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1
Build the Fire and Soak the Stakes
30 Mins
Burning down to coals, about 200°C (400°F) at the grate
Build a wood fire in a fire pit or a large grill and let it burn down for about 30 minutes until you have a bed of glowing coals with low flames. While the fire burns, soak the wooden stakes in water for 30 minutes so they char slowly instead of catching fire. Set two forked branches or a simple frame at the side of the fire to rest the stakes on.
Hardwood gives the cleanest smoke; softwood and treated timber make bitter smoke and must not be used.
Done when: The fire is a bed of glowing coals with small flames, and the stakes are soaked through.
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2
Season the Beef
10 Mins
Room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
Rub the beef all over with the coarse salt, then with the garlic paste and black pepper, pressing the seasoning into the surface. Leave the beef at room temperature for 30 minutes while the fire settles, so the salt has time to sink in.
Season generously: a large cut roasted over an open fire needs more salt than a steak in a pan, and most of it stays on the crust.
Done when: The beef is evenly coated, and the surface looks damp where the salt has drawn out moisture.
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3
Skewer and Roast over the Fire
60 Mins
Hot coals, about 200–230°C (400–450°F)
Thread each piece of beef lengthwise onto a soaked stake, pushing the stake through the centre of the meat so the piece sits firmly and does not spin. Lean the stakes against the frame at an angle over the coals, fat cap facing the fire, and roast for 50 to 60 minutes, turning the stakes a quarter turn every 10 to 15 minutes so the meat cooks evenly. The outside should char in patches while the inside stays pink and juicy — check with a thermometer in the thickest part.
Keep the meat at the edge of the coals, not directly over the fiercest heat: carne en vara is a slow roast, and meat held too close burns outside while staying raw inside.
Done when: The outside is dark and charred in patches, the fat cap is crisped, and the centre reads 63°C (145°F) for medium-rare.
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4
Rest and Slice off the Stake
10 Mins
Resting, covered loosely with foil
Lift the stakes away from the fire and stand them upright for 10 minutes so the juices settle — do not slice straight off the fire or the juices run out onto the board. Then slide the beef off the stakes and slice it across the grain into thick pieces, about 2 cm thick, keeping the charred edges on each slice.
Slice across the grain, not along it: it is the difference between tender slices and chewy ones.
Done when: The slices are pink in the middle with a dark, smoky crust, and the juices stay in the meat.
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5
Serve with Yuca and Slaw
5 Mins
Served hot, about 60°C (140°F)
Pile the sliced beef on a platter with boiled yuca and cabbage slaw, and set out guasacaca and arepas for the table. Serve at once, while the beef is still hot and the crust is crisp.
Serve the beef unsliced at the table if you are feeding a crowd — slicing to order keeps it hot and is half the theatre of the dish.
Done when: The beef is hot, the crust is crisp, and the yuca and slaw are ready on the same platter.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve carne en vara hot off the stake, sliced thick across the grain, with boiled yuca, cabbage slaw and guasacaca on the side — the way the llaneros eat it, standing around the fire with a cold beer. Slice only what the table needs and keep the rest on the stake, where it stays warm.
Venezuela
3h
