If you come to Argentina, come at least for the Asado. Every trip with Esquel Outfitters will include an asado one night, or even on the river, with the opportunity to taste an Argentine lamb and some of the finest beef in the world. All of the food you eat will come from within the Patagonia region.

Probably the most famous Argentina dish is the Parrillada, a mixed grill plate of different meats and sausages (chorizos). It is served to the table on a hot mini-grill with some pieces of glowing charcoal in order to keep the meat hot and juicy. The meat is cooked on a bed-frame-sized grill which is called Parilla. The key to getting the meat just perfect is to leave the coal burning until there is a thin, white layer of ash and then placing the meat on the roast. The Argentine cook will take time to let the meat cook and will only occasionally dare to touch it with his typical meat knife that can be as long as a machete. This is an all meat affair, so don’t expect to see trout anywhere on the grill.

The Argentinean Asado (Roast) is the most famous open-air BBQ spectacle. This is the basic food in the region of the Pampa because of the large number of cattle, the variety of grasses and the improvement in the breed. Important to mention here is the quality of Argentine meat. Cattle in Argentina grazes on Pampas grass only without any additives in their feed such as hormones. This gives the meat a unique taste that is hard to explain unless you have tried it yourself. Argentina is one of the biggest meat producers in the world. Formerly, the cows were roasted whole in a ceremony which could last up to forty hours. The asado con cuero (roasted with the hide) continues and is done by cutting up a calf and burying it in a trench in which a fire has been burning for several hours. The part covered with the hide is placed face down and is then covered with a layer of zinc on which the coals are placed and kept burning for several more hours. Other methods are roasting on a cross (spit roast) or on a grill which is typical of the country or on a barbecue which is more city style. By whatever method, the secret of a good roast is in the butchering of the meat and the care of the fire.

The method of cutting the meat gives the Argentinean roast its excellent qualities. The cuts are asado de tira (crosscut ribs) or whole ribs, vacío, cuadril and matambre which are cuts between the ribs and the haunches, and the achuras - tripes, sweet-breads, criadilla, udder. The achuras, blood pudding, Argentinean sausages - chorizos - are normally served as a starter. The meat is eaten alone or dressed with sauces such as the chimichurri (consists of olive oil, garlic, red wine vinegar and different herbs).

A fly fishing experience in Patagonia would not be complete without an authentic Argentine Asado.