Venezuelan Asado Negro
Venezuelan beef roast marinated with wine and aromatics, caramel-browned with papelon, and braised in a deep onion sauce.
Equipment
- Large nonreactive container
- Heavy Dutch oven
- Blender
- Chef's knife
Ingredients
Beef and Marinade
- 3 1/2 lb eye-of-round beef roast
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
Braising Sauce
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
- 1/2 cup finely grated papelon or dark brown sugar
- 2 large yellow onions roughly chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper roughly chopped
- 3 medium ripe tomatoes roughly chopped
- 2 cups low-sodium beef stock
- 2 leaves bay leaves
Instructions
Marinate:
- Combine the beef, wine, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, turning once.
- Remove the roast and pat it dry. Reserve the marinade.
Brown and Braise:
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven. Add the papelon and let it melt to a deep amber, then brown the beef on all sides without scorching the sugar.
- Add onions, bell pepper, and tomatoes and cook for 8 minutes. Add the reserved marinade, stock, and bay leaves.
- Cover and braise at a gentle simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, turning occasionally, until tender.
Finish the Sauce:
- Transfer the beef to a board and rest 15 minutes. Remove bay leaves and blend the sauce until smooth, then simmer to lightly thicken.
- Slice the beef across the grain and return the slices to the sauce for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Papelon should become very dark amber, not burned; lower the heat if it begins to smoke.
- Refrigerate sliced beef in its sauce for up to four days; the flavor improves overnight.
Nutrition
Calories: 540kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 47gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 910mgFiber: 3gSugar: 18g