Stuffed Roast Beef Mariposa

This week, I’m happy to post Stuffed Roast Beef Mariposa, my version of an easy (but delicious) stuffed roast. “Mariposa” being the very beautiful Spanish word for butterfly, the name derives from the preparation method, which includes butterflying your roast and filling it with a mix of peppers, onions, garlic and bacon. If you’ve never butterflied a roast before, fear not: an explanation, included photos, is included. (As an added bonus, I’ve also included a tutorial video for tying a “butcher’s knot” when you tie up the roast before placing it in the oven.)

In the photo above, you’ll see I served the roast with honey slaw and corn on the cob with herbed butter substitute. (To make herbed butter, simply combine ¼ cup of butter substitute (or, if you prefer, butter) with ½ tablespoon of your favorite dried herb.)

This recipe is used a 2-1/2 pound roast and makes 5 – 6 servings.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Butterfly your roast as follows:

• Place the roast on a cutting surface.

• About 1/3 of the way from the top, form a flap by making a cut from right to left, but stop when you have about 1/2” left.

• Turn the roast over and around so that the uncut 2/3 is on top and the cut 1/3 is on the bottom. The uncut part of the first cut should now be on the lower left side of the roast. About 1/3 down from what is now the top of the roast, form another flap by making a cut similar to the first one, stopping when about ½” is left uncut.

• Open the two flaps like the pages of a book and even out the surface of the roast by pounding the uncut “hinges” with the heel of your hand.

In a sauté pan, make the filling by combining 5 cloves garlic, minced; 1-1/2 cup diced peppers (multi-color); 2 ounces diced turkey bacon, and ½ cup diced sweet onion and sautéing the mixture until it is tender but not soft. (It’s going to cook more in the oven later.)

Spread the filling evenly over the butterflied roast.

Roll up the roast as tight as possible. (If any filling falls out – and I tend to overstuff things anyway, so some filling probably will come out - it’s ok; you can save any extra filling and use it to top the beef when you’re serving it later.)

Using kitchen twine, tie the roast at about 2” intervals to hold it closed. You can use any knot that works for you, but many professionals use a “butcher’s knot.” Don’t know how to tie a butcher’s knot? Here’s a tutorial to show you how easy it is. (The total run time is a little over 4 minutes.)

Grind 1 teaspoon each of dried rosemary, dried oregano, dried thyme, and dried red pepper flakes, along with ½ teaspoon of kosher salt in a spice grinder. (If you don’t have a spice grinder, it’s easy to make one from a small, inexpensive electric coffee grinder. First, get a small, inexpensive electric coffee grinder. Then, get a Sharpie or other permanent black marker. Use the Sharpie to cross out the word “coffee” on the box the grinder came in, and write in the word “spice” just above it. You’ve now made your own spice grinder. Just remember to put the cover back on the marker when you’re finished.) Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the ground spices to form a wet rub paste.

Apply the wet rub paste over the entire surface of the tied roast, including the bottom. Place the beef in a roasting pan, and put in the oven till it is the desired doneness. (The internal temperature should be 150 degrees for medium rare, 160 degrees for medium, or 165 degrees for medium-well.) I have found a remote reading thermometer, the kind in which the probe stays in the meat while it roasts, and the temperature reads out on the part that attaches to the outside of the oven, to be invaluable for cooking to the proper doneness, but any method that works for you is ok too.

After the desired internal temperature has been reached, remove the roast from the oven and let it rest on a cutting surface for about 20 minutes, and then cut it into 1-1/2” thick pieces and serve topped with gravy, sauce, etc.

You’re now all set to serve a delicious meal that work equally well hot, warm or cold. Not to mention to impress your guests with your butterflying and knot tying skills!

As always, if you prefer a cookbook style, notebook-ready version of this or any other recipe from the Kissing the Cook site, just say the word, send me your e-mail address, and it will be yours.

See you next week! Till then, stay well, keep it about the food, practice those knots, and always remember to kiss the cook. ;-)