Homemade meatballs, Patagonian style!
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 63.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 8,182 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Easy
- Elevation loss
- 8,547 ft
- Max elevation
- 2,027 ft
- TrailRank
- 33
- Min elevation
- 685 ft
- Trail type
- One Way
- Coordinates
- 2994
- Uploaded
- July 2, 2014
- Recorded
- July 2014
near Villa Cerro Castillo, Aisén (Chile)
Viewed 1075 times, downloaded 1 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
Meatballs are a typical Chilean dish, usually served with rice, potatoes or salad, but in the farmhouses of Aysén they are more than just tradition, they are one of the staples, served at least once or twice a month, whenever there is fresh beef available. The Patagonian touch? Without a doubt, it has to be the flavor, thanks to the farm-raised animals that graze on some of the freshest grasses and most pristine waters in the world.
Waypoints
Waypoint
687 ft
Bahía Murta
Bahía Murta (New Murta) is home to around 300 inhabitants and located only four Km from Hospedaje Patagonia, heading along Route X-731. When you reach town, look for the plaza and then head up the hill a few hundred meters to a great overlook that will provide you with the complete perspective; you’ll be able to distinguish the two Murtas and have a panoramic view of the lake and the mouths of the Engaño, Murta and Resbalón Rivers. The overlook is located after the second curve in the first meters of the climb of the road to Puerto Sanchez.
Wilderness hut
698 ft
Residencial Patagonia
Bahía Murta is an excellent spot to try this recipe! Known throughout the region as one of the best places to find fresh beef, Murta also is home for an expert in the preparation of Patagonian meatballs, Señora Clotilde Yáñez. You’ll find her in the Residencial Patagonia, at the junction of the Carretera Austral and Route X-731, the route to Bahía Murta – a peaceful village along the shores of General Carrera Lake. Señora Clotilde can tell you first-hand about this town and its historic struggles with Patagonia’s climate and rivers. There’s a happy ending and knowing the details makes it all the more fun to visit Bahía Murta, explore it’s beauty and nature, and treat yourself to some of the region’s most delicious, naturally-raised beef. Señora Clotilde is legendary for her excellent homemade recipes, and one of her most anticipated plates features her Patagonian meatballs. Her recipe has been handed down through her family, and she is graciously sharing it with you. Reservations: Señora Clotilde is owner of Residencial Patagonia, at the junction of the Carretera Austral and Route X-731, the route to Bahía Murta; (09) 87259186; cotimama@gmail.com.
Provisioning
698 ft
Recipe for Residencial Patagonia’s Homemade Meatballs (6 – 8 portions)
Step 1: Assemble your ingredients. There are at least 3 different butcher shops in the area of Bahía Murta where you can purchase locally-raised, fresh beef. All of the ingredients you can buy at the supermarket as well, but be careful, the ingredient selection could very well make the difference! For example, using fresh beef, natural oregano and farm fresh eggs are sure ways to add a special flavor to your dish. •1 kg of beef, preferably sirloin •2 farm eggs •1 clove garlic, minced •½ tablespoon cumin •½ tablespoon oregano •½ tablespoon salt •½ teaspoon ground black pepper •1 small onion, chopped •1 ½ cups of vegetable oil •1 cup of bread crumbs •½ cup of flour •1 cup of water •1 cup of tomato sauce Step 2: Prepare the meat. Chop the meat into small chunks and pass them through a meat grinder. Ideally, you should use a tender cut of meat, like sirloin, filet or rib eye. It should be purchased fresh and ground immediately. If you don’t have a meat grinder, choose you whole portions and then ask the butcher to grind them fresh. In a medium bowl, combine the ground meat, eggs and minced garlic. Add the spices (cumin, oregano, salt and black pepper), and the flour, which will give the meatballs their consistency. The measurements can be varied according to taste. Take care to mix the ingredients together well so that it is uniform and the eggs and spices are evenly distributed. Step 3: Hand-form the meatballs. With a large spoon, spoon out a portion of the meat and begin to form it into a ball until it becomes firm. Once it is ready, roll it through the breadcrumbs and set it on a tray. Repeat until you have used all of the meatball mixture. Step 4: Cook the meatballs. In a large pot, sauté the onions over a low flame, in a bit of vegetable oil (This pot will be used for the final cooking process). In another, more shallow saucepan, heat the rest of the oil in which you will brown the meatballs. Once the oil is hot, fry the meatballs for approximately five minutes, gently turning them periodically, until they are browned on all sides. Then, transfer the meatballs to the pot with the onions and top with 1 cup of water. Finish the cooking process, by covering your pot and simmering over a low flame for approximately 15 minutes. If you desire, you can serve the meatballs with a tomato sauce. Senora Clotilde recommends thinning a pre-made sauce with water and adding it to the pot for the last 15 minutes of the cooking process. In Patagonia, the traditional number of meatballs per plate in Patagonia is three, with a ladle of the sauce across the top and your choice of rice, potatoes and/or salad. Congrats on making your delicious Patagonian meatballs! Enjoy!
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