Grilling, Argentine-style

[ChrisTaylor]

I've eaten Argentine-style barbecued meats before and was very happy with them. What I liked most of all were the ribs--cut differently to the beef ribs I've had elsewhere. Wikipedia tells me these are 'flanken-cut' short ribs'. Here is a picture of the cooked product

This cut is sometimes sold in my area under the name 'asado ribs'. Now, coming to this with an understanding of the cut of beef I need (and I know that there's more to asado than just ribs) and knowing that the ribs are cooked 'low and slow' over a wood fire, I want to know how to cook them with what I have. I have three options, I guess.

• The grill on my gas-powered BBQ. Problem: the grill, which you can't raise or lower, is very close to the heat source. Even on the lowest heat setting, this ribs will turn into charcoal.
  
• Gas-powered smoker. Removing the hickory/mesquite/etc chips, of course, and maybe putting some other kind of timber in their place.
  
• A small spit (i.e. suitable for a chicken, duck or maybe a 2-3 kilo suckling pig) that also doubles as a coal barbecue. I could fill only the bottom (it's deep) with coals and place the ribs on the grill, well above the heat source. The only problem is that adjusting the heat (i.e. by adding more coals or timber or removing them/pushing them around) involves physically removing the grill, which is kind of a pain in the arse when you're cooking.
  

Thoughts and theories? My holidays are coming up so I'm inclined to experiment.

[conifer]

Do you have a patch of ground in your garden that you could make a small fire on? I live in Argentina on an off (Argie wife), and this is quite common if people don't have a parilla. You see people on the sides of roads doing it this way also. Burn some wood down to coals, place any kind of metal rack over them and grill away.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

I can only speak for the Ecuadorian technique when it comes to asado, but it's not all that different from the Argentine; certainly the smaller parillas are designed similarly. Fill your spit pit fairly high with wood or to about half with charcoal, and let it burn to good coals, then place your meat on top and cook. Asar as a technique isn't something where you fine-tune the heat after it's good and going - most of the outer-surface cooking happens while the coals are still very hot, and then the inner cooks slowly as the coals cool off (which, if you've got a good parilla, won't happen for quite some time).

[Shel_B]

With all this talk and the videos about Franklin Barbecue, I thought I'd upload some pics from a couple of little grilling and BBQ parties in Argentina. Perhaps you'll enjoy seeing how things are done down there.

If anyone would like to see more pics, including some really interesting makeshift grills and smokers, let me know, and I'll see that you get them.

Edited May 11, 2015 by Smithy
Added link to Franklin Barbecue topic (log)

[MSRadell]

Actually there's a huge outdoor grilling event done very similarly in South Carolina every year, here's some pictures from last year's: http://www.bovinoche.com/photo-gallery.html

[Thanks for the Crepes]

Wow Shel_B!

 

Our US health inspectors would be having conniption fits over it, but that is one very glorious celebration of meat!

 

I can only imagine how good the results of such a gargantuan effort put into producing good barbecue might be, but I am sure having a wonderful time doing it.

 

Thanks, and I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one to appreciate more photos and backstory  if you have it.