Alright, let’s talk about my wild ride trying to cook Uruguayan food at home. Honestly, I thought it would be easier. Saw this title online – “typical food in Uruguay for beginners” – and figured, “Yeah, I got this.” Famous last words.
Grabbing Stuff Was Half the Battle
First up: ingredients. Walked into my usual supermarket, list in hand. Need chuck roast for Asado? Cool. Reached the beef section… all the cuts looked different! Had to actually wave down a butcher guy. Took like ten minutes explaining I needed it for grilling, low and slow. He finally nodded, “Ah, para asado!” Felt kinda dumb.
Then things got weirder. Needed chorizo sausage for the asado grill plate. Easy, right? Found ‘Italian’, ‘Spanish’, even ‘Mexican’ chorizo… but where’s the Uruguayan kind? Ended up grabbing Spanish chorizo because the label said “mildly spiced”. Close enough, I hoped.
The Asado Adventure (and Fire Department Almost Call)
Got home, fired up my little charcoal grill. Big mistake. Asado is supposed to be low heat, slow cook. My grill? Volcano. That first chuck roast got a serious tan. Fast. Burned bits on the outside, pink and raw inside. Smoked out the patio. Had to pull it off, slice off the black parts, and basically finish the poor thing in the oven like some travesty. Tasted okay… after drowning it in chimichurri.
Tried the chorizo. Sizzled nicely. Looked good. Bit into it… so. freaking. salty. That Spanish one packed a punch. Note to self: next time, find real Uruguayan chorizo or use way less.
Chivito: The Greasy Tower of Chaos
Undeterred, tackled the famous Chivito sandwich next. Sounded simple: beef, ham, cheese, egg, bacon, stuff on a roll. Yeah, no. Cooking all those separate components? Messy. Then stacking them? The slippery ham wanted out. The fried egg yolk broke everywhere. The melted cheese glued everything together in unpredictable ways. Finally wrestled a wobbly tower onto the bun. Smooshed it down. Bit into it… juices ran down my arm, grease fingerprints all over the counter. Delicious? Hell yes. Neat? Forget it. Needed like five napkins.
Dessert Disaster (Kind Of)
For something sweet, went with Alfajores. Store-bought cookies, dulce de leche filling. How hard? Bought some basic shortbread cookies and a jar of caramel stuff labeled “dulce de leche”. Spreading the caramel? Easy. Sandwiched them. Simple.
Except… the cookies crumbled instantly when you bit in. Made a sandy, sticky mess. The filling was super sweet, too. Ate two. Felt like my teeth were vibrating. Learned later Uruguayan ones might be softer? Or maybe I just needed better cookies. Either way, major sugar rush.
What I Wish I Knew Before Starting
- Asado needs patience (and fire control) Skip the charcoal volcano I created. Low and slow means exactly that.
- Finding the “right” versions matters. That Spanish chorizo was a salty gut-punch. Uruguayan specific things are harder to find.
- Chivito is amazing… but messy. Accept the juice and the napkin pile. It’s part of the experience.
- Dulce de leche is intense stuff. Handle with caution. Maybe use less.
Bottom line? “Typical Uruguayan food for beginners” sounded like a breeze. Reality was more like controlled chaos in the kitchen. Nothing went smoothly, but most of it tasted pretty decent despite the mess and missteps. Would I try again? Maybe, but with better fire management and a dedicated chorizo hunt. You gotta respect the beef and the grease.
