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Puerto Rican Sofrito Chuck Steak – A Meat Lover’s Delight

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Chuck steak at it's finest! This slow cooking chuck steak emboldened with the flavors of Puerto Rico Sofrito will soon become a family favorite. Created by HybridRastaMama.com.

I’m always looking at improving what I cook and how I cook it. In some cases, there are only so many ways you can do things…like scrambled eggs. That’s a pretty cut and dry cooking technique. However, other foods, like beef for example, have unlimited options when it comes to creating culinary masterpieces.

With beef you can grill it, roast it, pan fry it, slow cook it, sear it, broil it, smoke it, boil it, and so on. Different cuts turn out better if prepared in certain ways but in general, you can pretty much cook beef however you please.

Earlier this year I invested in a side of beef. It filled my entire upright freezer. I stared at some of the cuts wondering how I would prepare them. I typically stuck to cuts I knew and loved so I was really in for an adventure with various roasts and steaks which I knew nothing about.

Things were going well in the beef preparation department until I got to the chuck steaks. They were thin cuts so I figured pan frying would be ideal. Nope – the meat turned out tough even though I only cooked it to rare. Same thing on the grill. And when it was smoked. And when I tried slow cooking the steaks. That darn chuck steak was determined to make me loose some teeth in it! I never once made it through an entire steak because my jaw started hurting.

I had 20 pounds of chuck steak and another 15 pounds in chuck roasts. I just knew I HAD to do something with them, but what?

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Enter, the Sous Vide.

What? You have no clue what I am referring to? Well, neither did I just a few short months ago. While I had heard of the technique, I didn’t know that this was the official name of a cooking method basically involving an extended water bath for foods.

Sous vide (pronounced soo-veed) is a French phrase that is often translated as “under vacuum.” Essentially, you are cooking food in vacuum-sealed pouches, submerged in a water bath held at a precisely controlled temperature. The end result? Perfectly cooked food. And yes, it really is that simple.

In fact, there are only four steps to achieving some of the best food you have ever made and eaten. You season your meal, you seal it up, you submerge and simmer it in the water bath, and you serve it.

Some dishes are slightly more complicated than that. Some meats requiring pan searing at the end to brown them. Some recipes require a bit of work on the front end to create a sauce or marinade. But in general, there is only about 30 minutes of hands on work.

Puerto Rican “Sofrito” Chuck Steak

Ok – onto this recipe. I think you will love it, especially because you can pretty much use any cut of beef for this. However, I chose to use chuck steak since it is a tougher piece of meat that can benefit from sloooooooow cooking.

My Puerto Rican Sofrito Chuck Steak turned out divine! See that picture up there? Talk about TENDER chuck steak. My word! It was melt in your mouth. I have never had that with a chuck steak before.

Sofrito is simply a bold Puerto Rican seasoning blend. Once you have it, you won’t forget it. It is very flavorful but not overpowering. It won’t burn your insides either. 🙂

So let’s get to making this tasty Puerto Rican Sofrito Chuck Steak shall we?

Puerto Rican “Sofrito” Chuck Steak

Puerto Rican “Sofrito” Chuck Steak

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 day
Total Time: 1 day 45 minutes

Chuck steak and it's finest! This slow cooking chuck steak emboldened with the flavors of Puerto Rico will soon become a family favorite.

Ingredients

  • 2-3 pounds of chuck steak either in roast form or in 2-3 individual steaks
  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 1 large green bell pepper
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 1 head of garlic
  • 20 recao leaves (optional since they can be hard to find. Most Latin and Asian markets carry them though.)
  • 1 bunch of cilantro
  • 1/2 cup olive oil or coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt (I love this one
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Juice of one lemon

Instructions

Sofrito Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Slice the peppers into four parts. If using the aji dulce peppers, cut them in half.
  3. Peel and slice the onion into 8 parts.
  4. Peel and pull apart the garlic.
  5. Place peppers, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
  7. Chop up the recao leaves and cilantro.
  8. Place ALL of the sofrito ingredients in a food processor or high powered blender and process until it looks like chunky salsa.

