‘Black roast’ Venezuelan sugar-crusted beef

Asado negro

By: Rachael Lane
From: South American Grill
Serves: 8
Photographer: Bonnie Savage

Asado negro is the signature dish of Venezuela’s capital, Caracas. It is traditionally slow-roasted in the oven, but has been adapted here to make it suitable for the barbecue. The sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and garlic marinade creates a sweet, yet balanced, black glaze on the meat once cooked, leaving the centre pink and juicy.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
1 cup	soft brown sugar
1 cup	white wine vinegar
1/4 cup	worcestershire sauce
6	garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon	freshly ground black pepper
2kg	whole scotch fillet

Method

Combine the sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and pepper in a medium-sized bowl.
Place the scotch fillet in a roasting tray, coat in the sugar mixture, cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 2–4 hours.
Preheat a gas barbecue with a lid to 180°C. All the burners should be set to medium.
Remove the meat from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature, then transfer the fillet to a large roasting tray and insert a meat thermometer into the centre of the meat. Place the tray in the centre of the barbecue and turn off the burners directly underneath. Cover and cook for 1 hour for medium–rare, basting occasionally with the remaining marinade, until the meat thermometer reads 55°C.
Remove the tray from the barbecue, cover the meat with foil and set aside to rest for 15 minutes. Cut the scotch fillet into slices and serve with steamed rice and grilled plantain in breadcrumbs.