Shall we grill some meats in the weekend... or what?

Hello, friends and lovers of Mexican gastronomy and culture! The parrillada, carne asada or barbecue, as it is commonly known in Mexico, has the essence of bringing loved ones together to share. In this blog we are going to talk about the components of a Mexican asado, the meats and garnishes that are used.

All over Mexico we make parrilladas, they tend to vary from one state to another. For example, in Yucatan you will usually find pork when you are invited to a carne asada. But in my humble opinion, the best parrilladas are made by the Norteños (people from the northern states)!

 They say that Norteño's barbecues are made anywhere! The reason is not important, the important thing is the gathering. Barbecues are done in houses, parking lots and even in the street! To grill, you can use a simple grill or a very elegant one, but always with a chela (or beer) in hand.

The first part of this masterpiece is to choose the types of meat to grill. In the North we usually eat beef and the best thing to do is to get a good butcher. As you gain the trust of your butcher, he will get you the best beef!

The most traditional cuts of beef for Parrillada Norteña are: Aguja, Arrachera, Rib Eye, Sirlon and T-Bone. And if you don't recognize them all... here we explain a little more about them:

• The "Aguja Norteña" is a tender, juicy cut with a great marbling. Said cut is obtained from the mid; located between the ribeye and the rib. In Germany you can get it as "Chuck vom Rind or Nackensteak".
• Arrachera is one of the most traditional cuts in all barbecues nationwide. This is because the cut has a high fat content that makes it melt in the mouth. In Germany you can get it as "Bavette, Rinderlappen, Flank".
• Rib Eye is a cut that is usually a bit more expensive with an intense flavor. It has a light marbling that makes it more tender. It is a boneless cut obtained from the rear rib. In Germany you can get it as "Entrecôte Steak vom Rind or Rostbraten".
• Sirlon is a cut that has a low amount of fat (or lean). This cut is obtained from the upper part of the loin and has a layer of fat covering it, this layer gives it a softness and a characteristic flavor and tenderness. In Germany you can get it as "Sirloin Steak vos rind or Huftsteak".
• The T-Bone is a cut that has a traditional T-shape, which is visually appealing. It is recommended that this cut is thick and put on high heat for proper caramelization. In Germany you can get it as "T-Bone Steak vom Rind".
  
  

After choosing the cut of meat, you have to choose the holy garnishes! These will complement the food and are fundamental for the barbecue. Among the most common ones within the Norteños barbecue we have:

• "Las olvidadas" (the forgotten ones): They say that this garnish refers to the tortillas that were forgotten on the grill, which are turned into toast and a little cheese is added to them. Nowadays "las olvidadas" are placed in the corners to receive the low heat while the meat is being cooked.
• "Frijoles con veneno" (beans with poison): this is a traditional dish from the north of Mexico. They are ground beans with chorizo and the fat released by the chorizo during cooking is added to them.
• "Frijoles charros" (Charro beans): it is a traditional Mexican dish made with beans, bacon, cuernos, tomato, onion, jalapeño peppers, chorizo and garlic.
• Melted cheese with chorizo
• Nopales (cactus) and grilled onions.
• Guacamole.
• Tortillas
• Salsas

Now that summer is here and it's time to make a carnita asada, remember that the best meat and garnishes are the ones you like the most! The most important thing is to share and have fun with our friends and family.

We hope you liked our post about barbecues in Mexico, we invite you to visit our traditional Mexican food section where you can find all the necessary ingredients to make a delicious barbecue! Let us know in the comments, what side dishes do you like to accompany your barbecue?