Puerto Rican Sofrito Chuck Steak Directions:

  1. Rinse your chuck steaks or chuck roast under cool water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Using a sharp tipped knife, make about a dozen tiny little punctures in the roast/steaks. You do not want a through-and-through puncture. Just barely nick the meat.
  3. Rub both sides of the meat with the sofrito mixture, using about 1/4 cup per pound of meat.
  4. Vacuum seal as per the directions on the Sous Vide vacuum sealer.
  5. Set your Sous Vide to 138 degrees F.
  6. Once the water has heated, place the roast/steaks in the Sous Vide. Let them have a nice water bath for 24-48 hours. I typically take mine out around the 36 hour mark.
  7. You can pan sear or quickly (1 minute per side) grill the steaks to get that nice “steak” color. This isn’t mandatory but most people aren’t used to the pink steak color.

Notes

Please note that this is the family friendly version. I left out the super-hot, fire in your mouth Aji dulce peppers. If you would like to use them and increase the heat, go right on ahead. This recipe makes enough sofrito for about 6-8 pounds of meat. I freeze the leftovers to use later.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1/2 pound
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 876Total Fat: 62gSaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 36gCholesterol: 256mgSodium: 956mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 74g

This nutritional information was auto-generated based on serving size, number of servings, and typical information for the ingredients listed. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

© Jennifer
Cuisine: Latin-American / Category: Main Course Recipes

Chuck steak at it's finest! This slow cooking chuck steak emboldened with the flavors of Puerto Rico Sofrito will soon become a family favorite. Created by HybridRastaMama.com.

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Comments

  4. I would love to win the dehydrator. It is something that would save me so much time and would definitely save money!

    Reply

  7. I’ve heard of sousvide cooking for quite a while now, but thought it was just for the commercial foodie kitchen. Thank you for making it so approachable with your great explanation!

    Reply

  10. From a person that either burns or undercooks her meat, the SousVide looks like a dream to use…along with that recipe. My neighbor is from Guyana and uses something similar on all her meat to marinate, very similar ingredients and she always gives me a jar to keep in the fridge, I use it on everything from chicken to steak before cooking.

    Reply

  16. The sousvide seems really interesting, but out of reach financially, so I’d love to win that. The dehydrator would be great too.

    Reply

  19. Any one of these would be put to good use at my house, my kitchen tools are woefully lacking and I’m really getting into gardening so I need all the help I can get.

    Reply

  22. I would love the cheesemaker. I have been making soft cheeses for the past six months and I want to try my hand at harder cheeses such as cheddar.

    Reply

  24. When I told my chef husband about this giveaway I was entering he was most excited about this part! This is probably the best giveaway I’ve seen ever – first: the products are awesome, second: I’m finding new websites with amazing resources that I didn’t know about before!! Thanks

    Reply

  25. The recipe sounds amazing!! Thank you for such a great giveaway, if I had to choose out of the amazing products, I’d like the Culturing kit.

    Reply

  26. Hmmm, the blender was my first choice, but you have really made me want to try one of these!!! We have Jersey cows, and the baby boys we have we put in our freezer…and since they are grass fed, I’d LOVE to find new ways to cook the meat, cause it can sometimes be a bit tough…unless I cook it to death in liquid, and there is only so many different ways I can think of to fix the meat that way. LOL Will have to look into this more! :-))

    Reply

  29. l would prefer The Kitchen Culturing Package! I make butter and have many times wished for a mold, I have tried to make homemade vinegar, and am getting discouraged with my cheese-making abilities. This Giveaway is exciting!

    Reply

  32. Would love to win the Blentec for it’s awesome abilities! Of course any of the other gifts would be GREAT too!

    Reply

  34. Decisions, decisions… it is hard to decide! The Excalibor Dehydrator would be awesome to have, but I’d be extremely happy with any of them!

    Reply

  35. Thank you for sponsoring the giveaway and your review of the SousVide. I especially like your use of sofrito, which is a staple for many of the recipes we use.

    Reply

  36. I would love to win the Blendtec or the Kitchen Culturing Package because I have never had a good blender that will do what I need it to do, and I’ve always wanted to do culturing but have been too chicken to try it.

