By Jacob VanDeman
While I’m no longer a full gringo, that is certainly where I started when I moved from the heartland of America to the northernmost city of Latin America (Miami). I am still a minority and it was culture shock at first, but I’ve now fully embraced and adapted to livin-la-vida-loca amongst the Latinos in South Florida. I even went as far as marrying and starting a family with un mujer hermosa from Peru.
Now that I’ve been married for several years and have spent serious quality time with my South American family, let me tell you gringos about one of my favorite things in South American culture: un parillada or asado. In layman’s terms, it’s a BBQ, cookout, grill out, etc. But it’s really much more than that. In fact, if you are on the fence about an outdoor excursion to South America, like wing shooting in Argentina, experiencing a parillada should be enough to push you over the edge.
Like any good BBQ, one of the most important things is the company you share it with. A parillada is a meal, but it’s more about good times with friends and family.
What do you need?
While you can use a gas grill, the purest and traditional way is to use wood. You can use the charcoal grill or fire pit you already have. Traditional parillas [grills] hold wood charcoal with a grate made from angle iron and have a chain attached to raise and lower the meat to control the temperature. It’s up to the cook to choose hardwoods like those used in Texas BBQ or hardwood lump charcoal like you’ll find at most groceries. I’ve discovered cowboy lump charcoal is a good option that is readily available.
You’ll want a pan of raw meats and a series of cutting boards next to you at all times to keep a constant supply of freshly cooked deliciousness rotating off the grill. The only seasoning you will need is salt and pepper—anything else is a sin. Resting the meat still applies here. Use a good knife to slice and serve directly from the cutting boards.
Once your family and friends are gathered, you can start building your fire. Let the fire burn for a bit, allowing the coals to get white before you start for a good even cook. Once they are white, spread them out. This is a good time for the men to stand around and drink cheap beer or a nice red wine. You can choose a cabernet, but a malbec from Argentina or Chile is what the region is known for and is the way to go. It’s also important to play a mix of Bachata, Cumbia, salsa-type music loud enough to get dogs barking and to upset your lame neighbors who hate having a good time. The Narcos theme song is a good place to start. Gender roles and class still exist in this culture, which is a beautiful thing. The women set the table and prepare the sides.
The Sides:
Provaletta [melted cheese]
Provaletta is a stack of provolone cheese that forms a solid hockey puck shape with herbs on top. You can microwave it in a bowl or put it in foil and throw it on the parrilla. You can eat the melty cheese with a fork or put it on bread.
Ensalada Rusa [potato salad]
Potato salad that consists of cooked potato cubes, diced egg, mayo, peas and carrots. Simple, but surprisingly good. Not to be mistaken with store bought potato salad.
Ensalada [mixed salad]
Simple mixed salad with oil and lemon/vinegar.
Pan [bread]
Eat plain, with butter, provaletta, or make a choripán [sausage sandwich].
Camote [sweet potato]
Keep the skin on and throw them directly in the coals of the parilla.
The Meat:
Chorizo [sausage]
The first cut to go on the grill is chorizo. Chorizo simply means sausage. It’s great to start with because the fat coats the grates with flavor and gets the fire going. Chorizo makes for a perfect snack for you while manning the parilla and to placate your guests as they wait on the prime cuts. Top with chimichurri or put a whole chorizo on a piece of bread for a sandwich (choripán). If you can find it, I personally prefer Argentinian chorizo as opposed to Colombian or Spanish which are both red from paprika and a lot greasier. Argentinian chorizo has a great meaty texture from coarsely ground pork and is mild in spice but rich in flavor. Spiral salchicha is also an excellent choice. If you are a little more adventurous, try morcilla, which is blood, rice, and seasoning stuffed into a casing. Italian sausage or bratwurst will work if you cannot find a good chorizo.
After your chorizo is cooked, throw on the steaks. Utilize multiple cuts and serve pieces instead of whole steaks. I tend to serve most cuts medium rare and guests can throw meat back on if they’re stupid and don’t like proper steak. You might already be familiar with some of the cuts:
Entrana [skirt steak]
My personal favorite. Good marbling and flavor. Thin, even shape makes it easy to cook hot and fast. You can get a good sear without it burning or being too raw. Grains are very linear and defined so you can vary texture by cutting with or against the grain. Goes a long way when cut into slices and samples can be eaten as you prepare.
Vacio [flank steak]
Many of the same qualities as skirt steak, but not quite as tender. Slightly different texture and flavor.
Bife de Chorizo [NY strip]
Good balance of fat and tenderness. Not overly fatty, but not overly tender like a filet. A good 1-2 inch steak cooks up nice and even. Can serve cut in half or in strips.
Ancho [ribeye]
Great fat content and flavor. Very tender cut. May be too fatty for some. Serve cut into strips.
Asado de Tira [flanken short ribs]
Very flavorful cut, full of marbling and excellent beefy flavor. You can also chew on the bone. The downside is that the higher fat content can cause them to flame up. It is easy to burn the outside while undercooking the inside. It’s better to cook this slow on a separate grill or last when the coals have died down. This cut is better served medium to let the fat render into the meat. Serve whole or cut into sections with bone.
*****
I usually stick with the beef, but you can throw on pork chops or chicken as well.
The cooking itself is akin to a campfire with friends, which was actually the origin of parilladas, when cowboys would cook a feast and share stories after a long day’s work. It’s hard to beat an evening of sampling meat, drinking cold beer, and chatting with friends and family while you cook.
