or pesto or mayonnaise
• lettuce leaves
• 1 tomato thinly sliced
• 2 eggs hard-boiled, sliced

Servings: people

Units:MetricUS Imperial

Course Main Dish Cuisine Uruguayan Ingredients 2 beef, tenderloin (eye fillet) steaks small about 3.5 ozs (100 gram) each 1 clove garlic finely sliced salt, ground sea black pepper, ground paprika, smoked 2 slices bacon or pancetta 1 onion, brown large, sliced into thin rings 1 bell pepper (capsicum), red sliced lengthways into 1 inch (2.5cm strips) 2 slices cheese 2 round rolls 1/4 cup chimichurri sauce or pesto or mayonnaise lettuce leaves 1 tomato thinly sliced 2 eggs hard-boiled, sliced Servings: people Units:MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

1. Pre-heat broiler to high.
2. Lightly pound the steaks to approximately 1/4 inch (6mm) thickness. Press the garlic onto both sides of the steak. Lightly season with sea salt, black pepper and paprika.
3. In a non-stick warmed pan, cook the bacon over a medium-high heat, 2 minutes per side. Reserve. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add some salt to taste then reserve the onions.
4. In the meantime, place the red bell pepper in the broiler and char grill over high heat, about 3 minutes each side. Reserve. Add the seasoned steak and cook for approximately 2 minutes then flip and cook for a further 1 minute. Top the steak with the bacon and the sliced cheese and broil for a further 1 minute. Remove the steaks from the heat.
5. Slice the rolls in half and spread with chimichurri sauce. Place the lettuce leaves, sliced tomato, bacon and cheese onto the roll. Top with onion, grilled, red, bell pepper, sliced, hard-boiled eggs. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve immediately.