Carne asada sonorense

As tradition built it

Carne asada sonorense

Dr Guillermo Núñez Noriega, CIAD, Hermosillo

Ingredients

• 2.5 to 4cm thick diezmillo (chuck) or arrachera (skirt) steak
• to taste salt
• 1, halved raw white onion, for cleaning the grate
• a small piece beef fat, for greasing the grate
• as available onion, to grill
• as available green chile, to grill
• as available tomato
• to serve flour tortillas
• to serve beans

Method

1. Clean the grate with a raw white onion, then grease it with a piece of beef fat.
2. Cook the beef, diezmillo (chuck) or arrachera (skirt) steak, directly over live mesquite coals, salted only.
3. Grill onion, green chile and tomato alongside.
4. Serve with flour tortillas and beans.

What a modern chef changes

The fire kept honest, the ageing made deliberate

Rung 1

Method

1. Run the Big Green Egg exactly as tradition specifies: real mesquite lump charcoal, direct heat, the grate prepared with onion and beef fat.
2. Dry-age the diezmillo or arrachera in the fridge for 5 to 7 days before grilling to concentrate flavour and improve texture.
3. Char the accompanying onion and green chile hard and fast over the same coals.
4. Finish the tomato salsa in a high-power blender for a smoother, more emulsified dressing.