The Argentinian asado de tira is a recipe requiring little in the way of ingredients and preparation, but demanding quite a bit of patience. A proper asado is the main fixture of the Argentinian barbecue, and the people of Argentina seem to be firm believers in saving the best for last. The best piece is usually the last one taken off the grill, at around the two hour mark.
The biggest issue is you need an adjustable rack grill, or one fitted with a secondary for slow cooking.
Let’s start with the cut: what you want are short ribs, cut flanken-style. This cut should be fairly inexpensive, but you’d probably have to ask for it by name and be precise in stating the style of cutting (alternatively, they should be readily available in Asian grocery stores, as Korean kalbi is made using the same style of cut). The flanken cut short ribs are a ribbon-shaped cut of very fatty beef, which is great for long barbecuing as the fat cooks and lends a lot of flavor to the meat. If using a frozen cut, it’s recommended to thaw it out in the fridge for around 6 days. Otherwise, we recommend you use a fresh cut.
As far as seasoning, only two items are needed: kosher salt and ground black pepper. Do not season the beef beforehand- add only once it’s seared on both sides. Beyond that there’s the chimichurri which serves as the sauce.
Ingredients:
• Flanken cut short ribs
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
For the Chimichurri:
• A good-sized bundle of parsley, finely chopped
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup olive oil
• 4 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
Instructions:
1. Use a proportionately small amount of wood charcoal and place the rack at about 4 inches from the charcoals. Sear the ribs on both sides.
2. Once the ribs are seared, raise the rack to a height of 14 inches from the charcoals and let the meat cook for about an hour on either side, beginning on the bone side. We’re looking for well-done ribs.
For the Chimichurri:
Place the pepper, vinegar, parsley, garlic and oregano in a food processor and process until smooth. Add olive oil and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. It’s recommended to prepare the sauce ahead and let it cool in the refrigerator to let the flavors cohere and serve at room temperature.
Source: Marcelo Teson
Source: Tim Evanson
Source: Dominic Lockyer
