Asado de Tira – Argentine Grilled Short Ribs
Real Argentine asado without hours of waiting: very thinly cut short ribs — in Argentina, asado banderita — grilled to the point in minutes, tender, juicy and unmistakably smoky.
It is the cut that makes the difference. Ask the butcher for short ribs cut across the bone at 2-3 cm. Cut thicker, this is an ordinary asado de tira and it needs an hour and a half over mild coals instead.
It is a classic that forgives nothing: a minute too long and it dries out, a minute short and it is raw.
And the technique that carries it: bone side down first. The bone acts as a heat shield, so the meat above cooks through gently while the crust builds underneath.
🔎 What is asado banderita? — where it comes from, what goes in it and how it differs.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg short ribs, banderita cut, about 2-3 cm thick
- Coarse grilling salt, as needed
- Optional: fresh chimichurri, to serve
Method
- 1
Build a fire with wood or good charcoal. The key to the banderita is a strong, steady bed of coals: you want intense heat that seals the meat quickly.
- 2
Salt the meat with coarse salt only a few minutes before it goes on. Salted far in advance, it draws out moisture and takes the juiciness with it.
- 3
Bone side down first. The bone acts as a heat shield: giving it direct heat from that side lets the meat above cook gently while the crust builds.
- 4
Cook on the bone side for 10-12 minutes. When you see the meat starting to bead on the upper surface and the edges turning golden, turn it over. Cook the meat side briefly — this is where a minute decides everything.
- 5
The rest is critical: take it off the grill and let the meat sit on a board, preferably wooden, for 5 minutes before cutting. This is what lets the juices redistribute instead of running out onto the board.
Argentine Classics: Tradition with Identity
Nothing beats the taste of home. These are the recipes that belong to Argentina's culinary history: from a properly made locro to the tricks behind empanadas with hand-cut beef that fall apart in your mouth. It is not only about dishes but about techniques, family stories and the legacy of criollo cooking — each recipe close to the tradition, but written with the precision that makes it work every time.
