Asado Argentino Explained

An asado in Latin America is a happening. Friends and family gather around the grill, often for hours, to barbeque whole cuts of meat and enjoy the leisurely pace of an afternoon. And of course some vinito is usually involved!

Raising and grilling beef is important in many countries in the region, but nowhere more so than in Argentina. It’s no exaggeration to say that carne and asado are part of the national identity. There’s an old cliche about construction workers in Buenos Aires taking a lunch break to grill some beef on a metal rack set on top of two cinderblocks. Cliche, but it happens! And it encapsulates the universality of the love for asado in that country. 

It’s often the more humble cuts of beef that asadores cherish more than the refined luxury cuts you might have at a fancy steakhouse (more on that below). The more fat and marbling the better for slowly rendered flavor. The more texture in the cut of meat, the more skill on the parrilla is required. 

So, to backyard barbecue like a Latinoamericano, set aside a few hours to hang out with friends and stuff yourself full of food. Start by slicing some cheese and cured chorizo or salami (Catalonian fuet is common in South America) for snacking while the grill gets going. 

Later the asador serves some grilled chorizo and maybe morcilla while the larger cuts continue their slow roast over the coals. If you have some rolls or a soft baguette, slice the chorizo lengthwise, top it with chimichurri and serve in the bread for a simple but glorious choripan.

A key to South American asado is that whole cuts of meat rather than individual steaks are grilled and later sliced to serve at the table. Hardwood charcoal is often used in open-air parrillas with no top. This grill arrangement and the thick cuts of meat require a low-and-slow cooking technique rather than a quick char over blazing coals. Let the charcoal burn down to grey embers, and restock them if the heat gets too low. 

The skillful asador will produce whole steaks that are nicely charred and smoky on the outside while tender and delicious on the inside. It’s totally possible to achieve the same results with a gas grill or a kettle-like Weber, as long as you have some patience and stick to low and slow.

We’ve selected three cuts of beef for our online store that we think typify a great South American barbecue.

Tira de Asado. The most iconic cut of the Argentinian asado, usually referred to simply as asado. It’s a strip (tira) cut across the bone with lots of fat and marbling that melts into deliciousness as you grill it. The long, tough fibers of the rib meat are shortened by the cross cut and interspersed with nubs of bone, making it more suitable for the grill. Carnicerías will cut the strip in varying degrees of thickness, often asking the customer how they want it. 

We’ve sourced a strip on the thicker side for you, about an inch and a half wide. Salt is really the only seasoning you need here, but of course some chimichurri after grilling can’t hurt. Tira de asado can serve as a main or as another entrada -  once it’s done slice it into pieces leaving a bone nub in each piece. You can then hold it by the bone and nibble on the meat. Try to grill it to medium with a nice char yet still tender. Too rare and it will be too fibrous; too well done and it’s too tough.

Vacío is essential for an asado in many parts of South America. In the US it’s known as Bavette, or bottom sirloin flap meat, a long thick piece with lots of marbling and an intense beefy flavor. It is essentially the belly of the cow.  In Argentina an asador will often buy the entire vacio to grill, which can mean four to five pounds of meat. At our online store we’ve made available for you a smaller though still plentiful piece that’s about 1.5-2 pounds. This will be enough for two people and a good amount of leftovers. 

Again, low and slow grilling here will get you a flavorful and tender steak that you should slice across the grain to serve to guests. Be careful not to overcook it though, as the fibers in the meat can get stringy and tough.

Picanha. Because of the popularity of Brazilian steakhouses in recent years, this cut is starting to appear in US butcher shops. It’s known as coulotte or top sirloin cap, although butchers here usually divide into other cuts like rump. Picanha is a large 3-4 pound, triangular cut of mostly lean meat with a thick layer of fat on top. As the beef cooks the fat melts into the meat and provides tons of flavor.

At a Brazilian churrascaria, picanha is sliced into individual steaks about 2-3 inches thick that are folded in half and skewered before hitting the grill. Picanha is also popular in Uruguay, where it’s grilled in one large piece and sliced to serve in the same way as vacío. You can start grilling with the fat side down (be careful of grease flareups) until you get a nice char and then rotate until you get your desired doneness.