Asado (Uruguayan Barbecue Grilled Meats)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Beef short ribs (asado cut), in one long rack — 1.5 kg (3.3 lb)
- Chorizo sausages — 500 g (1.1 lb)
- Morcilla (blood sausage) — 500 g (1.1 lb)
- Flank steak or skirt steak (entraña) — 1 kg (2.2 lb)
- Coarse salt, — to taste
- Chimichurri sauce, to serve (olive oil, vinegar, garlic, parsley, oregano, chili flakes)
Method
- Prepare the grill with charcoal or wood, allowing it to burn down to a bed of steady, glowing embers (not open flames) before cooking.
- Season the beef ribs generously with coarse salt on both sides.
- Place the ribs on the grill over indirect, moderate heat, bone-side down first, and cook slowly for 2–2.5 hours, turning occasionally, until the meat is deeply tender and pulls easily from the bone.
- About 30–40 minutes before the ribs are done, add the chorizo and morcilla sausages to the grill, turning occasionally until cooked through and lightly charred, about 15–20 minutes.
- Season the flank or skirt steak with coarse salt and grill over higher heat for 4–6 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until cooked to your preference.
- Rest all the meats for 5–10 minutes before slicing.
- Serve the assortment of meats family-style on a large board or platter, accompanied by chimichurri sauce for drizzling or dipping.
Introduction: Asado is far more than a meal in Uruguay — it is a cornerstone social ritual, where various cuts of beef, sausages, and offal are slow-grilled over wood or charcoal embers, often for hours, in a relaxed gathering of family and friends.
Cultural Background: Asado is far more than a meal in Uruguay — it is a cornerstone social ritual, where various cuts of beef, sausages, and offal are slow-grilled over wood or charcoal embers, often for hours, in a relaxed gathering of family and friends. Uruguay boasts some of the highest per-capita beef consumption in the world, and the asado tradition, with its unhurried pace and communal spirit, is considered a defining feature of national identity.
Tips: Patience is essential: asado relies on slow cooking over steady embers rather than high, direct flame, which would burn the exterior before the interior cooks through. Salt the meat generously but simply; asado traditionally relies on quality meat and smoke flavor rather than elaborate marinades or spice rubs. Prepare the chimichurri in advance so its flavors have time to meld before serving.
Variations: Add chicken or pork cuts to the grill for a more varied spread. Grilled vegetables like bell peppers and provolone cheese (provoleta) are popular additions to a full asado spread. Vegetarian version: grill a variety of vegetables and provoleta cheese as a substitute for the meats, though this departs from the traditional meat-centric dish.
Storage: Store leftover cooked meats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat, or in an oven at 160°C (320°F) for 10–15 minutes, to avoid drying out the meat.
FAQs:
Q: What's the ideal heat level for cooking asado?
A: Asado is cooked over glowing embers rather than an open flame, providing gentle, even heat for slow cooking.
Q: What cuts of meat are essential to a traditional asado?
A: Short ribs (asado), chorizo, morcilla, and flank or skirt steak (entraña) are among the most traditional and commonly featured cuts.
Q: Is asado always a long, slow process?
A: Larger cuts like ribs are cooked slowly over hours, while thinner cuts like entraña are grilled more quickly over higher heat; a full asado often combines both approaches.
- Beef short ribs (asado cut), in one long rack — 1.5 kg (3.3 lb)
- Chorizo sausages — 500 g (1.1 lb)
- Morcilla (blood sausage) — 500 g (1.1 lb)
- Flank steak or skirt steak (entraña) — 1 kg (2.2 lb)
- Coarse salt, — to taste
- Chimichurri sauce, to serve (olive oil, vinegar, garlic, parsley, oregano, chili flakes)
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