Asado con cuero

An authentic gaucho dish, asado con cuero consists of beef with its hide still attached, grilled over an open fire. This is a very old, traditional way of preparing beef that dates back to the Argentine gauchos, who roasted their beef long and slow on an asador, a type of metal structure, over low fire, and used quebracho wood, which is still used today as it lends a unique flavor to the meat.

Large chunks of beef are first salted and then soaked overnight in a marinade made with ground chilis, pepper, cumin, chopped parsley, wine, vinegar, and oil. The following morning, the marinated beef chunks are grilled with their hide side up, over low fire for about 8 to 10 hours, or more if necessary.

Beef prepared in this way is much more flavorful, tender, and moist as the hide allows the meat to preserve its juices and fat. Some trace this ritual of roasting beef with its hide even further back, to the indigenous Indians who allegedly found it convenient to prepare beef this way as it allowed them to carry the roasted meat inside the beef hide, in case they had to escape an attack.

Roast beef with hide is regarded as one of the most traditional specialties of the Pampas region in Argentina.