Asado Negro — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A dramatic Venezuelan beef roast caramelized in dark panela sugar until almost black, then braised until impossibly tender in a sweet-savory sauce.

Ingredients

1.5kg beef eye of round
200g panela or dark brown sugar
3 tbsp oil
2 onions, quartered
4 cloves garlic
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup red wine
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp cumin
Salt and pepper

Instructions

1 Season beef generously with salt, pepper, and cumin.
2 Heat oil in a Dutch oven. Add panela and melt until dark and bubbling, about 5 min.
3 Carefully sear the beef in the caramelized sugar, turning to coat all sides. This creates the "negro" color.
4 Add onions, garlic, broth, wine, and Worcestershire. Bring to a simmer.
5 Cover and braise at 160°C (320°F) for 3 hours, turning occasionally, until fork-tender.
6 Slice against the grain and serve smothered in the dark, glossy sauce.

Did You Know?

The trick to asado negro is letting the panela burn almost to the point of bitterness — the knife-edge between perfect caramel and burnt sugar is what gives it depth.