Authentic Argentine Beef Empanadas
Authentic Argentine Beef Empanadas featuring hand-cut tender beef, sweet caramelized onions, cumin, pimentón, green olives, and hard-boiled eggs encased in a flaky, homemade tallow-enriched pastry.
Ingredients
- •3 cup all-purpose flour
- •0.33 cup beef tallow or lard, melted and slightly cooled
- •0.75 cup warm water
- •1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- •1 lb beef sirloin or flank steak, finely hand-diced (carne al cuchillo)
- •2 tablespoon beef tallow or lard
- •2 large yellow onions, finely chopped
- •1 tablespoon sweet paprika (pimentón dulce)
- •1 teaspoon ground cumin
- •0.5 teaspoon ají molido (Argentine red pepper flakes) or crushed red pepper
- •0.5 cup beef broth
- •1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- •0.5 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- •4 scallions (green onions), thinly sliced
- •2 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- •0.33 cup pitted green olives, sliced or roughly chopped
- •1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
Instructions
- 1.
Make the dough: Dissolve 1 teaspoon of sea salt into 3/4 cup of warm water. In a large mixing bowl, mound the all-purpose flour and make a well in the center. Pour the melted beef tallow and salted warm water into the well. Mix with a fork until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- 2.
Prepare the filling: Heat 2 tablespoons of beef tallow in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped yellow onions and cook slowly for 10 to 12 minutes until soft, translucent, and sweet, but not browned.
- 3.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the hand-diced beef. Cook quickly for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, just until the beef changes color and loses its raw appearance—do not overcook. Stir in the sweet paprika, ground cumin, ají molido, salt, and black pepper.
- 4.
Pour in the beef broth and stir to deglaze the skillet. Simmer for 1 minute, then immediately remove from the heat. Fold in the sliced green onions. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish and refrigerate until completely cold and firm, at least 2 hours or overnight. (Chilling solidifies the cooking fat, which is the secret to exceptionally juicy empanadas that do not leak during assembly).
- 5.
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 6.
Divide the rested dough into 12 equal portions (approx. 45-50g each). Roll each piece into a smooth ball, then roll out with a rolling pin into roughly 5-inch (13 cm) circles about 1/8-inch thick.
- 7.
Assemble the empanadas: Place 2 generous tablespoons of chilled beef filling in the center of each dough circle. Top with a few pieces of chopped hard-boiled egg and sliced green olives. Lightly dampen the edge of the dough with water. Fold the dough in half over the filling to create a half-moon, pressing the edges firmly together to seal and expelling any trapped air.
- 8.
Crimp the edges: Create the traditional Argentine repulgue by starting at one corner, folding a small triangle of the edge inward, and pressing firmly. Fold the next corner over the previous fold, continuing along the entire seam to create a rope-like border.
- 9.
Arrange the empanadas on the prepared baking sheets. Brush the tops lightly with the beaten egg wash.
- 10.
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until the pastry is deep golden-brown and crisp. Allow them to rest for 5 minutes before serving so the trapped juices settle.
Tips
- 💡Hand-dicing the beef (carne al cuchillo) rather than using ground beef is the hallmark of authentic Argentine empanadas, providing superior texture and retaining more moisture.
- 💡Never skip chilling the filling; working with warm filling softens the dough, creates steam bubbles, and causes the seams to burst in the oven.
- 💡Traditional Argentine cooks use beef tallow (grasa de vaca) for both the dough and sautéing the filling to achieve the signature flaky texture and rich flavor, though high-quality lard is an authentic alternative.
- 💡Empanadas can be fully assembled and frozen on a baking sheet before being transferred to a zip-top bag. Bake directly from frozen at 400°F (200°C) for 25 to 28 minutes.
Recipe from TheCookbook.ai
Created by Basil Roux