Cordero a la cruz

I haven't been around here much lately but thought you might want to see my latest low n slow toy, it's an asado cross.



I've found out that cooking a whole 21kg lamb 'gaucho style' tied to a cross over open fire for 12 hours is one way to engage with your neighbours!


The crowd made short work of it:


And I made a few empanadas too:


This weekend it was beef short ribs:


Epic way of cooking, thanks for looking.

Thanks all.

Yes it's very cool to tend a fire (and drink beer) watching meat slowly cook. The meat cooks low and slow, the radiant temperatures at the meat surface are usually between 250-350F so the meat is juicy and all the fat and connective tissue renders well so it's ultra juicy. It does get a crust on it too which, with the lamb especially, is a lot like bacon. the only seasoning is sprinkling salumera (salty water which I infuse with oregano, garlic and black pepper) on the outside.

The meat spends approx 3/4 of cooking time with the bones toward the fire then you spin it around. You can also raise or lower the cross to regulate temperature, or just build a bigger fire.

@gtr I've also got Francis Mallman books and watched the Chef's Table doco on him, also I've been to Argentina and seen various ways of cooking in this manner so I've been wanting to do this for a long time. There are a couple of companies which have sprung up in the last year or so which sell this type of cross as well as other ways of cooking gaucho style here in the UK, usually people who have lived in Argentina (or other South American countries). If I had the metalwork skills and equipment of some of the Bretheren I would be into making them as well. Have a look around YouTube and see people cook a whole cow in this way!