When I packed my camera bag for Argentina, I didn’t know it would stay zipped most of the time. I had imagined myself chasing light over Patagonia’s glaciers or snapping tango dancers in the old quarters of Buenos Aires. Instead, what stole my attention — and my appetite — was something I had only read about in passing: asado, Argentina’s legendary barbecue.
I’m a retired photographer, and after fifty years of seeing the world through a lens, my wife, Laura, and I decided it was time to see places not just with our eyes, but with our stomachs, our hands, our conversations. Argentina was her dream — mine too, though I didn’t know it yet. We thought we were coming for the wine and the landscapes. We stayed for the fire.
First Impressions of Buenos Aires
We landed in Buenos Aires in the gentle warmth of late spring. The city is alive with color and rhythm. Cobbled streets twist through San Telmo, where tango music spills out of open windows. The air smells of roasted coffee, leather shops, and grilled meat drifting from neighborhood parrillas (steakhouses).
Our first night, we walked down Avenida de Mayo, stopped at a small café, and ordered empanadas and Malbec. The empanadas came golden and hot, filled with beef, onion, and a hint of cumin. I had eaten empanadas back home, but never like this. That was my first lesson in Argentina: food here is not just cooked; it is cared for.
Still, everyone we spoke to told us the same thing: “You haven’t been to Argentina until you’ve had asado.”
The Journey North
After a few days wandering the boulevards and bookstores of Buenos Aires, we headed north to the province of Misiones, famous for the Iguazú Falls. The waterfalls thundered down like a thousand cameras clicking at once. I couldn’t resist — I finally took my camera out, but even my best lens couldn’t capture the raw power of that water.
In Misiones, the food was different. We tried chipá, little baked cheese breads with a chewy center, eaten by the handful with coffee. At a roadside stop, we had sopa paraguaya, which, despite its name, is not a soup but a dense cornbread with onions and cheese.
Yet everywhere, whether in fancy hotels or roadside grills, we saw the same sight: firewood stacked high, smoke rising from parrillas, and the smell of beef. The promise of asado followed us like a shadow.
Mendoza – Wine Country and Fire
If Buenos Aires is the heart of Argentina, then Mendoza is its soul. Nestled at the foot of the Andes, the vineyards stretch endlessly, kissed by the desert sun and watered by the snowmelt streams. Laura and I visited three wineries in a single day, sipping Malbec, Torrontés, and Cabernet Franc. Each glass came with a story of soil and altitude, but always, the conversation circled back to food — specifically, asado.
One vintner smiled at my curiosity and invited us to his family’s weekend asado. “You cannot leave Argentina without sitting by the fire,” he said. And that is how, on a warm Sunday afternoon, Laura and I finally witnessed what we had been waiting for.
The Asado Experience
Forget everything you know about barbecue. Asado is not a backyard grill with quick-cooked burgers. It is ritual, patience, and respect for fire.
We arrived at noon. A fire was already burning in a corner of the yard, logs crackling into glowing embers. The parrillero (the grill master) explained that the wood must be reduced to coals before cooking begins. “El secreto está en el fuego,” he said — the secret is in the fire.
The meats were laid out like jewels on a wooden board: ribs, sausages, blood sausage, short ribs, flank steak, even sweetbreads (mollejas). Salt was the only seasoning. No rubs, no marinades — just meat, smoke, and time.
While the fire settled, we were served provoleta — thick discs of provolone cheese melted in a cast-iron dish with oregano and olive oil until bubbling and golden. Alongside it came choripán, a sandwich of chorizo sausage split in half, placed in a crusty roll, and slathered with chimichurri, the famous green sauce of parsley, garlic, vinegar, and chili flakes. I thought I could make a meal of just that, but everyone laughed and told me, “Wait. This is only the beginning.”
Hours later, when the coals were ready, the meats were laid across the parrilla (grill). Slowly, patiently, they cooked, fat sizzling and dripping into the embers. The smell was intoxicating. Glasses of Malbec were refilled, children played football in the yard, and nobody seemed in a hurry. That’s when I realized: asado is as much about people as it is about meat. It is conversation, laughter, stories, and silence shared by the fire.
