Argentine Brine Steak (Asado con Salmuera)
How can we guarantee a juicy, well-seasoned steak that's relaxed and tender every time? The magic potion can be found in Argentina.
Argentina has established a carnivorous reputation in worldwide cuisine, with the ‘asado’ grilling experience being a huge part of Argentine culture and socialising. You can get a real taste of this at a ‘parilla’, an Argentine style of grill-house restaurant found in every Argentine city where you can enjoy the asado experience without getting your hands covered in soot. A ‘parilla’ is just a little more formal than an at-home asado, but you can enjoy nicer or more specialty cuts of meat that would be harder to prepare at home. A lot of ‘parilla’ grill-houses have some degree of open kitchen where you can see the meats being cooked as you dine. It’s a visual event as well as a treat for the rest of your senses. The Argentine people have a unique method for guaranteeing juicy, aromatic, well-seasoned and tender meat cuts every time, particularly for slow-cooking cuts like ribs or brisket which are prone to drying out. The secret is the ‘salmuera’, an intensely savoury, aromatic brine which is used before cooking as a marinade, throughout cooking as a moisturising salve and even afterwards as a seasoning treatment. It’s not uncommon for an asado to use 3 or 4 different salmueras with varying flavour formulae - some spicy, some herbal - to suit different cuts of meats. I make a slight adaptation to this formula, adding in a special alkaline ingredient which promotes browning in your meat. It’s great for slow-cooked, large joints of meat but just as useful for a steak night at home. Let’s go!
