Buenos Aires & the Pampas

Argentina

Buenos Aires and the surrounding Pampas form the heartland of Argentine meat culture. The flat grasslands fed millions of cattle and gave rise to the gaucho tradition of open-fire cooking. Every neighborhood parrilla in Buenos Aires traces its roots to those Pampas campfires. The city's San Telmo and Mataderos districts keep the old butchering traditions alive, while Palermo's upscale parrillas reinterpret them for a global audience. Morcilla, chorizo criollo, and the full range of achuras start every asado here.

Click to activate map

Sausages from Buenos Aires & the Pampas

Morcilla Argentina

Morcilla Argentina

Buenos Aires & the Pampas

Morcilla is the opening act of every Argentine asado. The asador places these blood sausages on the grill first because they cook the fastest, buying time while beef ribs and flanks take their slow turn over the coals. The criolla version, dominant in Buenos Aires and the Pampas, packs pig's blood with chopped onion, cumin, and oregano inside a natural casing. Grilled until the skin blisters and cracks, each bite gives way to a soft, iron-rich interior. Argentines eat morcilla hot, often tucked into bread as a morcipan, while standing around the parrilla with a glass of Malbec.

blood-sausagegrilledpork