easier in the restaurant, because you can plan better and have
plated dishes look similar.”
Using flank steak allows Neuman to customize the size of
the roulade for large or small portions. “By using this cut,
I can fillet it open to get a big roll that’s about three inches
across,” he says. “A serving of two or three pieces will
virtually kill anybody’s hunger.”
“There is an endless supply of stuffing ideas, since you can
work seasonally. In the summer, you can use peaches, and in
the fall, switch to figs,” Neuman says. “Adding ingredients
to a cut of beef that may not read that well on the menu will
add value to the cut of beef and, as a result, help with sales
and customer satisfaction.”
He also can slice straight through the flank steak, cutting
it horizontally and rolling it up, giving him only an inch to
an inch and a half across. The cooked roulade can then be
cut thin and served as an appetizer on top of a bruschetta
or in a small sandwich. “It can be scaled down and be
manageable,” he says.
Neuman likes to start cooking the roulade on a grill over
mesquite and oak, and then finish it in the oven. “Grilling
the meat first provides a great smoky char not achieved in
a hot skillet. And then the oven roasting at 550°F quickly
brings up the internal temperature to about 120°F for
medium-rare, sealing in moisture.”
For his stuffing combination, Neuman goes with a smoky,
salty, sweet and sharp flavor profile. Parmesan cheese
provides the sharp flavor, but its real purpose is to act as
a binder to hold the filling ingredients together. Piquillo
peppers lend a sweet and smoky richness. Jamón Serrano
provides saltiness, and spinach adds a touch of freshness.
The Argentine matambre is served with a roasted tomato
sauce. “If anything would be served on the side, it’d be a
starch, such as a green chile polenta, roasted fingerling
potatoes when in season or a hearts of palm salad,” Neuman
says. “But in and of itself, it’s a pretty good meal, and you
really don’t need much more to go along with it.”
ABOVE: The spinalis, the super-tender, heavily marbled muscle running around
the outside of the eye of a whole rib primal, gives tremendous flavor to this pan-roasted beef deckle roulade.
SPINALIS
Ric Rosser, executive chef for Saltgrass Steak House,
headquartered in Houston, explains that because a roulade
is time-consuming to prepare and needs to be sold the