    Reply

  37. Thanks for participating in this giveaway. I’m hoping to win the Culturing package! Something very similar is already on my Christmas list, but I’m not sure how my (non-alternative) family will view it. Thanks!

    Reply

  40. Thanks for the giveaway! I’d never heard of this product before and your recipe sounds great. If I had to choose a product I’d pick the Blendtec.

    Reply

  41. Lusting after the Blentec – I had the chance at tasting food done up in a Vitamix, it was so smooth and creamy! I can’t wait to get one of these tools in my kitchen. Also the dehydrator – I used to do my on WAP Crispy Nuts but have stopped since it takes up so much time and space in the oven. I’d love to get back to them with the dehydrator I used to do my on WAP Crispy Nuts but have stopped since it takes up so much time and space in the oven. I’d love to get back to them with the dehydrator. All the others – yes please! Give me tools to assist my healthy lifestyle!

    Reply

  45. I have a Vitamix and HATE it! I have always wanted a Blendtec, but we invested so much money in the VitaMix that we can justify the cost of a new machine. I am a personal trainer and always encourage my clients to eat healthier and I would love to have the Blendtec to experiment with new recipes to share with them.

    Reply

  47. Thank you for this generous giveaway. It is hard to choose between the Blendtek, SousVide and Excalibur. While I’m studying (and fascinated by) sous vide, and have long wanted an Excalibur dehydrator, I think that Blendtek is my first choice. Smoothies, creamy, dairy-free soups and nut butters are why. 🙂

    Reply

  49. That steak sounds fantastic. I am so fascinated by the idea of this cooking method and I really want to get into it. Thanks for explaining so much about it.

    Reply

  50. My top choice is the culturing set, but I sure wouldn’t cry if I won a SousVide! I don’t cook much meat at home because I’m not very good at it. That would change if I had a SousVide.

    Reply

  52. I would be grateful if I won any one of the items you are giving away, but if I could choose one I would choose the SousVide Supreme Demi Promo Pack. I would choose this for two reasons: the first is I have always wanted a vacuum sealer to help preserve and package food. The second is I’ve never even heard of the SousVide Supreme oven but after reading through your blog about it, I would love it even more. My husband likes a steak cooked to perfection and if this oven can do it…I’m in. Thank you for the offer and chance to win. ~blessings

    Reply

  55. Visiting from Common Sense Homesteading to comment. This is the second review I’ve read of the Sous Vide but I do not have room for one more appliance.

    Reply

  56. I thought that the dehydrator was my first choice, but now I think that the sous vide sounds amazing. Thanks for sponsoring such a great giveaway.

    Reply

  58. Thanks for saying that the SousVide does not contain BPA and are phthalate free. Looks like a great system, but I was worried about the plastic. Thank you!

    Reply

  59. Thank you so much for this opportunity to win some awesome kitchen appliances!
    while I find the SousVide interesting, I would really love to win the culturing kit! I am trying to add more fermented foods to my diet, but getting all the equipment to do so is costly. This would be perfect!

    Reply

  60. I’d love the dehydrator. Or the blendtec. Or the culturing kit. Or… I’d be excited to win any one of them, truthfully.

    Reply

  61. I am absolutely fascinated by this. I have always thought of Sous Vide as something that only happens on those cooking shows like Iron Chef… The notion of trying it myself has me quite intrigued now. Thanks for sharing your experiences, and for hosting the giveaway!

    Reply

  62. That recipe sounds so good. I would love to win the SousVide Supreme Demi. When my son was in school to be chef we had food cooked like that once, it is so tasty and amazing. Yummy

    Reply

  63. I have never heard of the SousVide Supreme before.Thanks for a really good explanation of the product. I would not mind winning it now that I know what it is.

    Reply

  67. I love this giveaway that all of you ladies are doing for others. I am having a hard time choosing which is the one I really want, but it comes down to the dehydrator and the culturing package. What a blessing it would be on this journey my family has delved into, on eating right. This would surely be a great blessing! Thank you again!

    Reply

  68. Wow, that recipe sounds delicious! What a fascinating way to cook one’s meat. Definitely solves the dry / tough meat issue. I just saw a roast with marinade cooked like this and it just fell apart. Deeelish….

