Steaks Buenos Aires – Typical sauces of an asado

Meat is not much seasoned in Argentina. Generally, only salted. Sometimes few hours before being cooked to let the salt penetrate deeply. And for the achuras, lemon is used during the preparation. Not much more. The tenderness and the flavor of the Argentine beef are usually sufficient. Basically, a good asado depends on the quality of the meat used and then the asador’s skills. And there is nowhere to hide when the meat comes by itself. However it is very common that there would be few sauces on the table. And as much as you might want to taste the beef and only the beef, few of those seasonings are worth a try.

Chimichurri

This one is probably the most typical, authentic, traditional, ”known around the world sauce” of Argentina. There are as many recipes of chimichurri as there are asadors but the basics remain: parsley, garlic, salt, ground pepper, chili pepper flakes, oregano and olive oil. Cumin, lemon or balsamic vinegar can also be used. The diverse ingredients can also explain the variety of colors that can go from light green to red-ish. The best thing about chimichurri is that is can be added to anything: Steak? Sure. Choripan? Of course. Cheese? Si senor. Bread? Why not. By itself? Well as chimichurri is not officially a soup, we leave than one up to you.

By Dominic Lockyer (Chimichurri Sauce Recipe) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

Origins of chimichurri are unclear but it seems that it possibly involves a Jimmy who was possibly Irish. Who possibly traveled in Argentina at some point and possibly ate some meat on his way. And finally possibly spoke Spanish bad enough that he tried to talk to a local and that that cultural exchange led to a sauce. Unclear I said… Anyway, whatever, result is a must-try and usually ”try it and you’ll love it” sauce of Argentina.

Salsa criolla

In Argentina, the word criollo used to refer to a caste of people from the Spanish colonies who were locally born from Spanish ancestries. Nowadays it is used to described something that is local. Made of onions, tomatoes, peppers of various colors, and olive oil alongside with some seasoning, salsa criolla is like a small salad. It is a very colorful and tasteful sauce of the asado.

 

Check out a popular recipe here

 

Salsa provenzal

By Donovan Govan. [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

Por H. Zell (Trabajo propio) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) undefined CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)%5D, undefined

 

 

Simply made of parsley, garlic, salt and olive oil, salsa provenzal is another famous sauce of the asado! Its name comes from its French origins, in Provence exactly. Specially good with kidneys and french fries, it can be a nice accompaniment to any cut of meat.

 

Argentine Steak Sauces: Chimichurri vs Salsa Criolla

There’s no doubt about the fact that South America has a lot to offer in terms of salsas (sauces).  Starting in Mexico and making your way down the continent you can come across a wide variety of sauces ranging in both flavor and spiciness.  In Mexico one of the classics includes a scrumptious salsa verde made from tomatillos and other delectable spices.  In Chile no matter where you are you’ll come across pebre, a fresh pepper sauce that they put on just about anything.  In Uruguay salsa salu made of a mix of fresh vegetables and herbs accompanies most grilled meats.  Here in Argentina besides salsa golf (which it would be a sin to put on any type of grilled meat; for fries only!) at all parrillas you will find chimichurri along side salsa criolla.

Now here’s the question, which one do you choose: chimichurri or salsa criolla?  My friends, this is a question that will inevitably go unanswered throughout the ages.  It’s a classic ketchup or mustard situation.  If you go to Chicago and even think about putting ketchup on your hotdog you will be shunned out of the city.  On the contrary in New York spicy brown mustard is one of the very few ingredients that they actually put on a hotdog.  But, I digress…

I believe that in most cases it is part of proper etiquette to put chimichurri on just about whatever it is you please, be it grilled meat, bread, or cheese.  It’s one of those ‘cover all your bases, works with anything, gotta have it’ kind of sauces.  In fact, I think it’s almost a sign of a bad parrilla or asado to NOT have a chimichurri to accompany the wide variety of grilled treats.  Salsa criolla, however, is used more so in limited quantities (that’s not to say it isn’t abundant in Argentina).

        

I’d imagine that if you’re not much into following rules or preconceived notions it would be my job to recommend that you used both, on whatever you want.  I must say they are each, in their own right, a perfect sauce.  Salsa criolla has a very fresh and full flavored summer feel.  Made with onions, tomato, pepper, olive oil, vinegar and salt to taste salsa criolla is almost like a mini salad.  It brightens up the food and the strong flavor of the onion is mellowed by the refreshing taste of tomato.  Chimichurri I can appreciate for different reasons all together.  The flavor profile is intense but complimentary to freshly grilled meats.  The combination of herbs and spices wakes up the palate and invigorates your senses.  Frankly, I can’t be asked to choose which, is why I say go for the choripan because when they ask you what salsa you want on it you can tell them LAS DOS!