Step-by-Step Asado Recipe
After that afternoon, I asked the parrillero to teach me the basics. Here is what I learned, adapted into a recipe you can try at home if you have the patience and the fire.
Ingredients (for 6–8 people):
- 2–3 pounds beef ribs (costillas)
- 2 pounds short ribs (asado de tira)
- 2 pounds flank steak (vacio)
- 1 pound chorizo sausages
- 1 pound morcilla (blood sausage)
- ½ pound sweetbreads (mollejas), optional
- Coarse salt
- Wood or charcoal for fire
For chimichurri sauce (optional but traditional):
- 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Prepare the fire – Build a wood fire or light charcoal in a corner of your grill. Let it burn until you have glowing coals. Do not rush. This can take an hour.
- Season the meat – Sprinkle coarse salt generously on all cuts of beef. No need for pepper or spices — the smoke will do its work.
- Arrange the meat – Place the larger cuts (like ribs and flank steak) on the grill first, bone side down. Keep the grill about 10–12 inches above the coals for slow cooking.
- Add sausages and sweetbreads – Once the big cuts are halfway done, add sausages, blood sausage, and sweetbreads. These cook faster.
- Cook slowly – Turn the meat occasionally, letting it develop a golden crust. Cooking time varies: ribs may take 2–3 hours, sausages about 30–40 minutes.
- Make chimichurri – Mix all ingredients in a bowl and let them sit while the meat cooks. The longer it rests, the better the flavor.
- Serve family-style – Place all the meat on a large board. Slice into thick pieces. Serve with bread, chimichurri, salads, and, of course, plenty of Malbec.
Other Foods Along the Way
Beyond asado, Argentina opened its table to us in countless ways:
- Milanesa – A breaded, fried cutlet of beef or chicken, often served with mashed potatoes. Comfort food at its best.
- Humita en chala – Corn pudding wrapped in husks and steamed, sweet and savory at once.
- Dulce de leche – A caramel spread eaten on everything from toast to pastries. Laura became so fond of it, we carried two jars home.
- Mate – A bitter herbal tea shared from a gourd with a metal straw. At first sip, I frowned; by the third, I understood why it is Argentina’s daily ritual.
But asado was always the centerpiece, the dish locals spoke of with pride and foreigners whispered about in anticipation.
Reflection – More than a Meal
On our last night in Argentina, Laura and I sat outside in a small plaza in Mendoza, sipping coffee. I asked her what she would remember most from this trip. She smiled and said, “The fire. The people around it. The way food can be both simple and extraordinary.”
As a photographer, I used to chase perfect moments in golden light. In Argentina, I found them not through my lens but through my senses. The glow of coals, the sound of sizzling fat, the laughter of new friends, and the taste of meat kissed by smoke — those became my images.
I came to Argentina with an empty stomach and a full memory card. I left with the reverse: a heart full of memories and a hunger to return.
Cooking Time & Nutrition
- Preparation Time: 1 hour (including fire preparation)
- Cooking Time: 2–3 hours
- Total Time: 3–4 hours
Nutrition (per serving, approx. for 8 servings):
- Calories: 600–800 kcal (varies by cut)
- Protein: 40–50 g
- Fat: 40 g
- Carbohydrates: negligible
Asado is rich and hearty. It is not a dish for calorie counting; it is a dish for celebration, for sharing, for life.
Final Words
If there is one lesson I will carry from Argentina, it is this: food is not just nourishment. Food is story, history, and community. And asado, above all, is proof that sometimes the simplest ingredients — fire, meat, salt, patience — create the richest experiences.
So if you ever find yourself in Argentina, don’t just order asado at a restaurant. Find a family, a vineyard, or a group of friends who invite you to sit by their fire. Watch, wait, taste, and listen. That is where the real Argentina lives.
Buen provecho. Salud. And may the fire always keep you warm.
