Argentine Asado

The asado is both the technique and the social event of the Argentine barbecue, a slow grilling of beef, pork, and sausages over a wood or charcoal fire, presided over by an asador, the designated cook who is responsible for the meat from the first lighting of the fire to the final cut. The tradition traces to the gauchos of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the nomadic horsemen and cattle herders of the Argentine pampas, who cooked their meat on metal crosses or makeshift grills over open fires on the plain. The asado became the defining ritual of Argentine social life, a weekly Sunday gathering of family and friends that can last for hours, and it remains the highest expression of Argentine hospitality. The meat is seasoned with nothing but coarse salt, and the cooking is slow, over low, steady heat, with the asador controlling the temperature by raising and lowering the grill or by moving the coals (Wikipedia — Asado; Wikipedia — Gaucho).

An asado is an event by definition, a gathering organized around the fire itself, and the asador is the host of the ritual. The meat is the centerpiece, and the long, social afternoon of cooking and eating together is the point.

Ingredients (serves 6): - 3 lb beef short ribs (asado de tira), cut across the bone into strips - 1 lb chorizo sausages - 1 lb morcilla (blood sausage) - 2 lb flank steak or skirt steak (vacío or entraña) - 1 whole sweetbread (molleja), optional - Coarse sea salt - Hardwood charcoal or quebracho wood - Chimichurri sauce (parsley, garlic, oregano, olive oil, red wine vinegar) - Salsa criolla (tomato, onion, bell pepper, vinegar) - Crusty bread and a mixed salad, for serving

Instructions: Build a fire with hardwood or charcoal and let it burn until the coals are glowing and white with ash; never cook over open flame. Spread the coals under one side of a parilla (grate grill) to create a two-zone fire, hot on one side, cooler on the other. Season all the meats generously with coarse salt just before grilling. Place the short ribs first, bone-side down, over the cooler side, and cook low and slow for about 1½ hours. Add the chorizo and morcilla after 30 minutes. Add the flank steak to the hotter side for the last 20 minutes, searing it quickly over higher heat. Turn the meats only once, when they release easily from the grate. Slice the short ribs between the bones and the steak across the grain, and serve on a large board with chimichurri and salsa criolla.

For a Crowd (serves 12): - 6 lb short ribs, 2 lb chorizo, 2 lb morcilla, 4 lb flank steak; build a larger fire. - The asado is self-pacing; bring meats to the table in waves as they finish.

Variations: - Asado al Asador (Cross Method): Splay a whole lamb or pig on a metal cross (asador) beside an upright fire, and cook it for 4 to 5 hours, turning occasionally. - Asado con Cuero (Whole Hide): Cook a side of beef, skin-on, over embers on the ground, a gaucho tradition from the pampas. - Parrilla Mixta: Add chicken thighs, provoleta (grilled provolone), and stuffed peppers for a mixed-grill version.

Pairing: An Argentine asado pairs with a bold, fruit-forward Malbec, the national wine of Argentina, or with a cold Quilmes lager. The chimichurri and salsa criolla are the traditional condiments, served alongside rather than on top of the meat. The sides are simple: crusty bread, a mixed green salad, and perhaps grilled provolone (provoleta) as a starter.

Reference Links: - Asado (Argentine barbecue, gaucho origins, parilla, asador): Wikipedia - Gaucho (history, pampas, cattle herders): Wikipedia

Pro Tips: The fire is everything; cook over embers, never over flame, and the coals are ready when they are covered in white ash and glow steadily. Season the meat with coarse salt only, and season it just before grilling, because salt draws out moisture if applied too early. Cook the short ribs bone-side down and low and slow; the bones insulate the meat and the marrow bastes it from within. Turn each piece only once, when it releases cleanly from the grate; if it sticks, it is not ready to turn. The asador does not eat until everyone else is served, and the ritual of the asado is as much about the long, social afternoon around the fire as it is about the meat. Have the chimichurri made ahead, because it is best after the flavors meld for a few hours.