Many families take advantage of the holidays to get together for a delicious asado, whether for Christmas Eve dinner or Christmas lunch. According to the Argentine News Agency, while many opt for traditional Christmas meals, others go for the classic and fire up the grill, so some may choose to season the meat with a good brine.
Basic brine recipe for asado
Ingredients: 1 liter of water 100 grams of coarse salt 1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika 1 teaspoon of ground chili 1 bay leaf 1 sprig of fresh rosemary 1/2 cup of fresh chopped parsley 1/4 cup of olive oil (optional)
Preparation: In a pot, place the water and salt. Bring to a boil and stir until the salt is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, smoked paprika, ground chili, bay leaf, rosemary, and parsley. Let it rest for 30 minutes for the brine to infuse with the flavors. If you want to add olive oil, do so at the end, once the brine has cooled down a bit. Submerge the meat in the brine and let it rest for at least 4 hours, or even better, overnight. Make sure the meat is completely covered by the liquid. Remove the meat from the brine, pat it dry with paper towels, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Your meat is now ready to be grilled!
Tips: You can use this same basic recipe as a base and add other spices and herbs that you like, such as oregano, thyme, cumin, etc. You can also use different types of salt, like sea salt or smoked salt. If you don't have time to prepare the brine in advance, you can use a quick brine that only requires 30 minutes of resting.
