Argentina is the birthplace of one of the most celebrated dishes: “asado”.
The Argentine barbecue tradition is firmly linked to the epic of the gaucho who drove cattle across the endless distances of the Pampas: to them we owe the birth of the “asado” and the development of numerous variants.
The typical barbecue is made with cooked beef not with the flames but grilled with charcoal, located under a metal gate called “parrilla”, and only with salt added before, during or after cooking, depending on the method used. Besides the usual cuts of meat (“tira de asado”, “vacío”, “matambre”, “lomo”, “bife de chorizo”, etc…), which serve as the main dish, the meal starts serving other organs and entrails called “achuras”, such as the “riñones” (kidneys), “chinchulines” (intestines) and the “mollejas” (sweetbreads) and finally the “salchichas” and “chorizos” (sausages), intestines stuffed with a mixture of fat and minced meat with spices (finer in sausages) or directly from clotted blood and onions, as “morcilla” (black pudding).
The urban version is offered in so-called "parrillas" also adds cheese, including the famous "provoleta" (simile slice of provolone cheese roasted with oregano and oil) and variety of meats: pork, chicken, rabbit, lamb, goat; in recent years has also become popular the “asado” or “parrillada de verduras” (grilled vegetables), to eat alone or to escort the barbecue. The meat is usually served immediately once prepared, on a large plate, in some cases comes at a small brazier that keeps it warm, a common practice in restaurants.
Everything is seasoned, if desired, with a moderately spicy sauce called “chimichurri”, which has oil, salt, garlic, red pepper, bay leaves, oregano, onion and one or more spice: the whole forming a sort of red pesto and intense and persistent aroma. Another classic sauce is “salsa criolla”, a condiment composed of tomatoes, skinned, red pepper, onion or green onion, oil, vinegar and salt, all chopped with a knife and mixed properly. There are variations that add paprika and chili powder.
The “asado” is the classic weekend dinner or special occasions that men prepare in suburban areas where the house has a garden or in clubs or countries or in the “costanera porteña” (the riverside path of Buenos Aires). In spite of where the “asado” is prepared and which version you choose, the Argentine “asado”, urban or rural, continues to captivate all and strangers over time, with its abundance, its rich history and outstanding quality…
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