Galician Style Txuletón / Heritage Meat

The exterior is aggressively caramelised. Maillard reaction is the key. The inside is cooked rare to medium-rare. The bone contributes flavour, the fat renders into the meat, and the combination of intense crust, mature beef flavour and richness is spectacular.

Salt. Heat. Beef. That's about it.

It’s a cut that some people find intimidating, but I assure you, it’s an easier cut to cook than an eye fillet. I’ve suggested two methods in our recipe of the week, either will work sensationally!

 

RECIPE OF THE WEEK.

 

Two methods of cooking a Galician style Txuletón. The first simply requires the barbecue, a little confidence, and is truly authentic.

The second method, the reverse sear is perfect if you are not quite so confident, but the end product should match the barbecue method.

The key to both is the Maillard reaction, the development of crust, and the flavour profile that this will create.

 

1. Galician Txuletón – Barbecue Only

This is probably my favourite way to cook it.

No oven. No pan. Just beef and fire.

Ingredients

• 1 large Txuletón, ideally 1–1.5kg and 50–70mm thick
• Fine Sea salt
• Coarse sea salt
• 1 Cup of love

Method

Take the steak from the refrigerator about an hour before cooking and pat it completely dry.

Prepare your barbecue for two zones:

• One side extremely hot
• One side with gentler indirect heat

Season the steak generously with fine salt.

Start the steak over the indirect side, lid closed, allowing it to slowly warm through until the internal temperature reaches approximately 40°C.

Now move it directly over the hottest part of the barbecue.

Grill hard, turning every minute or so, until you have developed a deep, heavily caramelised crust on both sides. Don't forget the fat edge.

Remove at approximately:

• 44°C for rare
• 50°C for medium-rare

Rest for 8–10 minutes. Remember that the internal temperature will increase over the resting time, coming up to around 48°C (rare), and 54°C (medium rare)

Carve the meat from the bone, slice generously and finish with flaky salt.

 

2. Reverse-Seared Galician-Style Txuletón

The method I would use when you want absolute control over the internal temperature.

Ingredients

• 1 large Txuletón, ideally 1–1.5kg and 50–70mm thick
• Sea salt
• 1 tbsp beef tallow or a high smoke point oil (Rice bran or Canola)
• 1 Cup of love

Method

Take the steak from the refrigerator approximately 45–60 minutes before cooking and pat it thoroughly dry. Season generously with fine salt.

Heat your oven to 110°C.

Place the steak on a rack over a tray and cook until the centre reaches approximately:

• 44°C for rare
• 50°C for medium-rare

For a substantial steak, this will generally take around 40–60 minutes, but use temperature rather than time. Remember that the internal temperature will increase over the resting time, coming up to around 48°C (rare), and 54°C (medium rare)

Remove the steak and rest it for 10 minutes while you get a heavy pan or barbecue hot.

Add a little beef tallow or oil and sear the steak aggressively on all sides, including the fat edge and bone. You want a deep, dark crust, not a pale brown one.

Rest for another 5–10 minutes, remember that the internal temperature will increase over the resting time, coming up to around 48°C (rare), and 54°C (medium rare)

Carve the meat from the bone and slice it thickly across the grain, and finish with a little flaky sea salt.

The key: the reverse sear gives you an exceptionally even interior while the final blast of heat creates the crust and Maillard reaction that makes this cut so special.