Uruguay's mighty chivito: a loaded steak sandwich in a homemade brioche bun with ham, cheese, bacon, fried egg, salad and chimichurri. A glorious mouthful.
Uruguay's famous steak sandwich is a tall stack of thin steak, ham, bacon, melting cheese and a fried egg, all loaded into a soft homemade brioche bun. It's generous, indulgent and gloriously messy to eat. There's a fair bit of building involved, but none of it is difficult, and the result is a proper occasion.
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Prep 40 min
Cook 30 min
Total 120 min
Hard
Scale:
- 80g Milk
- 60g Butter
- 1 tablespoon Molasses
- 220g Water
- 9 Egg
- 500g Bread Flour
- 10g Salt
- 10g Yeast
- Splash Egg Wash
- Sprinkling Sesame Seed
- 4 Onion
- 8 Sirloin Steak
- To serve Garlic
- 8 Bacon
- 8 slices Ham
- 8 slices Mozzarella
- 4 Tomato
- 1/4 Lettuce
- To serve Mustard
- To serve Chimichurri Sauce
Preparation
- For the brioche buns, heat the milk with the butter and molasses until the butter melts, then add the cold water and egg.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt and yeast, then add the milk mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until combined, with no kneading needed. Cover with a damp towel and refrigerate overnight.
- The next morning, knead the dough briefly on a generously floured surface, cut into eight equal pieces, shape into balls, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover again and leave to rise for about an hour, until doubled.
- Heat the oven to 220°C. Brush the buns with milk, cream or egg wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds if you like, and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden, then leave to cool.
- For the toppings, chop the onions and sauté in a little butter until caramelised, 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Rub the steaks with garlic, then grill or fry the steaks, bacon and eggs, seasoning with salt and pepper, and toast the halved buns.
- Spread mustard on one bun half, then layer each chivito with steak, a slice of ham, a slice of cheese, a strip of bacon, a tomato slice and some lettuce. Top with a fried egg, sprinkle generously with chimichurri and the caramelised onions, and serve immediately.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Make the brioche dough the day before and prove it slowly overnight for the softest buns.
- Pound the steak thin and cook it fast over high heat to keep it tender.
- Take your time caramelising the onions for real sweet, savoury depth.
- Stack it tall and serve it straight away, while the cheese is still melting.
Frequently Asked Questions
The chivito is famously loaded with steak, ham, bacon, cheese, egg and salad. Piling it high is the whole point.
Yes. Soft brioche or a sturdy roll works fine. Homemade just makes it that bit more special.
A zingy Argentine and Uruguayan herb sauce of parsley, garlic, oil and vinegar that cuts through the richness.
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