9 styles of barbecues around the world

Meaning “roasting” or “grilling” in Spanish, it is the national dish in Argentina, nothing more, nothing less. The “asadors”, the people appointed to take care of the barbecue, must be specialists in the technique. Like French barbecue, the meat is cooked over a wood fire, on a grill placed high up to avoid cooking too quickly. Whole pieces of meat are grilled for hours, during which time the meat is brushed with chimichurri sauce. A caramelized crust forms on the outside, while the juice remains trapped in the heart of the meat. In addition to beef, of which Argentina is a major producer and consumer, asado can include lamb and chorizo.

In South Africa, barbecue is serious business and the braiiners, in charge of grilling, are highly respected. There is even a national day to celebrate this tradition, “Heritage Day”, September 24, nicknamed “Braai Day”.

While the women prepare the side dishes (they are not allowed to take care of the meat), the braiiner and the other men present take care of controlling the embers on which lamb, chicken, beef and boerewors sausages are cooked. Very spicy, these sausages are made with beef, lamb and sometimes pork. As for the sauces and marinades used, the most common is monkeygland sauce, composed of ginger, soy sauce, ketchup, mustard, garlic, and onions.

In the United States, grilling practices vary from state to state. There are four types of barbecue: that of North and South Carolina, Memphis in Tennessee, Kansas City in Missouri and Texas. These southern states, along with Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, form the “barbecue belt”.

Barbecue in Carolina and Memphis is often pork-based, while Kansas City and Texas barbecue uses primarily beef. On the other hand, there is one thing in common between all American grills, slow cooking for several hours, which, ideally, should not exceed 100°C. Competitions in which “pitmasters”, the masters of barbecue, compete around this technique are often organized.

In terms of recipes, pulled pork, “ribs”, caramelized pork ribs, and flame-grilled hamburgers are among the most popular specialties.

For Koreans, barbecue is the ultimate convivial meal. The reason being that the grill is placed in the center of the table, so each guest can grill their own food. We might as well tell you that this practice is very anchored in Korean culture since it dates back to the Goguryeo period, between 668 and 37 BC.

Korean grills typically feature samgyeopsal (pork belly), galbi (beef ribs), and bulgogi, beef marinated in soy sauce and sesame. Finally, gogi-gui cannot do without banchans, traditional accompaniments such as kimchi, jorim (a simmered dish made with spicy broth) and namul, sautéed and seasoned vegetables.

Brazilian, Argentinian, Portuguese… Churrasco commonly refers to grilled meat in Hispanic countries, the meaning of which differs slightly from country to country. In Spain, churrasco is a piece of barbecued veal flank, while in Brazil it can be beef, chicken or pork. One of the specificities of Brazilian barbecue is that the pieces are skewered on long iron skewers to turn the meat, generally picanha, rump steak cut in such a way as to retain a thick layer of fat on the muscle. The pieces are simply seasoned with fleur de sel, grilled and served with slices of roasted pineapple (barbecued, of course).

No grill or coal in this style of barbecue, the Thai device consists of a terracotta pot, in which the embers rest, or an electric plate, topped with a frying pan, called “khrata” in Thai. The particularity is that the pan has a central dome, for cooking meat (pork, chicken, lamb), and a channel into which the juice pours and enhances a broth where vegetables and fish are cooked. Little tip, so that the meat does not stick, grill a piece of bacon beforehand to grease the surface.

Little known fact, the consumption of meat in Japan was prohibited from 675 to 1872, or for almost 1,200 years. The reason being that it is considered taboo in the Buddhist religion, then in full expansion. Yakiniku therefore appeared quite late in the history of Japanese gastronomy.

The principle is quite similar to Korean gogui-gui, the grill is placed in the center, and beef, pork but also offal and chicken are grilled. All marinated in “yakiniku” sauce made from soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, onion and garlic. Yakitori skewers are sometimes served.

No, we’re not talking about a doll, but grills. Moreover, Australia has a real attachment to this method of cooking, you can see it in the numerous barbecues available in parks and public spaces. Unlike Japanese and Scandinavian grilling, which is done indoors, “barbie” is an outdoor activity.

On the menu, there is seafood, sausages, chicken, but also more exotic dishes such as crocodile and kangaroo meat. On the other hand, there is no marinade in an Australian barbecue. The emphasis is on the authentic taste of the meat and the smoky flavor provided by the embers.

A hunting shelter equipped with a huge wood-burning barbecue is the principle of kotas in Finland. For safety reasons, the grill is topped with a hood to evacuate smoke.

After a long day in the snow, everyone can gather around a large table and wooden benches to smoke salmon, herring, reindeer meat, grillimakkara, Finnish sausages, or leipäjuusto, a cow’s cheese often served with berries.