Historic Asado: 19th Century, Argentina
The story of the Argentine Asado has elements that echo throughout all cultures. Truly, no matter where you go in the world, you will find some form of slow cooked, fire roasted food that pulls people together. However, it shares a ton of common ground with Barbecue in the US with the focus on beef, the Cowboy spirit, and smoke flavor.
Until the 1800s, wild cattle roamed the Pampa region of Argentina. “Gauchos” roamed with them. Independent, hard nosed dudes who have a particularly prominent role in Argentine folklore (sounds familiar, right?), Gauchos would cook whole cattle on a large metal skewer. They’d do so very close to low burning embers, usually from the quebracho tree. To this day, charcoal in Argentina often comes from quebracho. Very much like US barbecue, an expert Asador learns to cook with wood instead of relying on bagged charcoal. This skill shows next level experience and produces deeper smoke flavor that permeates the meat.
The word “asar” roughly translates to “to roast,” but an Argentine Asado is far from just people cooking. The closest comparison in the US would be traditional Barbecue as practiced in places like Texas and the Carolinas. There, you have Pitmasters, seasoned cooks that have their own styles, flavor combinations, tools, and techniques. At the core, though, the point is to cook the meat slowly to break down the marbling and unleash the unique and wonderful flavors of the chosen cut of meat.
Like a Barbecue, the food may be the centerpiece, but the real star is friends and family. The Asador - the Argentine equivalent of a Pitmaster - has to provide deliciously prepared meats, sides, and appetizers, along with plenty of wine and beer. They also have to make sure to get guests laughing while they do it!
Using wood smoke to flavor meat, especially brisket in Texas or whole hog in the Carolinas, is a central component to true Barbecue. Quebracho wood most closely resembles white oak in both flavor and hardness. The name literally translates to “axe-breaker!” This is why it works so well with beef!
If you like to backyard smoke and want to mix in some Argentine flavor and techniques, check out our Asado Bundle, which includes everything down to the right beer to drink! The meat cut, called “Tira de Asado,” resembles short ribs. It’s best prepared on a wood or charcoal grill with the coals off to one side. Place a couple of chunks of oak - to get as close to the flavor of quebracho, for authenticity - in the middle of the coals. Use more than normal, as you want a little extra heat with the lid off, and the open air means they’ll burn faster. They will flare up from time to time. Just make sure the flames can’t reach the meat!
Season the meat simply. Add a generous amount of the Dos Anclas grilling salt that comes in the bundle, and a small amount of roughly ground black pepper. Place the cut about 3 to 4 inches away from where the coals end with the ribs facing in. The ribs help protect the meat so you get a slow cook. Listen for a constant sizzle, and look for slow charring.
After about 45 mins to an hour, check the meat to see how it’s progressing. If you have a good char, then flip it to cook the other side. Adjust for how the fire’s doing, and the fact that you don’t have the ribs protecting the meat anymore. Trust your gut. Other than that, leave it be!
The meat will likely be done after around 2 hours of total cooking time. Look for a nice char all over, and medium well done meat. The result in flavor is astounding, and the texture is out of this world! The collagen and fat render, leaving you with a super tender, juicy, extremely beefy delight that you’ll need to wash down with the Malbec-Syrah blend that comes with the bundle!
Serve with Chimichurri sauce (in the bundle!), and summer squash rubbed in olive oil, salt, and merquen (a Chilean spice you need to try!) that you quickly grill up over the hot side of the grill right before plating. You can also throw a halved sweet potato or two just a little off the coals while you cook the meat to round out your meal!