The Lovely & Flavorful Argentine Cuisine, With The Easy Recipe For Delicious Asado

This dish, similar to Lechon kawali, is prepared with unsliced slabs of meat, giving it a unique and delicious flavor. The process is simple but yields fantastic results. All you need to do is marinate the meat in a blend of spices and seasonings, then boil it until it becomes tender. If you enjoy Oriental-inspired dishes that are easy to prepare, this one is definitely for you.
This particular dish has a magical quality that brings people together, fostering tighter bonds and uplifting the soul. With each bite, it warms every cell in the body, leaving you happier and more content. The magic occurs during the long hours it spends in the oven, allowing the flavors to mingle and dance in perfect harmony. Every part of it carries a symphony of delightful flavors, captivating your taste buds like no other.

The initial attraction to this dish is its beautiful appearance even before it undergoes the transformative process in the oven. However, the love you feel upon tasting it is even more profound. As it tantalizes your mouth and rolls upon your tongue, it finds its way into your stomach, creating a symphony of flavors that envelops your entire being. Preparing it takes only a few moments, as the oven performs its magic.
When crafting this dish, I carefully consider the desired taste profile in advance. I contemplate how the flavors will complement the meat’s texture and which vegetables will harmonize best in this culinary melody. This time, I opted for bold and distinct flavors that not only taste amazing but also offer numerous nutritional benefits.

At a time when many are facing illness, this dish serves as a dose of immune system support and stress reduction. It not only brings tremendous happiness to the body through its consumption but also through its nourishing ingredients. The garlic and mushrooms work in tandem to eliminate stress and bolster the immune system. Combined with a weekend of relaxation and tranquility, this dish provides the ultimate strengthening experience.
Now, if the introduction hasn’t convinced you of the dish’s magical qualities, there’s another delightful twist. Alongside placing the meat in the oven, I also prepare a pan of vegetables. And if that’s not enough, you can even include a potato and sea salt mold, turning this entire celebration into a truly wonderful feast.
If you examine the ingredients closely, you’ll notice a spice called five-spice powder. It is a delightful blend of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and ground fennel seeds. Each component adds its own unique touch to the overall flavor profile, enhancing the dish’s appeal and complexity.

If you have any questions or need further information, please feel free to post them in the comments section, and I’ll do my best to provide a prompt response.

Why You’ll Love This Dish:

Get ready to fall in love with this fantastic Asado recipe. For an extra flavorful punch, consider marinating the beef for up to 3 to 4 hours, allowing the flavors to develop and intensify.
One of the best aspects of this recipe is its versatility. You can choose to grill, bake, or pan-sear the beef, depending on your preference and cooking equipment. Regardless of the method, you can expect juicy, tender, and downright tasty beef that will leave your taste buds craving more.

The magic lies in the combination of achiote powder, garlic, and the bright, citrusy flavors of lime and orange. This harmonious blend creates a mouthwatering symphony of tastes that will have you coming back for seconds.
What’s great about this Asado is its ability to complement a wide range of side dishes. Whether you prefer beans, rice, salads, potatoes, or veggies, this dish pairs beautifully, allowing you to get creative and explore various culinary combinations.

Not only does the achiote powder infuse the beef with incredible flavor, but it also imparts a vibrant, red appearance, adding a touch of summery aesthetic to your plate. Plus, by cooking the beef thighs without their skin and using only a small amount of olive oil, this recipe remains health-conscious without sacrificing taste.
To top it all off, this Asado recipe caters to a multitude of dietary needs. It is Whole30 compliant, Paleo, Keto, low carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, and free of added sugars. Regardless of your dietary preferences or restrictions, this dish is suitable for many diets and lifestyles, ensuring that everyone can savor its mouthwatering goodness.

Asado in the Oven with Mushroom Garlic & Date Sauce/Chimichurri

Ingredients:

(Sufficient for around 7 people)

1 kg beef Asado meat (ask the grocer for a fine cut with little fat)
3-4 bone marrow bones
Roughly 15-20 large button mushrooms
3 large onions

For Gravy:

Garlic cloves from the complete garlic head
4 pitted dates and 3 spoons of date honey
4 tablespoons of balsamic, apple, or wine vinegar
One teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of black pepper
Four cups of water

As an alternative, you can brush chimichurri over your steak to avoid the somewhat sweet date sauce.

