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1
Trim and Season the Tenderloin
10 Mins
Room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
Pat the tenderloin completely dry with paper towels. Slide a thin knife under the silver skin and peel it away, then trim any loose fat. Mash the garlic to a paste, stir it with the olive oil, oregano and black pepper, and rub the mixture over every surface of the meat. Do not add extra salt to the meat itself — the salt bed in the cloth does the seasoning.
Tie the thin tail end under with twine so the roast is one even thickness; otherwise the thin end overcooks while the thick end is still raw.
Done when: Meat evenly coated with the rub, one even thickness from end to end.
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2
Soak the Cloth and Build the Salt Bed
20 Mins
Room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
Lay the cotton cloth in a wide bowl and pour the red wine over it. Soak for 20 minutes, then lift it out and squeeze it gently so it is damp but not dripping. Lay it flat on a baking tray and spread the 300 g of coarse salt over it in a thick, even layer about 6 mm (1/4 in) deep, leaving a 2 cm (1 in) border clear all round. Set the tenderloin across the salt, parallel to one edge, and roll the cloth up tightly around it like a parcel, folding the ends in. Tie each end firmly with cotton twine and one tie around the middle.
Roll it snug — a loose wrap lets the salt fall away and the cloth burn through before the meat is cooked. The bundle should feel firm and hold its shape when lifted.
Done when: A firm, compact bundle with the meat fully covered in salt and cloth, tied tight at both ends.
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3
Roast the Bundle on the Embers
20 Mins
Glowing embers, about 230°C (450°F) at the grill; meat to 63°C (145°F)
Light a charcoal grill and let the coals burn until they are covered in grey ash and glowing red underneath, then rake them into one even layer and take the cooking grate off. Lay the bundle directly on the embers, knot-side up, and do not touch it for 9 minutes. Turn it over with long tongs and cook for 9 more minutes. Push a meat thermometer through the cloth into the thickest part — the beef is ready when it reads at least 63°C (145°F). If it is not there yet, give it 2–3 minutes more per side.
Glowing embers, not open flames: flames scorch the cloth to ash before the heat reaches the meat. If a flame flares up, move the bundle to a quieter patch of coals.
Done when: Cloth blackened and stiff, salt hardened into a shell; centre of the meat at least 63°C (145°F).
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4
Rest and Crack the Crust
15 Mins
Resting, about 60°C (140°F)
Lift the bundle onto a metal tray with long tongs and let it rest for 15 minutes — the temperature inside keeps rising a few degrees and the juices settle back into the meat. Cut the twine, peel the charred cloth away and tap the hard salt shell with the back of a knife so it cracks and falls off. Brush away any loose salt and cloth fibres with a dry pastry brush; do not rinse the meat.
Do not skip the rest. Cutting into the roast straight off the fire lets the juices run out onto the board instead of staying in the meat.
Done when: Salt shell cracked away cleanly, revealing a deep brown, evenly roasted surface.
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5
Slice and Serve
5 Mins
Serving temperature, about 60°C (140°F)
Set the roast on a warm cutting board and slice it across the grain into thick medallions, about 2 cm (3/4 in) each — the centres should be rosy and juicy. Arrange on a warm platter, spoon chimichurri or fresh ají over the top or serve it on the side, and bring it to the table at once with charred vegetables and baked potatoes.
Slice only what you are about to serve; the unsliced roast stays warmer and juicier on the board.
Done when: Rosy, juicy centres with a well-seasoned browned edge; four servings of about 175 g each.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the sliced lomo al trapo on a warm platter with chimichurri or ají spooned over the top and a little extra coarse salt on the side for anyone who wants it — the drama of the blackened cloth is half the dish, so tell the story at the table.
Colombia
2h
