How to Make Argentine Asado with Chimichurri — The Pampas Gaucho Tradition

Overview

This video details how to prepare an authentic Argentine Asado, following traditional Pampas gaucho methods. It covers essential techniques for fire management using hardwood embers, the precise order and cooking times for various beef cuts seasoned solely with sal gruesa, and the non-negotiable recipe for classic chimichurri.

Ingredients

• Hardwood (quebracho, oak, or hickory)
• 26 pounds assorted beef cuts (chorizos, morcillas, mollejas, chinchulines, tira de asado, vacío, bife de chorizo)
• 26 tablespoons sal gruesa (coarse rock salt)
• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (for chimichurri)
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced (for chimichurri)
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano (for chimichurri)
• 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes (for chimichurri)
• 0.5 teaspoon coarse salt (for chimichurri)
• 0.25 cup red wine vinegar (for chimichurri)
• 0.5 cup extra-virgin olive oil (for chimichurri)
• 1 ripe tomato, finely diced (for salsa criolla)
• 0.5 red onion, finely diced (for salsa criolla)
• 0.5 red bell pepper, finely diced (for salsa criolla)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (for salsa criolla)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (for salsa criolla)
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (for salsa criolla)
• 0.5 teaspoon salt (for salsa criolla)
• Fresh black pepper (for salsa criolla, to taste at table)
• Crusty pan francés (French-style baguette)
• Malbec wine from Mendoza

Instructions

1. Burn hardwood down to red-glowing embers for at least 45 minutes, ensuring coals sit under one half of the parrilla.
2. Position the parrilla grate 30 to 40 centimeters above the embers, ensuring a target temperature of approximately 480°F (250°C) where a hand can tolerate the heat for exactly four seconds.
3. Shovel fresh embers in every 20 minutes to maintain heat.
4. Prepare chimichurri: combine 1 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, 4 minced fresh garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, half a teaspoon red pepper flakes, half a teaspoon coarse salt, quarter cup red wine vinegar, and half a cup good extra-virgin olive oil in a glass jar in that exact order. Shake and rest at room temperature for a minimum of 30 minutes, ideally two hours. Do not refrigerate before serving.
5. Prepare salsa criolla: finely dice 1 ripe tomato, half a red onion, half a red bell pepper, and 2 tablespoons fresh parsley. Dress with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, and half a teaspoon salt. Rest for 20 minutes.
6. Just before placing on the grate, salt the meat with one heavy tablespoon of sal gruesa per pound; do not pepper or oil.
7. Cook chorizos and morcillas over moderate coals for 20 minutes.
8. Cook mollejas for 25 minutes.
9. Cook chinchulines for 30 minutes.
10. Cook tira de asado for 45 minutes over the coals.
11. Cook vacío for 1 full hour.
12. For bife de chorizo, place on the grate, wait 5 minutes, turn 90 degrees for cross-hatch grill marks at 2 minutes, then flip once, and cook for 5 more minutes on the other side.
13. Pull bife de chorizo at an internal temperature of 125°F (52°C) for jugoso (medium-rare).
14. Rest bife de chorizo for 5 minutes on a warm wooden board.
15. Slice bife de chorizo across the grain, half-inch thick.
16. Plate all cuts and serve with chimichurri on the side (never on top before resting and slicing).
17. Serve with salsa criolla, a basket of crusty pan francés, and a bottle of Malbec from Mendoza.

In this video

• Asado originated with Pampas gauchos in the 1700s, who cooked whole cows on iron crosses over hardwood embers.
• Authentic asado uses indirect heat, slow cooking, sal gruesa as the only seasoning, and no marinades or sauces on the meat during cooking.
• A normal Saturday asado involves 26 pounds of meat for 10 guests.
• The order of meat cuts matters, starting with chorizos and morcillas, then mollejas, chinchulines, tira de asado, vacío, and finally bife de chorizo.
• The fire is crucial, requiring hardwood like quebracho, burned down to red-glowing embers for at least 45 minutes before any meat goes on.
• The parrilla grate should be 30 to 40 centimeters above the embers, achieving a target temperature of approximately 480°F (250°C), where a hand can tolerate the heat for exactly four seconds.
• Salt meat with one heavy tablespoon of sal gruesa per pound just before grilling, and never pepper or oil the meat before cooking.
• Bife de chorizo is cooked for five to seven minutes per side, pulled at an internal temperature of 125°F (52°C) for jugoso (medium-rare), and rested for five minutes.
• Authentic chimichurri requires one cup of finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, four minced fresh garlic cloves, one tablespoon dried oregano, half a teaspoon red pepper flakes, half a teaspoon coarse salt, quarter cup red wine vinegar, and half a cup extra-virgin olive oil.
• Chimichurri should combine ingredients in a glass jar, shake, and rest at room temperature for a minimum of 30 minutes, ideally two hours, never refrigerated before serving.

Frequently asked questions

What is the traditional Argentine seasoning for asado?

The traditional Argentine seasoning for asado is sal gruesa, which is coarse rock salt, applied to the meat at the start of cooking. No other marinades or sauces are typically used on the meat during grilling.

How long should different cuts of meat cook for an Argentine asado?

Chorizos and morcillas cook for 20 minutes; mollejas for 25 minutes; chinchulines for 30 minutes; tira de asado for 45 minutes; vacío for 1 hour; and bife de chorizo for 5 to 7 minutes per side.

What type of wood is best for an Argentine asado fire?

Hardwood like quebracho is ideal for an asado fire. If quebracho is unavailable, oak or hickory can be used, but never softwood or charcoal briquettes.

What are the key ingredients for authentic Argentine chimichurri?

Key ingredients for chimichurri include 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, 4 cloves fresh garlic, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, half a teaspoon red pepper flakes, half a teaspoon coarse salt, quarter cup red wine vinegar, and half a cup extra-virgin olive oil.

What internal temperature should bife de chorizo reach for medium-rare?

Bife de chorizo should be pulled from the grill at an internal temperature of 125°F (52°C) for a jugoso, or perfect Argentine medium-rare. It should then rest for five minutes.