Argentine Vitel Toné — Homemade Beef with Tonnato Sauce

Versión en Español

Argentine vitel toné is beef eye of round simmered gently with onion, carrot, and bay leaf for 80 to 90 minutes, cooled, sliced thin, and covered with a tonnato sauce of olive oil tuna, anchovies, mayonnaise, cream, lemon juice, and white pepper, garnished with capers, hard boiled egg, and parsley and chilled for 4 hours. It takes 45 minutes of preparation and 90 minutes of cooking, plus chilling, and serves 8.

A Christmas classic in Argentina, born from the Italian vitello tonnato and now a summer holiday staple in the Southern Hemisphere.

How to Make Argentine Vitel Toné?

It is a cold dish: the beef is poached and chilled, sliced, and covered with a creamy tuna sauce, then rested so the flavors meld.

Nutritional Information

Each serving of vitel toné contains approximately 400 kcal, 6 g of carbohydrates, 30 g of fat, 25 g of protein, 1 g of fiber, 2 g of sugars, 75 mg of cholesterol, and 550 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

Homemade Argentine Vitel Toné Recipe

Preparation: 45 minutes (plus 4 hours chilling)
Cooking: 90 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

Beef

• 2 kg of beef eye of round (posta negra)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• Coarse salt
• Black pepper

Tonnato sauce

• 2 cans of tuna in olive oil
• 1 cup of homemade mayonnaise
• 4 anchovies
• ½ cup of heavy cream
• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons of capers
• White pepper
• Hard boiled eggs
• Chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Choose a very good, evenly shaped eye of round. Season it generously with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. Place the beef in a large pot with cold water, the onion, carrot, and bay leaves. Cook over medium low heat for 80 to 90 minutes without letting the water boil. Remove the beef and let it cool completely.

3. Slice the beef thinly and evenly with a sharp knife. For the sauce, blend the tuna in olive oil with the anchovies, mayonnaise, cream, lemon juice, and white pepper until creamy.

4. Cover each slice of beef with the tonnato sauce and garnish with capers, sliced hard boiled egg, and chopped parsley. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours so the flavors meld.

Additional Tips

Cool it in the broth

Let the beef cool in its cooking liquid so it stays juicy and absorbs the aromatics.

Strain the sauce

Pass the sauce through a fine sieve for a silky texture without fibers from the tuna or anchovies.

Make it ahead

It is even better the next day, so prepare it ahead for holidays.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How do I store vitel toné?

Refrigerated and tightly covered, and eaten within 3 to 4 days.

2. Are anchovies essential?

Yes, their salty umami defines the sauce, though you can use fewer.

3. Can I freeze the cooked beef?

Yes, but the tonnato sauce does not freeze well. Freeze the beef and make the sauce fresh.

4. Can I replace the mayonnaise?

Use sour cream with a spoonful of Dijon mustard for a lighter, tangier sauce.

History of Vitel Toné

Vitel toné arrived in Argentina with Italian immigrants from Piedmont in the late 19th century. The original vitello tonnato was cold veal with tuna sauce, adapted to local ingredients.

Did You Know?

Vitel toné is traditionally served on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, which fall in summer in the Southern Hemisphere, making it a perfect cold alternative to heavy winter dishes.

Recommended

• Tuna Antipasto Recipe
• Tongue in Vinaigrette Recipe
• Chilean Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe
• Chilean Colegial Bread Pudding Recipe