‘Enter the fire without fear’: this is what we can learn from Argentinians about barbecuing | Cooking & Eating

The fact that the macho culture still dominates the South American country is reflected in barbecue life. In Argentina, the men grill and the women stay away from the fire. Constanza Cerezo Pawlak doesn’t like that. As a child she preferred meat to sweet pie.

The 26-year-old chef from the Mendoza region has years of grilling experience in Buenos Aires gastronomy. She likes to keep her secret for a good one asado (barbecue) off. “We owe our evolution as humanity to fire and flesh, so we have a lot of knowledge in house. Face the fire without fear. It’s all about patience, attention and sauces.”

The master class begins. ,,A good barbecue starts around ten o’clock in the morning and lasts until the end of the afternoon. Light the fire without any liquid. First paper, then twigs, coal and the wood. Then I set up the grill like a stove.”

“A large piece of meat in a place where it is less warm and vegetables that retain a lot of water can be placed above the hotter coals. That way you can take everything off the barbecue at once.”

Vegetables on the barbecue? ,,Everything is possible! Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower. Don’t forget to blanch the vegetables for better taste. Plus it goes faster. Or think of broccoli: the burning wood gives you smoked broccoli and you really make the best salad of your life. And with a corn on the cob, it’s nice to boil it in milk first,” says Constanza.

And then a very important part: the sauces for the meat. “Dare to combine”, continues the expert. Fatty meats go well with more acidic sauces. ,,Try something based on green apple with mint. Or one with coriander, mint and lime. Or the traditional Argentinian salsa criolla: onion, tomato, garlic, red, green and yellow bell pepper, sunflower oil, pepper and salt. The following applies to all sauces: chop the ingredients very finely.”

The heat makes you thirsty, Constanza also knows. ,,I prefer to drink a beer during the preparations. Then a Vermouth when I light the fire, followed by wine. White wine is fine, because a heavy red like a cabernet will kill you in the heat.”

A asado in Argentina is almost equivalent to a belief. Constanza: ,,It’s total folklore. A chain of social activities: from the butcher and the greengrocer in preparation to your family and friends at the table.” The country really has a carnivoran culture. Last year, an Argentinian ate no less than 48 kilos of beef per person, making it the global leader. However, the number of kilograms per person has been declining for years because of the ongoing economic malaise in the country and the increased attention to vegetarian food.

,,Anything else, Nancy?” it sounds from behind the counter, after his regular customer explains what she’s going to use her two steaks for. Javier Claudio Aleman (46) is one such prototype Argentine butcher around the corner in the capital Buenos Aires who knows his customers well. That pays off for them. ,,I definitely give my regular customers the better cuts of meat. Passers-by get what’s left,” says Javier, who himself consumes about 700 grams of meat every day. It makes him proud, when asked about the Argentinean meat. The best in the world, he dares to say.

But the butchers in Argentina are having a hard time. ,,Ten years ago I sold 800 kilos a week, that is now only 450 kilos. We are eating less meat and people are going to the supermarket more often.”

Although his qualities lie more in eating than grilling (‘a butcher is not by definition a good cook’), Javier does have a tip. “Make sure the ribs are at least eight inches thick, otherwise they lose a lot of flavor.” Vegetables on the grill? “No sorry, that leaves me completely cold.”

Summer means enjoying wonderful weather, playing outside and eating ice cream. But sunny days also carry risks. With these tips from Ouders van Nu you will get through the summer safely. ‘Always put the barbecue away from your child’s play area.’