For Chimichurri:

1 cup olive oil (250ml)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Finely cut 1/2 cup of fresh parsley (30g)
Finely cut ¼ cup fresh oregano (15g)
Finely cut ¼ cup fresh thyme (15g)
¼ cup finely sliced onion (30g)
1 tbsp minced garlic
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
Use half a lemon to give a citrus flavor

For Veggie Pan:

4-5 washed carrots, sliced into halves
2 washed bell papers, split into halves
1 pack of frozen fine green peas (350g)
1 pack of frozen baby corn, cut into halves

Gravy for the Vegetable Pan:

4 garlic cloves
2 pitted dates and 2 spoonfuls of date honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon of black pepper
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup of water
1 sprig of thyme

For Potato Pan:

Use 8-10 medium potatoes, preferably red-skinned ones
One kg of coarse salt

Procedures:

Set the oven’s turbo to 390°F (200°C), and prepare your baking pan.

Let’s Start with the Meat:

First, heat a large skillet or cast pot and coat the bottom with olive oil.
Slice the mushrooms into medium pieces and the onions into half circles.

Assembling the Dish of Meat:

Put all of the chopped onions in the bottom of the saucepan, followed by two thyme stalks and a few mushroom pieces. Scatter the marrow bones around the meat and arrange it over the onion and mushrooms in the center of the pan.

Place the mushroom slices around the meat. Don’t worry if we squeeze them a little; the moisture from the mushrooms will complement the gravy and reduce by half.

Now Let’s Get the Meat Gravy Ready:

Grind the whole garlic cloves before use (if using a hand blender or blender), along with 3 pitted dates, vinegar, olive oil, and salt. If using a large container for the blender or mixer, add water to the blender/mixer during the grinding process to make it go more smoothly. Combine all the gravy ingredients into a thin liquid and pour it equally over the meat pan. It’s important that the liquid level in the meat pan is at least halfway filled; if it’s not, add a little more water; if it is, make sure the liquid level doesn’t go over ¾ of the pot’s height.

Top the meat with the thyme, tightly cover the pan with foil and parchment paper (this is a crucial step), and bake at 390°F (200°C) for one hour. Reduce the heat to 340°F (170°C) and leave it there for an additional hour and a half.
When the cooking is done, remove the pot from the oven, take off the lid, and flip the meat so that the side facing the opening is now facing the bottom of the pot. Bake at 340°F/170°C for a further one to two hours while covered once more.

To Prepare Chimichurri:

Blend everything in the food processor, excluding the cayenne pepper, salt, and olive oil. To achieve a uniform consistency, I gradually added the olive oil while I mixed. Finally season with salt and cayenne pepper. If possible, cover and chill for at least two hours (it the better to do this the night before to get the flavors to combine).

The Pan of Vegetables & Potatoes:

I prefer to prepare the vegetable pan ahead of time, right next to the meat pot. I put the potatoes and veggies in the pan while the meat was roasting for one and a half hours, making everything hot and ready for dinner.

Vegetables Pan:

Arrange the vegetables in a broad pan; I prefer to split the carrots in half and leave the skins on the zucchini since they add a lot of flavor.

Grind the garlic, olive oil, water, dates, salt, and pepper in a blender, along with the other gravy ingredients. Cover the vegetable mixture with the sauce, add a thyme sprig, and tightly cover with foil and baking paper.

Potatoes Pan:

Layer a typical oven pan with one kilogram of coarse salt on top, leaving a place between the potatoes. Using a knife, make many holes in each potato to prevent them from exploding in the oven.

I checked the meat and then placed the meat pot in the bottom of the oven, followed by the vegetable and potato pans. They should be set within the oven pan and on the oven rails rather than stacked one on top of the other.

Salsa Criolla (Optional)

You should try the salsa with this dish; it will elevate your Asado flavor. I love to have salsa with steak Asado since it’s so simple to prepare. Add all of the ingredients mentioned below, whisk, and chill for a few hours to ensure adequate marinating.

Chop two red bell peppers
One chopped onion
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
Mince 4 garlic cloves
Chopped oregano (2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup olive oil
6 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
Squeeze lemon over it