After a few posts not about beef, I thought it was important to get back to the roots. This post will feature not only a return to red-blooded beef but also to a cut that is quite specific to Argentina, the tapa de asado. Literally translated as the “cover of asado”, I’ve yet to find it’s equivalent in English. Asado, as the readers of this blog will be well aware, refers to the Argentine-style barbecue. But asado is also used as shorthand for tira de asado. This provides the first clue to where the tapa de asado is from.
As tira de asado is in fact short-ribs, the tapa is in fact the meat that covers the top and front of the ribs. In some cases, it can bought attached to the tira de asado, but is most common bought independently. It is boneless and rectangular in shape, at least 5cm thick with sides of about 20cm by 15cm and has a layer of fat on one side that while not thick, is also not negligible. Otherwise the tapa is quite lean except for a single strand of marbling that runs through the center and it usually comes in a whole piece of about 1 kilogram and tends to be one of the cheaper cuts that are also worth grilling. I have seen it translated as rib cap, which sounds right in an anatomical sense, but it appears that rib cap is a actually a reference to Rib-eye cap, which is a totally different cut related to the Rib-eye (Ojo de bife).
The catch with tapa de asado is that it is best when at medium–rare and has a tendency to be tough when cooked past that point. Even in Argentina, known for its tough gauchos capable of braving the Pampas but also terrified of any pink in their steaks, the consensus is that tapa de asado is at its best when left on the grill for less time than the other cuts. Even when medium-rare it will not be as tender as bife de lomo or ojo de bife, but it is certainly very flavourful, hitting a flavor profile between the bife de chorizo and the ojo de bife, not so meaty and beef-y but also not so buttery.
On the grill, the tapa takes a long time because it cannot be rushed and it is also usually a large piece. Medium-low heat for about half an hour on each side usually does the trick, but with this cut err on the side of taking it off too soon.
Cut into individual steaks the tapa is great, and makes a perfect foil for the flashier cuts that grab the headlines. I will confess that although I am quite fond of tapa de asado, it’s not everyone’s first choice. It certainly doesn’t excite people like the fancy cuts, but if done right it will certainly surprise them. This is a cut that is rarely if ever offered at a parrilla and so it’s part of the homemade repertoire and any self-respecting gaucho or parrillero has to know how to do one. And it’s ok if it doesn’t ever makes it to the podium of most sought-after cuts – that means there’s more for the rest of us.