El Torito (Stuffed Beef Rolls)
El Torito (Stuffed Beef Rolls)
In early 2025 Art Pollard got in touch with me and asked if I would like to review some recipes he compiled for a cookbook he curated titled Enchantment: a New Mexican Cookbook. Obviously I leapt at the idea. The cookbook features 1,200 recipes from around the Land of Enchantment that are no longer in print.
The first recipe I chose to make was this delicious rolled up and stuffed enchilada style steak. It is titled El Torito (Stuffed Beef Rolls) and it is from Fiesta Fare, 1956.
I have updated the recipe for modern ease but the original is included in the pictures.
2 Pounds Sirloin Steak cut 1/4 inch thick
1 Laurel Leaf
1/4 Cup Red Wine
1 Large Carrot shaved with a peeler into long strips
1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce
1 Larger Dill Pickle sliced into small spears
1/4 Pound Mushrooms sliced
1 Green Bell Pepper julienned Peppers
2 Tbs Flour
Half Cup Flour with Salt & Pepper
Bacon Grease
Butter
3/4 Large Vidalia Onion julienned
1 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Flame Roasted & Chopped Green Chiles
4 Strips Bacon (I used my homemade smoked Green Chile Bacon)
1 Tsp Worcestershire
1 Tsp Liquid Smoke
1/4 Tsp Sweet Basil
1 Clove Garlic minced
Before I began the recipe I trimmed the steaks of any bands of fat which made them a little smaller than the original recipe may have envisioned but they worked perfect.
Now plop the Steaks into a bowl of Flour with Salt and Pepper and coat them completely. Knock off any excess Flour and set them on a large plate.
Then place the Bacon Strips, Pickle Spears, Carrot Shavings, julienned Bell Pepper, and julienned Sweet Onion onto one side of the Floured Steak before rolling them up like an enchilada. When they’re rolled, stake them with wooden toothpicks.
In a big metal bowl add the 2 Tbs Flour, Water, Red Wine, Worcestershire Sauce, Liquid Smoke, Tomato Sauce, Mushrooms, 1/4 Cup Green Chiles, and minced Garlic and whisk it all together. It should turn a nice pinkish color when the Flour’s mixed well. Drop in the Bay Leaf afterwards and set the bowl aside.
Add some Bacon Grease and Butter to a large dutch oven and turn it up to medium.
When the fat’s melted and popping, brown the rolled up & stuffed Steak enchiladas on all sides.
Once browned, pour in the Red Wine bowl over everything but not necessarily to cover the entire Steak enchiladas. Add more water if needed. They should be a little over halfway under the Red Wine mix.
Turn the eye down to simmer and put the lid on.
Wait around 15 minutes or so and flip the Steak enchiladas over to drown the other half. Replace the lid and wait around 15 minutes more.
When the steak’s are good and tender, take ‘em out, pull out the toothpicks, and serve ‘em good and hot with a delicious side like rice.
Original Recipe:
2 pounds Sirloin steak cut 1/4 inch thick
1 laurel leaf
1/4 cup burgundy wine
1 large carrot
1/2 cup tomato puree
1 larger dill pickie
1/4 lb. mushrooms, sliced
2 green peppers
2 tablespoons flour
1 large onion
1 cup water
4 strips bacon
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
1/4 teaspoons Sweet basil
1 clove garlic
Cut meat into four steaks, rub steaks well with flour, salt, pepper. Cut carrot, pickle, pepper, and onion, and bacon into four strips, and place on steaks and roll up enchilada fashion. Fasten with wooden picks or metal skewers. Brown beef rolls on all sides over medium heat in hot fat in large, heavy fryig pan with tight-fitting cover. Blend in flour, water, tomato puree, mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, wine, laurel, and garlic. Bring to boiling point, reduce heat, simmer 30 minutes or until meat is tender.
Place rolls on heated platter, remove picks or skewers, and serve piping hot.
