Asado Recipes

RECIPE: THE NATIONAL DISH OF ARGENTINA - ASADO

Steps:

• Before you start, soak the chorizos in bowl until you are ready to cook them. This is to prevent dryness after cooking.
• Make a fire using charcoal, wood and paper. This would probably take you around an hour.
• Once you have the fire ready, distribute the embers so you have a high heat and a low heat area. Sprinkle some salt on top of the embers to prevent the ashes from rising too much.
• Keep to the side a small additional fire going from where you can take embers to put in the main fire when needed.
• If you're making chinchulines you need to wash and clean them very well. They take a long time to cook, around 1 or 1,5 hours. Make sure they are on a low heat and far from the meat to prevent the chinchulines from giving the meat their flavor.
• a. Small intestine: after cleaning and taking the fat out, make a braid or just roll it in a circle and put it on the grill. Turn it after 30 minutes and add salt.
• b. Kidneys: Peeled off the membrane they come in, take out the renal pelvis and after washing, leave overnight in water with vinegar, red wine or milk (3:1). When cooking on the grill put first the side that has the opening of the renal pelvis so it would finish draining. Turn around once the kidney has a more rigid texture to the touch (around 30-40 minutes). Don't forget to add salt.
• c. Chorizos: just take them out of the water and put them on the grill.
• d. Black pudding: since this is already cooked, add it last to the grill, 30 min after after the rest.
• Sprinkle coarse salt and lemon juice on both side of the meat.
• Put the meat on the grill, fat side down and let it cook for at least 40 min - one hour, turning the meat every 15 or 20 minutes.
• Place the ribs on the grill. They are ready in 15 - 20 minutes.
• When the meat is ready, cut it in portions and put them in a large plate so everyone can choose what they want.

ASADO DE PUERCO (MEXICAN PORK STEW)

Steps:

• Combine pork cubes, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a Dutch oven. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until water evaporates. Continue cooking until the pork browns in its rendered fat, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cut tops off the dried chiles and remove seeds. Heat chiles in a large skillet over low heat until they start to soften. Do not toast. Place chiles in a bowl of hot water and soak for 20 minutes.
• Remove pork and set aside. Do not wash, wipe out, or clean the Dutch oven.
• Transfer chiles to a blender, reserving soaking water. Add cilantro, chicken bouillon, peppercorns, garlic, cinnamon stick, Mexican oregano, thyme, cumin seeds, bay leaves, and cloves. Pour in 1 cup soaking water and blend until smooth. Add 1 more cup soaking water, season with salt, and blend until completely smooth.
• Melt lard in the Dutch oven. Carefully add blended chile mixture and scrape up all browned bits. Bring to a boil and add pork. Reduce heat and cover partially, leaving about 1 inch open. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened and reaches the desired consistency, 15 to 20 minutes.

POLLO ASADO

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, salt, pepper and garlic cloves. Whisk together.
• Place the chicken legs, juiced pieces of fruit and quartered onions in large plastic bags or a bowl. Pour the marinade over the top, tossing to combine. Cover with plastic wrap (if using bowl) or seal the bag up and marinate for at least 2 hours ... several hours is better. Toss a few times during the marinating process.
• Preheat a grill. Grill the chicken legs until cooked all the way through, turning occasionally so the chicken is cooked on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Separate the tortillas into 2 piles of 16, and then wrap each pile in foil and warm over the grill for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Serve the chicken legs with the warm tortillas, pico de gallo, refried beans and chipotle salsa.

ASADO

Steps:

• Divide the pork shoulder into 4 pieces. Pat the pieces dry with paper towels and liberally season all over with salt.
• Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot (choose one with a lid, such as a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Sear the pieces of pork on all sides until brown, working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pot. Transfer the pork to a plate and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot.
• Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and garlic to the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Deglaze the pot with 4 cups water and the tomato sauce, then add the calamansi juice, soy sauce and bay leaf and stir to combine. Raise the heat to high and bring everything to boil. Add the browned pork and any juices that have accumulated back to the pot, and reduce the heat to medium-low. (You are looking for a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil.) Cover and simmer until the meat is tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the pot from the heat and let the meat cool in the covered pot until it reaches room temperature.
• Transfer the meat to a separate container, leaving the braising liquid in covered pot. Refrigerate both overnight. The next day, skim the fat off the top of the liquid in the pot; discard the fat.
• Heat the braising liquid to a simmer. Add 1/4 cup of the grated cheese, if using, and the evaporated milk, stirring constantly until well incorporated. Taste and add more cheese if desired to add saltiness and thicken slightly. Season with salt, if needed, and keep warm over low heat.
• Slice the chilled pork shoulder into 1/4-inch slices, cutting against the grain of the meat. Place pork slices in the asado braising liquid and heat until warmed through. Serve hot.

BEEF ASADO

Steps:

• Season the beef with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook the diced onion and garlic in the hot oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer the onion and garlic to a 6-quart pot. Individually brown the beef chunks on all sides in the skillet and place in the pot. Add the tomatoes, crushed peppercorns, olives with their juice, quartered onion, bay leaves, and bouillon cubes to the pot; bring to a boil. Stir the ketchup into the mixture, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour.
• Remove the beef from the pot and set aside. Add the red bell pepper to the mixture and continue simmering another 30 minutes.
• While the mixture continues to simmer, heat 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet. Cook the potatoes in the oil until golden brown; immediately add to the simmering mixture.
• Slice the meat against the grain and add to the pot; stir. Cook together another 5 minutes before serving. If the sauce is too thin, mix the corn flour and water together and stir into the sauce to thicken.