The Great Chilean Asado

If you’ve been already to Chile then you probably all ready know what an asado is. Or maybe you’re wondering because I’ve mentioned it on one of my other pages.

An asado is their way of saying barbeque. The only difference is that this isn’t just any barbeque, it’s one of the ultimate, must try cause there isn’t any better barbeque and you’ll remember it forever barbeque. I’m serious it’s very very good (if you like eating meat).

The word asado is used as a general term for barbeque but its true meaning is referring to the technique that the meat is cooked, and the true asado is cooked with beef. But it’s used to cook all kinds of meat such as pork, chicken, goat etc. The technique is that they take the piece of salted meat and put on a long metal flatten stick or pole called asadon.Like these!

This is called asado al palo, which means barbequed on a stick.

They light a fire in a half a barrel they call pancho with charcoal.

This is a pancho.

Once it’s all lit then they put the asadon onto hooks that are part of the pancho and the meat is cooked for a period of about two hours turning it constantly. The person in charge of cooking (who turns it for two hours) is called asador. A very important item is that the fire hast to bee just right or it will end up burn, like this one.

Since the term asado is used for a general barbeque and because it sometimes takes too long to cook people also make asados or barbeques a la parrilla which means to cook them on a grill. Usually they cook all different kind of meats at once and something that is almost always present is the longaniza to eat choripanes.

Along with the meats they prepare potatoes to accompany it and a Chilean salad that has tomatoes and onions called ensalada a la Chilena.

Why are asados so popular? First because Chileans are very good meat eaters, second because their meat is so tasty, and last but certainly not least (maybe even most important) because it gives them a reason to invite everyone they know over and spend time with their friends and family. You might have heard or read that Chileans are very sociable people so they find any excuse they can to make a barbeque and get together with their friends.

So if you think about it the meaning of Chilean asado is used for either a big sociable feast or for a kind of meat that was prepared on a grill or a metal pole.

Either way the food that you will eat is really good and it’s one of things that makes this country so special, so if you get the chance you must try it.

Return From The Asado Page to Chile Food Page