The Origins of Chimichurri in Argentine Cuisine
Some mysteries may never be solved.
Who built Stonehenge?
Is there a real Loch Ness Monster?
What happened to Amelia Earhart?
Let’s add another one to the list: where did the term “chimichurri” come from? The origin of this Argentine grilling staple’s name is as murky as the sauce itself.
Cleaning and Maintaining Your Argentine Grill
We’re writing this on a morning where our part of the country saw its first snowfall of the season. But we’re still an Argentine grill company, and our minds are on grilling.
More to the point, we’re thinking about how to clean one of our grills. Whether you’re a die-hard barbecue enthusiast who grills year-round, or someone who’s been avoiding an off-season clean, where’s what you need to know about maintaining your Argentine grill.
Using Your Asado Rotisserie Grill Attachment
Our company’s name is Gaucho Grills, but you can use our products for more than just grilling.
You can buy one of our grills with a rotisserie grill attachment, which snaps in place with just a few quick steps. When you watch this video, you’ll see that it takes less than a minute to make the switch from grilling to rotisserie.
Simply lower and remove the V-groove grill grates, detach the grease trough and attach the rotisserie bar, and you’re ready to cook.
And when you cook rotisserie style, you’re engaging in a time-honored method of food preparation enjoyed all over the world, from people in Greece spit-roasting lamb to the delectable babi gulig (spit-roasted pig) found on the island of Bali to the American traditional backyard barbecue.
No matter how you cook, there’s something about cooking around a fire that brings people together, and there are many foods that seem designed for a rotisserie grill:
Ribs
Whole fish
Rounded foods like turkey breasts, boneless legs of lamb
Duck
Chicken
Prime rib
Artichokes, eggplant, squash, potatoes and other vegetables.
Fruits such as pineapple (your rotisserie can even make dessert!)
So what should you cook with the newly-installed rotisserie?
Glad you asked. As always, we’re happy to share some recipes.
Vegetable Dishes and Sides for Your Asado Meal
“When we think of Argentine cuisine, we think of beef.”
Those were our words, about three months ago, right here on this blog.
And if you read most of our entries here, you know we love the idea of grilling a nice, juicy steak or a succulent piece of chicken.
But while meat might be the star of your cookout, it still needs its supporting cast. (You’ve also got your vegetarian guests to consider.)
With that in mind, we’ve put together a few suggestions for vegetable dishes and sides you can serve with your next asado meal.
The Benefit of Grilling on V Groove Grill Grates
It’s time to make your world class burger. The 80/20 Beef has been prepped and formed. Your parrilla grill is hot. The grilling starts out great, the smells and sizzle indicate you got the start you’re looking for. But it doesn’t take long to put you back into a familiar panicked battle; How to keep your gourmet burgers from becoming smoldering hockey pucks!?
Grilling with your Himalayan Salt Block
Although used for thousands upon thousands of years, (See the Book of Job reference) today it seems like the use of salt has exploded in popularity more than ever. Try to find a seasoning or condiment that doesn’t advertise: “Made with all-natural sea salt.” Look and see how many pretty salt colors and flavors there are in your local spice shop or even grocery store. There are colored salts, flavored salts, smoked salts, salt cured meats, salt encrusted meats and fish, and on it goes. It’s even a hit in our desserts and coffees with “Sea-Salt Caramel” flavored everything.
So it was no surprise to us when we discovered the wonderful world of salts has now permeated into the grilling arena. Yes there are a thousand and one ways to season any of your grilled fare to perfection with salts. Recipes abound that call for all sorts of extravagant salted marinades and rubs. In addition, there perhaps is no better way to prepare a juicy grilled steak than to season it with a minimalist approach of some coarse kosher salt and cracked black pepper. However we’ve recently come to embrace the fantastic salt infusing method of grilling on top of a Pink Himalayan Salt Block. For a salt lover, this is truly a unique way to go.
Argentinean Grilling Terminology Guide
Over the past few months, we’ve been using this blog to teach readers their way around the world of Argentinian grilling. And now that you can walk the walk, we want you to be able to talk the talk, so to speak. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to Argentinean grilling terminology. The next time you host a cookout, you can impress your guests with your food and your lingo.