Cristian's Insider Guide to Asado in Argentina

Tap an ingredient or step to check it off.

1. 1Step 1: Start with queso: place a wheel of provoleta in a small cast-iron pan directly on the grill and let it melt quickly.
2. 2Step 2: Sprinkle on oregano and smoked paprika for a crusty topping.
3. 3Step 3: Serve with bread, sizzling hot.
4. 4Step 4: For the sweetbreads, first clean them thoroughly, stripping away the membranes and fat.
5. 5Step 5: Boil the sweetbreads in a mix of equal parts milk and water, with a few peppercorns and laurel leaves, for about 5 minutes.
6. 6Step 6: Dry the sweetbreads very well, sprinkle salt on them and set aside.
7. 7Step 7: For the short ribs, cook one side and then flip it once—and that's it. Serve when still juicy.
8. 8Step 8: For the chorizo and morcilla, put the blood sausage on the grill to warm it and give it a crispy texture.
9. 9Step 9: The chorizo sausage is usually eaten with sandwich bread and called choripán.
10. 10Step 10: For grilled vegetables: slice eggplant, zucchini and mushroom. Marinate them in olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon peel and let sit for 15 minutes.
11. 11Step 11: Cook the vegetables on a griddle or on a cast-iron pan placed on the grill over low heat until they look tender and still intact.
12. 12Step 12: Be careful with the eggplant, because if it's not fully cooked through, its texture is as tough as cork.
13. 13Step 13: For papas al plomo: wash the whole potatoes well, leave the skin on, and wrap them in aluminum foil.
14. 14Step 14: When the potatoes are cooked through—in about 30 minutes—slice them open and drizzle each with olive oil, kosher salt, fresh rosemary and a dash of chile flakes.
15. 15Step 15: For cebollas al rescoldo: place onions with their skin directly on the embers. After about 30 minutes, they are charred on the outside and sweet and juicy on the inside.
16. 16Step 16: For morrón con huevo: cut the top layer off each red pepper, horizontally. Take out the seeds and trim the inner membrane slivers.
17. 17Step 17: Place the peppers on the grill open side down to give it a crisp edge, about 5 minutes.
18. 18Step 18: Turn over, so that the open side faces up. Add about 1/4 cup of shredded provolone cheese and then crack a raw egg inside the pepper.
19. 19Step 19: Sprinkle salt, pepper, grated parmesan cheese and dried oregano over the egg.
20. 20Step 20: Place the red pepper boat on the grill over low heat until its skin softens and the egg looks cooked.
21. 21Step 21: The average meat portion is between .8 and 1.25 pounds per adult, depending if the cut has bones or not. Plan on 1 pound per person.
22. 22Step 22: The grill must be hot and clean before adding the meat.
23. 23Step 23: Calculate twice as much charcoal as meat. In other words, for every 1 pound of meat you should use 2 pounds of charcoal.
24. 24Step 24: The charcoal must be set up with care. Make sure there are no black patches on the coals directly below the grill before you start cooking the meat.
25. 25Step 25: The best way to gauge the right level of the grill temperature is by pointing the palm of your hand down over the coals. If you can't stand the temperature for at least 6 seconds, the heat is too high or you are using too much charcoal.
26. 26Step 26: Brush the cuts of beef with a mixture of olive oil and butter before you grill them and while you are grilling them. This allows the cuts to stay juicy, especially the ones that take longer to cook.
27. 27Step 27: Add salt and seasoning to the meat before putting it on the fire.
28. 28Step 28: In Argentina, meat is only turned over one time. Start by placing the bone or fat side down on the grill. You will know you need to turn it over when you touch the top of the meat and it feels warm.
29. 29Step 29: Personally, I like to smoke my rib eyes with applewood briquets that I place directly on the coals. The rib eye should always be eaten when it is still juicy.
30. 30Step 30: The chorizo sausages should be cooked through. I usually cut them in half the long way for grilling, butterfly-style.
31. 31Step 31: The sweetbreads should be crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.
32. 32Step 32: Start with the go-to liqueur, the digestif Fernet, straight or mixed with Coke.
33. 33Step 33: As to with your beef, there is only one option: red wine—and it has to be a malbec, always a malbec for asados.