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    Home / Dinner / Asado Negro

    Asado Negro

    A show-stopping pot roast simmered in a glossy, bittersweet dark sauce — Venezuela’s most elegant Sunday dish.

    ⏱ 20 minPrep time
    🔥 2 hr 30 minCook time
    🍽 6Servings
    🏷 DinnerCategory
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
    Asado Negro - Venezuela

    Asado negro is a Venezuelan classic in which a beef roast is slowly braised in a dark, almost black sauce made from papelón, the unrefined cane sugar that gives the dish its signature color and bittersweet depth. Legend says it was born when a distracted cook let the sugar caramelize too far — and the accident became a masterpiece.

    The beautiful accident of Venezuelan cooking

    The meat turns spoon-tender and lacquered, cloaked in a velvety sauce that is sweet, savory, and faintly smoky, with soft caramel notes from the papelón. Slices glisten darkly on the plate, and the sauce begs to be sopped up with white rice.

    Venezuelan recipes →

    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Pat the roast dry and season all over with salt and pepper.
    2. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the roast on all sides, about 10 minutes total; set it aside.
    3. Lower the heat, add the papelón to the pot, and stir constantly until it melts and turns a deep amber, almost black color, about 5 minutes — do not let it burn bitter.
    4. Return the beef to the pot, turning to coat it in the caramel, then add the onions, garlic, and tomatoes and cook 8 minutes.
    5. Add the wine, Worcestershire, vinegar, cumin, and 2 cups water; bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, turning occasionally, until the meat is fork-tender.
    6. Remove the roast, slice it, and simmer the sauce uncovered 10 to 15 minutes until it thickens and turns glossy; spoon it over the slices and serve with white rice and fried plantains.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Go easy on the salt — the papelón and Worcestershire already bring plenty of depth, and the sauce reduces and concentrates. Leftover asado negro tastes even better the next day; reheat gently and add a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

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    Recipe details

    Prep20 min
    Cook2 hr 30 min
    Servings6
    CategoryDinner
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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