As an Argentine asador, I’ve grilled everything from entraña to vacío hundreds of times, and if there’s one detail that separates a tender, juicy bite from a chewy one, it’s how you slice the meat. I’ve seen it too often—people spend hours prepping, seasoning, and grilling to perfection, only to ruin the final result by slicing the meat the wrong way.
Most beginners (and even some experienced grillers) make the same mistake: they slice with the muscle fibers instead of against them. It might not seem like a big deal, but trust me—cutting steak against the grain changes everything. It’s the difference between a buttery bite and something that feels like chewing a rubber band.
In this article, I’ll explain what “go against the grain” really means when it comes to asado, how to do it right, and why it matters more than you think. Plus, I’ll share other simple techniques I use to keep my meat tender and full of flavor.
Let’s break it down. Every cut of meat is made up of bundles of muscle fibers that run in one direction—this is what we call the “grain.” You can usually see these fibers running across the surface like tiny lines. Whether you’re wondering if you should cut meat with or against the grain, the answer is almost always against—especially for tougher cuts like flank, brisket, or skirt steak.
Why? Because when you slice with the grain, you leave those long muscle fibers intact, making each bite harder to chew. But when you slice against them, you shorten those fibers, making the meat feel much more tender in your mouth. Once you understand this, it becomes second nature—and it’ll level up your asad
Being properly skilled in slicing the meat is the most basic thing to learn for any asador. Besides how meat looks, cutting against the grain will impact texture, tenderness, and the whole eating experience. Here is a step-by-step guide that will make sure that you get slicing right every time, from the tools you need to the technique itself.
Before getting into action, make sure you are equipped with the right tools. A dull knife and/or an incorrect knife can ruin your efforts regardless of how well you actually grilled the meat.
Ultimately, a good set of tools makes the whole job easier while also ensuring the integrity of the meat you worked so hard to prepare.
Don’t slice the meat; leave it on the grill and wait until the meat rests for some time. The waiting time allows the juices to be evenly distributed within the cut. If sliced too early, the juices will run all over the cutting board instead of being retained within the meat itself.
Thin cuts like entraña usually require about 5 minutes of resting time. However, thicker cuts like vacío, tapa de asado, or rib-eye cuts will need about 8-10 minutes. Place on a warm plate or board and loosely tented with foil. The juiciness factor is added to clean and safe cutting as the meat cools a little and firms up.
The “grain” refers to the direction in which the muscle fibers run. The direction indicates whether the muscle fibers are running with or against the grain. Looking closely at any cut of meat, you’ll realize fine lines across the surface—that’s the grain. Knowing how to understand it is key to knowing whether to cut meat with or against the graincut meat with or against the grain. Spoiler: always go against it.
When the cutting is from the grain, i.e., perpendicular to such outlines, the fibers within the muscle are cut short, thus producing a very tender morsel. When the cutting goes parallel to the fibers, leaving them long and intact, the meat feels chewier and tougher than it ought to be.
Once you’ve identified the direction of the grain, rotate the meat on the cutting board so that your knife can move across the grain, not parallel to it.
Keep your non-cutting hand steady with tongs or a carving fork to avoid touching the hot meat or losing control while slicing.
Timing is just as important as technique. Only slice the amount of meat you’re about to serve. Leaving the rest whole helps retain moisture and keeps the temperature more consistent. This is especially useful during longer asados where guests eat in stages.
If you’re handling multiple cuts, group them on your board by grain direction so you don’t have to readjust constantly. Taking those extra seconds to re-check the grain on each cut is worth it, especially when switching between different types of meat.
Slicing meat against the grain is essential, yes—but it’s just one part of the equation. In Argentina, especially when dealing with tougher cuts like vacío, tapa de asado, or matambre, tenderizing meat requires a more holistic approach. Over the years, I’ve learned that combining a few key techniques—from marinades to slow cooking—is what really transforms a chewy cut into something juicy and flavorful.
I’m a big fan of letting the fire and coarse salt do the talking, but certain cuts—like matambre—really benefit from a good marinade. This cut has great flavor but tends to be fibrous. An acidic marinade (using vinegar, lemon juice, or white wine) helps break down some of those tough muscle fibers before the meat even hits the grill.
You don’t need anything fancy. A basic marinade with:
Let the meat rest in that mix for 3–6 hours (don’t overdo it), and you’ll notice a real difference in tenderness. That said, not every cut needs a marinade. For prime cuts like ojo de bife (ribeye) or lomo (tenderloin), I prefer to leave them alone and let cooking technique and slicing do the work.
I’m not a huge fan of meat mallets, but they have their place. If you’re dealing with a really tough cut and don’t have time to marinate, using a mallet or a blade-style tenderizer (like a Jaccard tool) can help break down surface fibers and flatten the meat for more even cooking. That said, I reserve these tools for extreme cases. In most asados, I prefer to let the grill—and time—do the heavy lifting.
This is where patience pays off. Slow grilling—low and steady heat—is hands down the most underrated, yet effective way to tenderize meat. Take a vacío, for example. Cook it over gentle coals for 45 minutes to an hour per side and watch what happens. The fat slowly renders, the fibers relax, and that tough-looking slab turns into something melt-in-your-mouth tender.
This method isn’t for the impatient. But if you want real results, nothing beats it. And if you combine it with slicing against the grain at the end? You’ve got yourself a cut that rivals any restaurant steak.
One mistake I often see is trimming off all the fat before grilling. Big mistake. Cuts like asado de tira or tapa de cuadril rely on fat and connective tissue to stay moist and tender. Leave it on, cook it low and slow, and that fat will self-baste the meat while slowly breaking down into a rich, silky texture. Plus, fat acts as a buffer against high heat, giving you a little extra forgiveness if your timing isn’t perfect.
Bottom line: tenderizing meat isn’t about shortcuts—it’s about understanding how every step, from preparation to slicing, affects the final result. Choose the right cut, know when to marinate, trust slow cooking, and always cut against the grain. When all of that comes together, your asado isn’t just tender—it’s unforgettable.