    Reply

  69. This is an awesome review of this water bath cooking method. I have not ever seen this. I must be living in a cave! I have cooked Chuck Steak for years and had great dinners with steaks cut at 2 inches thick. As for the chuck roast sometimes I will marinade them over night and grill them. I generally cook with natural charcoals in a Big Green Egg. Big roast will often be cooked in a cast iron camp dutch oven. They come out almost melt in your mouth tender. Never stop learning new ways to cook.

    Reply

  70. Okay, well if I have to choose just one to be really excited about, I would have to go with the Blendtec blender because we are smoothie people and I use my blender for making dressings, salsa, pretty much anything. But I have always wanted to try dehydrating my own fruits and vegetables. I have heard great things about the Excalibur, but haven’t had the opportunity to splurge on one yet.

    Reply

  72. They are all great prizes, but I think I would like the Traditional Kitchen Culturing Package the most. I have been reading up on home fermenting and want to try it. This package would help with that and you get the added bonus of culturing butter AND cheese making! That’s totally cool!!!

    Reply

  75. I would never have known what a Sous Vide was without this post!
    I’m intrigued, but I doubt it would be large enough to accommodate cuts of meat large enough to serve my large family.
    Such a hard choice between such fantastic prizes! I’d select the fermenting/culturing package as my top choice, with the Blendtec or Excalibur as runners up. I’m really pursuing more cultured veggies in our diets these days.

    Reply

  76. I would love to win the Sous Vide, the dehydrator, the fermentation package or the teak package. We already own a Vitamix 🙂 GREAT giveaway! THANKS 🙂

    Reply

  80. I need to chose only one item? I guess that would be the sealer. I have been wanting one for awhile and I think I would get the most benefit from one of those.

    Reply

  81. The Excalibur dehydrator would be my choice. I love dehydrated foods but would like an alternative to making them in my oven.

    Reply

  82. I would love any one of these but the dehydrator would be my first choice.
    Thank you for your very informative blog and recipes. I am new at this and tannin it in as fast as I can.

    Reply

  89. Thank you, Jennifer, for sponsoring this wonderful giveaway. I appreciate all the hard work you put into researching healthy, holistic living and sharing with us recipes and other information. Any of these appliances would be a great addition to my kitchen, however the culturing package would be a most helpful tool for making cultured foods for a healthy gut and body. Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply

  90. Hey! What would I love to win? Besides everything? The.most awesome would be the cutting board and wax, I’d think. Cutting/chopping/hacking-in-a-theraputic-manner… What could be more relaxing??! Thanks much for the give – away and so many opportunities to enter!

    Reply

  91. Your steak recipe sounds so awesome that I am going to try it out on my family. I love all of the spices in this recipe which really add to the flavor.

    Reply

  92. To be honest, I would love any of the gifts offered in this giveaway. I would really be excited to try the SousVide Supreme Demi Promo Pack to save money, time and make some great meals.

    Reply

  93. Awesome giveaway!! I love all the products, but to chose one..would have to be the dehydrator!! Thank you so much for this opportunity!! Love the recipes too..YUM!

    Reply

  99. Would love to win the Blendtec for smoothies…or the culturing kit…or the cutting board…or any of the above, really! Thanks for co-sponsoring such a great giveaway!

    Reply

  100. I would love to win the Excalibur 2500ECB 5-Tray Economy Dehydrator because I would love to be in control of the snacks that I eat.

    Reply

  103. It’s hard to believe there are still things I need in my kitchen. I already have so many appliances but I don’t have any in the giveaway. i would love them all but am especially interested in the sous vide and I’d love a better blender.

    Reply

  104. What an amazing prize package. I guess with the soups vide cooking I would have to plan ahead a little more, 36 hours is a long cooking time!

    Reply

  105. I would love any and all of them, they are wonderful prizes, but my pick would be either the Sous Vide or the culturing package. Those would both make great additions to my kitchen.

    Reply

  107. I would love to win a Blentec to make my daily smoothies, soups, cakes, dressings and just be happy to be an owner ;))

    Reply

  113. I would most like to win the SousVide Supreme Demi Promo pack! It looks like a really easy, nutritious, fun way to cook! 🙂

    Reply

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