Juicy, mouthwatering steak coupled with full bourbon brown sausages on a large plate, topped with the local chimichurri sauce and a side of wine…Excuse me for a moment, I need to eat something…

Something very popular in Latin American communities, especially those in Argentina and Uruguay, is the asado; where people gather around from early afternoon to the early hours of the morning, to eat pound upon pound of glorious meat. It is a type of barbecue, the word used in association with both the method of cooking, and the event itself. It’s a traditional dish in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay; and it’s the national dish of Argentina, which is to be expected, for if you have ever tasted the succulent meat fresh from an Argentinean parrilla, you’ll never look at a ‘barbecue’ the same again.

The parrilla is the grill, with the meat often cooked over an open fire using charcoal, and garnished with plenty of sal, or salt; the asado is the act of cooking, and if you’re unfortunate enough not to have friends cooking up an asado, and in need of finding somewhere else to get your fix, you’d better head to a parrillada; the person responsible for the asado is the asador, who finely cares and nourishes the bife, or steak, to perfection.

Let’s get to the ‘juicy’ part…Carne, the meat. There are many cuts, some better than others, but all good: First we have the Bife de lomo, which is the tenderloin, and is often the most expensive cut. Then there’s the Entraña, the skirt steak, a thin cut that packs a flavorful punch. The Bife de chorizo, or sirloin, is the most common cut of meat, one you can eat over and over. The Asado de tira, short ribs, usually the cheaper option due to there being less meat, that’s made up for by the flavor and enjoyment in using your teeth and hands to tear at it. The Vacío, flank steak, not as common outside of Argentina and Uruguay, is a thin cut with a layer of fat that gets crispy when it’s cooked. Lastly, the Ojo de bife, the ribeye, one of the more flavorful parts, usually served without the bone, but not exclusively.

Other popular additions to the asado can range from chorizos — sausages, morcillas — black pudding, chivito — goat meat, pollo — chicken, cerdo — pork, ensalada — salad, chimichurri — a delicious sauce, and for any vegetable people out there there’s a large selection of venduras. 

The asado is so popular in many Latin American countries that every second house and even small apartments have a designed space specifically for a parrilla, and if you’re down south in Argentina, Uruguay, and some neighboring countries, you’d better not forget your mate, a local drink made of herbs that goes everywhere the people do.

What other cuts of meat do you like to have on you’re asado? Where was the place you tried the best food that’s ever hit your lips?