Tips For Cooking On An Argentine Grill
An Argentine grill provides an opportunity to take cooking back to its roots, done over an open flame. The Gaucho-style tradition meets Santa Maria precision with heat control, ensuring your meat comes out smoky and packed with flavor.
But how do you do it? If you’ve never cooked on an Argentine grill, it may seem daunting. But fear not. Knowing a few basic tips and tricks will make you a pro in no time.
So, do you want to grill like the Gauchos and perfect that smoky and savory meat flavor? Here are a few tips to help get the most out of your Argentinian grilling experience:
1 - Let Your Embers Burn First
One of the classic rules of Gaucho-style cooking is not to jump into it the moment you get a flame. Whether cooking over hardwood or coal, the key is to let the embers burn until they create a few inches of ash.
You can add wood slowly as needed to keep the fire going once you have that sweet spot of heat.
2 - Use A Brasero
A brasero is a metal box that attaches to your grill where you can burn wood and coal separately. Some Argentine grills come with a brasero, while others have it available as an add-on.
In either scenario, using a brasero will help you regulate temperature by ensuring you get perfect-sized embers for your cook. The embers will fall to the grill bed when they have burned enough.
3 - Control The Heat By Adjusting The Grate Height
One nice perk of an Argentine grill is the ability to adjust the height of the grate on which your food cooks. This differs from most American grills, where the grate isn’t adjustable and you have to constantly play with the temperature controls to get it right.
With an Argentine grill, simply raise the grate for cooler cooking temperatures, or keep it low and close to the heat for warmer temps. Most Argentine grills will allow you to raise the grate by up to a few feet.
4 - Cook Slowly
The Gaucho way of grilling involves patience and precision. Grilling slowly is the key to making sure the meat comes out flavorful and evenly cooked. If you go too quickly or grill at too hot a temperature, you risk the meat being overcooked on the outside or undercooked on the inside. It will also lose flavor if it gets too dry.
Some experts recommend letting the flames die down and simply cooking over the hot wood or coals. If this sounds like it will take a while, that’s the idea. Argentinians often spend hours cooking up the perfect meal.
5 - Avoid Too Many Spices and Rubs
It can be tempting to lather your meat with spices, seasonings, and rubs before putting it on the grill. Gaucho cooking experts say that would be a mistake.
Instead, use salt and just a little bit of black pepper. Keeping the seasonings simple will allow the natural flavor of the meat to come through and create a crusty exterior while keeping the inside juicy and flavorful.
6 - Don’t Over-Flip The Meat
American chefs love playing with the meat on the grill. You’ll often see them flipping it several times in a grilling session as they aim for that perfect doneness.
With Argentinian cooking, it’s the opposite. Getting that ideal crusty exterior while preserving the flavor and juiciness of the inside requires the perfect sear. The meat should be touching the grill until that perfect sear arrives. Then, you can flip it one time and repeat the process before eating.
7 - Toss Herbs Into The Fire For Added Flavor
While you don’t want excessive seasonings on the meat itself, throwing fresh herbs into the fire will add to the meat's flavor.
Sprigs of rosemary in particular are said to enhance the flavor of meats and vegetables if tossed into the coals.
8 - Finish With A Simple Sauce
Much like the rest of the process, you don’t want to overdo saucing your meat once it’s finished cooking. If you desire a sauce topper, keep it light to not drown out the meat flavor.
Chimichurri is the most popular Argentinian meat sauce and is a great addition to most smoked meats.
Grill Like a Gaucho With An Argentine Grill From Backyard Discovery
With an Argentine grill, you can bring the rich heritage of open-fire cooking to your backyard with a culinary masterpiece meticulously crafted for the discerning grillmaster. And what better way to do it than with the new Argentine Grill from Backyard Discovery!
Elevate your BBQ experience with a grill that comes with a built-in brasero, a grate that can be adjusted by nearly two feet, high-temp powder-coated steel for efficient heat retention, S-hooks for hanging meat, and an acacia wood tide table. Also included is a coal shovel for precise fire management and a premium cover to protect your grill when not in use. All of this is backed by an industry-leading 5 Year Limited Warranty.
If you’re ready to up your grilling game, take the next step and order your Argentine Grill today.
