Cooking techniques learned in Patagonia, Argentina
During Katriel's stay in Argentine Patagonia, he acquired new cooking techniques that he uses today. There he perfected his skills in the art of outdoor cooking. He cooked Patagonian lambs over a flame with wood. And he shared with us the step-by-step of this process.
He advises to first dehydrate the lamb, and then rehydrate it. This is done with brine,which means with water and salt. And it is brushed with rosemary branches, so that it comes out moist and juicy.
Then, with a saw, the sternum is opened, then the ribs, and finally the spinal column. This allows all the heat from the flames and the juices to reach the tenderloin, which is the inner loin of the lamb.
The next step is to mark it with an axe, every two ribs. This is done to make portioning easier. Then, the extremities have to be cut, to give a good presentation in the stake.
After that, the lamb is cooked with the hind legs up, because it is the part that has more meat. It is cooked with the flame, to what is the back part of the lamb, that is to say the ham. And on the other hand, the shoulders and the ribs are cooked with the embers.
After the time has passed, the temperature must be controlled. The temperature is measured by putting your hand between the lamb and the fire and counting between 8 and 10 seconds. If you count less than this, or more than this, you will need to adjust the fire. Once this temperature is detected, the fire will be perfect. This will cook the meat softly and slowly, so that it comes out tender.
At 3 and a half hours the lamb should be inverted. Here it is cooked for 2 hours more, to finish it only on the skin side and give it color. In this step it is necessary to raise the fire with the technique of putting the hand, but looking for it to last from 5 to 6 seconds. That is to say, to make it more intense.
When it is done, remove the stake and put it on the table. The ribs are disassembled and portioned first. The rib is served with the loin. And finally the gigot is served, that is to say the legs of the lamb.
Sometimes it is returned to the grill for half an hour more, depending on the point of cooking that people like. But this time, it is cooked on the bone side.
And to accompany this fantastic lamb, sauces such as the traditional one, chimichurri, tomato sauce and garlic oil, herb oil, olive oil can be added; as well as butters, with garlic or any ingredient that creativity allows to use.
It is also advisable to cook the rescoldo, which is the flame cooking of vegetables: garlic, peppers, pumpkins, carrots, sweet potatoes. Everything is put on the fire for 45 minutes/1 hour until it is cooked. It is seasoned only with salt, peppercorns and olive oil. And sometimes with herbs like thyme and oregano.
These are the steps and techniques necessary to enjoy a good Argentinian Patagonian lamb.
What are you waiting for to try this?
