page_title: Uruguayan cuisine
section_title: Asado
hierarchical_section_title: Uruguayan cuisine / Asado
caption_attribution_description: English: Line cooks grilling sausages and other meats in a market near the port of Montevideo, Uruguay.
context_page_description: Uruguayan cuisine is a fusion of cuisines from several European countries, especially from Mediterranean foods from Spain, Italy, Portugal and France. Other influences on the cuisine resulted from immigration from countries such as Germany and Britain. Uruguayan gastronomy is a result of immigration, rather than local Amerindian cuisine, because the new colonies did not trust the native Charrúa people. Spanish influences are very abundant: desserts like churros, flan, ensaimadas yoo
  , and alfajores were all brought from Spain. There are also all kinds of stews known as guisos or estofados, arroces, and fabada. All of the guisos and traditional pucheros are also of Spanish origin. Uruguayan preparations of fish, such as dried salt cod, calamari, and octopus, originate from the Basque and Galician regions, and also Portugal. Due to its strong Italian tradition, all of the famous Italian pasta dishes are present in Uruguay including ravioli, lasagne, tortellini, fettuccine, and the traditional gnocchi. Although the pasta can be served with many sauces, there is one special sauce that was created by Uruguayans.
context_section_description: Barbecue asado can be said to make the meal or is the meal itself. The meal and cut of meat are also called asado or tira de asado.
  In most Uruguayan homes, it is common to find a special grill on the patio called an asador.  It is a structure made of iron and brick. Most asadores are at least two meters by one meter, have a chimney, a place for firewood and a large grill for the meat. Embers produced by the firewood are placed under the grill.
  In many towns and cities, street vendors sell asado. These small barbecue grills are called medio tanque (half barrel), because they are made with on adaptation of a split steel drum. Asado cooked this way is sold often on the street as a snack or light lunch.
  In the larger cities, such as Montevideo, markets commonly have one or more grill stations where customers can order and eat asado directly at the bar, which may be served with offal, sausages, tapenades, and tapas. It is usually served with lager beer for lunch.
  The person making the meal is also called asador.
  Asado is often preceded by apéritives such as vermouth, uvita, and medio y medio, an entree called picada and some chorizos, morcillas, and some offal.
caption: Line cooks grilling sausages and other meats in a market near the port of Montevideo, Uruguay.
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