A festive spread of grilled short ribs, chorizo and chimichurri, Argentina's traditional celebration meal built around the parrilla.
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.
Serves 8
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.
Salt the short ribs generously with coarse sea salt on both sides, just before grilling.
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.
While the ribs cook, finely chop parsley and garlic, mix with olive oil, vinegar, oregano and chile flakes. Let sit to develop flavor.
In the last 25 to 30 minutes, add the chorizo and morcilla to the grill, turning occasionally, until well browned and cooked through.
Toss sliced tomato and red onion with olive oil and a pinch of salt for a simple side salad.
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.
Cook the ribs over indirect heat, keeping the coals or wood embers off to one side rather than directly under the meat, to avoid flare-ups and burning.
Salt the meat right before grilling rather than far in advance -- asado tradition relies on simple, well-timed seasoning rather than a long marinade.
Let the meat rest for 10 minutes after coming off the grill before cutting, so the juices redistribute instead of running out onto the board.
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.
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.
Asado is central to Argentine culture, rooted in the country's cattle-ranching history and gaucho traditions, where slow open-fire cooking of large cuts of beef became both a practical necessity on the pampas and a lasting social ritual for gatherings and celebrations.
No, any charcoal or wood grill set up for indirect heat works, and an oven can approximate the low, slow cooking if a grill isn't available.
Let it rest for at least 30 minutes before serving -- the vinegar mellows significantly as it sits and the garlic and herbs release more of their flavor into the oil.
Yes, scale down to just a couple of short ribs or swap in a quicker-cooking cut like flank steak, keeping the chimichurri and grilling method the same.
Per serving (420g / 14.8 oz) · 8 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes
Have feedback or need help?
We read every email and reply within 1–2 business days.
© 2026 MyCookingCalendar. All rights reserved.
