Asado a la cruz is one of the most iconic preparations of Argentine Patagonia: a whole lamb is fixed to a cross-shaped iron frame, driven into the ground and tilted toward the fire, so it cooks slowly for several hours in the natural heat of the embers.
Unlike asado a la estaca, which uses a single rod driven into the ground, here the lamb is mounted on a cross-shaped frame that holds it by the front and hind quarters, with the head facing down, where the meat is thickest.
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Argentine Cross Roasted Lamb
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Argentine
Ingredients
Nutrition
- Calories: 480
Ingredients
- 1 whole of young Patagonian lamb (3 to 6 months old) (one whole animal, about 8 kg / 17.5 lb)
- to taste of coarse salt
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed (optional)
- as needed of light brine (water with salt and garlic) for basting during cooking
Instructions
- Prepare the lamb, remove the catinga (the gland in the hind quarters that gives an unwanted strong flavor) and clean the piece well before mounting it on the cross.
- Secure it to the cross, place the lamb on the cross-shaped iron frame, hooking it firmly by the hind and front quarters, and running another iron rod through the ribs to keep it stretched taut.
- Drive the cross into the ground, bury the base in the ground at an angle of about 60 degrees, with the lamb’s head facing down, about 50 to 80 cm (20 to 31 in) from the fire.
- Salt the piece, season the whole surface with coarse salt before starting to cook.
- Cook over medium, even heat, let it cook slowly for more than 4 hours, keeping the heat steady but not direct, to get an even cook throughout.
- Baste and rotate, brush the meat with the light brine from time to time and rotate the cross so it browns evenly on all sides.
- Check for doneness, the lamb is ready when the meat pulls away easily from the bone and shows an even golden-brown color.
- Remove and serve, carefully release the meat from the cross, cut into portions, and serve hot.
Tips for getting it right
- Choose a young lamb, 3 to 6 months old, since the meat is more tender and mild at that age.
- Don’t skip removing the catinga: it’s a key step to avoid unwanted strong flavors.
- Keep the fire steady but not direct: the cook needs to be slow to get even results inside and out.
- Rotating the cross from time to time helps the piece brown evenly across its whole surface.
Traditional variations
- A very similar variation is asado a la estaca, which uses a single iron rod driven into the ground instead of a cross-shaped frame.
- Some grill masters add rosemary or thyme to the basting brine for extra aroma during cooking.
How to serve
Asado a la cruz is served as the main dish at large outdoor gatherings, cut into generous portions straight off the cross.
It’s traditionally paired with ember-roasted potatoes, simple salads, and crusty bread.
Recommended sides
- Ember-roasted potatoes
- Simple salad
- Crusty bread
- Patagonian red wine
Did you know?
The lamb is mounted head-down on the cross because that’s where it carries the most meat, which helps distribute the heat more evenly during cooking.
This technique calls for more than four hours of cooking with minimal intervention: just salt, garlic water, and a light brine, letting the slow fire do all the work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both techniques cook the whole lamb exposed to the fire for hours, but asado a la cruz uses a cross-shaped iron frame that holds the piece by the front and hind quarters, while asado a la estaca uses a single iron rod driven into the ground.
Because that's where the lamb carries the most meat, which helps it cook more evenly as it receives heat from the embers.
It's a gland located in the lamb's hind quarters that, if not removed before cooking, can give the meat an unwanted strong flavor.
The whole process usually takes more than 4 hours over medium, steady heat, making sure the meat isn't exposed to direct fire.
