In South America it’s a custom on weekends to get together with family and friends and eat meat, and lots of it! Slow roasting many types of meat, mostly beef over an open fire derives this tradition from ranching/farming countries like Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Chile and Uruguay. This grilling party called an asado can also be a great way to party this time of year at the American tradition of ‘tailgating'.
In Argentina, beef is king. A parillada mixta, or mixed grill, is Argentina's ritualistic meal event. Sides of beef rotate slowly for at least two hours on vertical spits around a fire pit, waiting to be carved in pieces by asadores (grill chefs).
Other types of grilled meats include roasts, sausages, steaks, ribs, sweetbreads, intestines, and more. The average person consumes 2 pounds of beef at a single meal, topping the grilled meats with nothing more than a very flavorful garlic and vinegary parsley condiment called Chimichurri. Meats are served with sides of bread, fried potatoes, corn, and a simple salad of lettuce, tomatoes and onions.
In Brazil they will take more than beef to the grill by grilling lamb, pork, chicken and goat; all paraded to the table on ‘Three Musketeer” sword like skewers. This carnivore's event is called the churrascaria rodizio.
Try something new, make your Know Your Fire weekend an event beyond South America. Maybe for your next tailgate you can consider preparing a South American Asado with a parillada mixta or churrascaria rodizio.
Chimichurri
aka Chimmichurri is an Argentine marinade and sauce usually used for steak. But why should this easy-to-make flavorful sauce only grace a rib or strip steak when burgers are sadly only topped with ketchup.
Prepared simply by combing, fresh chopped flat leaf or Italian parsley, fresh chopped garlic, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, a few red pepper flakes, pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper. Amounts are according to your passion and personal taste!
