Welcome to the Kingdom of the Red Meat
By Marina Veccia
Argentina and steak are closely linked, like Buenos Aires and Tango, Patagonia and glaciers, or Mendoza and wine. When in Argentina, you shouldn’t miss trying the local specialty. Did you know that the average Argentine consumes about 72 kilos of beef per year?
Asado is the Spanish term for barbecue. Having an asado in Argentina is more than just eating food; it’s a ritual with deep cultural significance. It´s a tradition with roots in the cattle farms where gauchos (nomadic horsemen and rural workers of the Pampas grasslands) developed customs and grilling techniques that have been passed down through generations. Having a barbecue is a great excuse to celebrate anything – a birthday, just gathering with family and friends, Christmas, or roofing a house.
Now let´s go step by step in this art of making asado
We first need to decide how to cook the meat. Will it be on a grill, known as parrilla?, or do we need to use the al asador technique to cook for many people? This technique involves cooking meat close to an open pit flame while it stands on a huge iron cross. Second, we need to know what type of meat we are grilling. Beef is the main choice, but we can also cook chicken, lamb, and pork. Third, we need to consider the cooking time. An Argentine asado involves constant cooking for a long time on both sides, usually between one and two hours, to ensure that the meat is well done and tender.
The parrilla does not have a lid, and firewood is used to start the fire, giving the meat a nice smoked flavor. Embers are used to cook the meat instead of direct heat. Thicker cuts are placed in the center of the parrilla, while the thinner ones go on the sides to prevent them from burning.
A skilled grill master or asador knows how to prepare a delicious chimichurri sauce, which is a blend of parsley, garlic, vinegar, and oil. Another option is the criolla sauce, made from tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and vinegar. Meat doesn’t require extensive preparation in advance. Common seasonings include grill salt, thyme, oregano, and pepper.
However, not only meat lovers can enjoy an asado. Argentinians have our own version to include vegetarians as well! Among the side dishes to accompany an asado, we can find roasted vegetables like potatoes, onions, and peppers and a wide variety of salads. Also, good bread should be on the table to make a great choripan, a sandwich made with chorizo that can be made with beef or vegetarian options too.
What do we do while we wait for the meat to cook?
While we wait for the meat to cook, we use that time to socialize with our friends and family while we share mate, a traditional infused beverage similar to green tea, or a good wine or fernet drink. Before the barbecue, we usually have an appetizer that we call picada, a charcuterie board that includes a selection of cold cuts and specialty cheese. Once the barbecue is on the table and before starting to eat, tradition says we have to give a round of applause for the grill master: ¡Un aplauso para el asador!
In addition, a barbecue is incomplete without a good dessert and here we have plenty of options: the traditional creme caramel or flan with dulce de leche and whipped cream on the side, dulce de leche pancakes, ice cream, among many others.
In Argentina, sobremesa is as important as the meal itself. It refers to the after-lunch talk which can last all afternoon, so if you are invited to an Argentine barbecue for lunch, expect a long sobremesa accompanied with mate and facturas (a selection of pastries filled with cream, dulce de leche or quince jam) or a nice pasta frola (a quince jam pie).
Why meat is so good in Argentina?
Argentinian farmers take pride in their unique breeding practices. The cattle are fed solely on natural pastures, which gives the meat a special flavor that differs from cattle fed on grains or artificial feed. Here’s what you can expect from a traditional Argentine parilla:
Achuras
Achuras are generally served first. These are the offal. Among them you will find chinchulines (small intestine), mollejas (sweetbreads – the thymus gland of the cow), riñones (kidneys), and the most famous pair: the morcilla (blood sausage) and the chorizo (sausage), the last one generally eaten with bread as a choripan (chorizo sandwich).
Meat cuts
Asado: Short ribs. These are thin strips of meat from the rib that have been sliced across. The strips are cut very short and are usually quite crispy.
Bife de chorizo: New York strip steak or sirloin steak. The hit among Argentinian meat delicacies. It is thick and juicy.
Entraña: Skirt steak. A thinly sliced but very tasty piece of beef. However, it is not as tender as the other pieces.
Lomo: Tenderloin. Soft flavour and very tender meat.
Matambre: Flank or sides. A very tender and thinly sliced piece of meat with a significant amount of fat on the top.
Ojo de bife: Rib eye. Is a smaller piece from the rib.
Vacio: Flank steak. A thinly cut piece of the flank of the beef. When this piece is done properly, it is crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.
Visit Argentina with us! We create taylor made travel itineraries in Argentina and Chile. We would love to help you plan your trip. Take a look to our itineraries to try the Asado:
Full Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls and Argentina Wines, Highlights of Los Glaciares National Park, Southern Patagonia
