In Uruguay the asado is less a recipe than a weekly appointment. Many homes have a brick grill on the patio, the parrilla, and on Sundays someone, traditionally the asador, tends a fire of hardwood for an hour before a single piece of meat goes near it. The cut every Uruguayan knows is asado de tira, strips of beef rib cut across the bones, so each strip carries a row of small bone rounds and a ribbon of well marbled meat. The seasoning is coarse salt and patience, and very little else.

The sauce is chimichurri, a bright mix of parsley, garlic, dried oregano, a little chili, vinegar and oil, spooned on at the table. Our home version uses a charcoal or gas grill, with an oven broiler method in the variations for those whose patio is a balcony. The asado takes time but very little skill, which makes it ideal for a long race afternoon: it rewards anyone who stands near the grill, watches the progress and offers opinions.

The chimichurri

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch (about 1 1/2 cups, 40 g leaves) flat leaf parsley
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil or mild olive oil

The asado

Ingredients

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) flanken cut beef short ribs (asado de tira)
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt

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