Argentinian Asado Holiday Platter

About This Recipe

Asado is more than a barbecue in Argentina -- it's a social ritual built around the parrilla, the traditional grill, where a range of meats are cooked slowly over wood or charcoal embers rather than direct high flame. This platter recreates the core of an asado spread for a holiday gathering: beef short ribs cooked low and slow until the meat pulls easily from the bone, alongside grilled chorizo and morcilla-style sausage, all finished with the essential accompaniment, chimichurri. The defining technique of asado is patience: the meat is cooked over indirect, moderate heat for a long time rather than seared hard and fast, allowing fat to render slowly and the meat to become tender without drying out. Salt is often the only seasoning used directly on the beef, since the slow cooking and quality of the meat are meant to carry the flavor, with chimichurri added at the table rather than during cooking. Served family-style with crusty bread and a simple tomato-onion salad, this platter reflects how asado functions in Argentine culture -- a slow, communal meal built around fire, good meat, and time spent together, especially common for holidays and family celebrations.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 2 kgbone-in beef short ribs(cut asado-style across the bone)
• 6fresh chorizo sausages
• 6blood sausage (morcilla)(optional)
• 3 tbspcoarse sea salt
• 1.5 cupsfresh parsley(for chimichurri)
• 6 clovesgarlic(for chimichurri)
• 0.5 cupolive oil(for chimichurri)
• 0.33 cupred wine vinegar
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 0.5 tspred chile flakes
• 3tomatoes(sliced, for salad)
• 1red onion(thinly sliced, for salad)
• 2 tbspolive oil(for salad)
• 1crusty baguette or bread(for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the grill

   Build a charcoal or wood fire and let it burn down to glowing embers, arranging them for indirect, moderate heat rather than a direct high flame.

2. 2

   Season the ribs

   Salt the short ribs generously with coarse sea salt on both sides, just before grilling.

3. 3

   Grill the ribs low and slow

   Place the ribs bone-side down over indirect medium heat. Cook slowly for 2 to 2.5 hours, turning occasionally, until the meat is very tender and pulls easily from the bone.

   Resist the urge to rush this with high heat -- asado's defining quality comes from slow rendering over gentle, steady heat, not a hard sear.

4. 4

   Make the chimichurri

   While the ribs cook, finely chop parsley and garlic, mix with olive oil, vinegar, oregano and chile flakes. Let sit to develop flavor.

5. 5

   Grill the sausages

   In the last 25 to 30 minutes, add the chorizo and morcilla to the grill, turning occasionally, until well browned and cooked through.

6. 6

   Make the salad

   Toss sliced tomato and red onion with olive oil and a pinch of salt for a simple side salad.

7. 7

   Serve

   Arrange the short ribs, chorizo and morcilla on a large platter or wooden board, with chimichurri, salad and crusty bread served alongside for everyone to share.

Variations

• •

  Oven-adapted version: for those without a grill, cook the short ribs low and slow in a 300°F oven for about 3 hours, then finish under the broiler for color.

• •

  Vegetarian additions: grill provolone cheese (provoleta) alongside the meats for a common vegetarian-friendly asado side.

• •

  Simpler weeknight version: scale down to just chorizo and chimichurri for a quicker version of the same flavors.

Storage

Refrigerate leftover meat up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently in a covered pan or low oven to avoid drying it out; chimichurri keeps well in the fridge for about a week.

Frequently Asked Questions