Barbeque in Ecuador - Parillada

To have a barbeque in Ecuador you need beef, chicken, pork chops and sausages.

You can only have one kind of sausages but you must have the three kinds of meat.

The sausages are usually chorizos but you can use other kind of sausages also.

You can also have other kind of meat, besides, but without these four things it is not a real parillada.

People in Ecuador love to eat meat.

Many times in restaurants my vegetarians friends have asked will they really be filled with just that.

And the restaurant owners have confided me that they really pity the vegetarians because they can't eat real food.

Here food isn't food, if it doesn't have some meat in it.

Parillada is a big social occasion.

Barbeque Marinade for the Ecuadorian Barbeque

Ingredients

• 4-5 green peppers, seeded, deveined and cut in large chunks
• 1 medium sized bunch of cilantro, which is about a little over 1 cup of packed cilantro leaves
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 2 garlic cloves
• Juice of 2 limes
• ½ to ¾ cup of oil (canola, olive or other), adjust based on how thick you want the salsa
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Place all the ingredients in a mini food processor or blender, mix/blend until all the ingredients are completely crushed and the sauce is smooth. Make sure the sauce is blended well enough so that the oil is well mixed into the salsa.
2. Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to use. The salsa is best if used the same day it’s prepared.
3. To prepare the meat for the barbeque, brush the meat with the sauce until it’s covered all over. Leave the meat for few hours, or from the day before in the fridge, with the sauce before barbequing it.

Everyone participates in making it possible.

Even though taking part in the cooking is not traditionally for men, they make an exception when it comes to barbequing.

And of course, they are the only ones who really know how to light a fire for the barbeque - or so they claim.

I love to take part in an Ecuadorian barbeque.

It is always very special, and everyone has a lot of fun. 

 The idea of an Ecuadorian barbeque is to spend time together.

They are usually made for the extensive family or between very good friends.

Not for a party, because you won't have time to concentrate on anything else.

But there usually is a party afterwards, Ecuadorians never miss a chance for having a party.

We had a parillada with coworkers.

It is the perfect way to spend time together, because everyone is helping, taking part and having fun.

And the results are so delicious!

It takes a lot of work to make the barbeque happen.

Again, that was what the men wanted us to believe.

The working positions may not be as ergonimical as possible.

But everyone has their own style and favorite position.

And it is very important to be handy with the knife.

I have not seen many Ecuadorians use a chopping board.

And they still have all their fingers.

I would not be able to do the same.

The utensils might look a bit different to what you are used to.

But the nature around does provide you with what you need.

If you know where to look for it.

What would a barbeque be without the sides?

There was both people from the Amazon and Andes in the group.

So we had yucca (mandioca) and potatoes.

This is a big conflict between people here in Ecuador.

For the people from the Andes, potato is the right side for everything.

For the people from the Amazon and the Coastal region, yucca is the right one.

The banana leaf is desinfected in the smoke.

Then it is used as lid for the meat that is already prepared.

It is difficult to wait until everything is ready.

But it sure is worth the wait!

Besides the meat, the sausages, the potatoes and the yucca, we had salad, Hot Salsa or Ají and cheese salsa.

For drink we had Amazonic Guayusa ice tea, which is both delicious and healthy.

Hope you will have many happy and delicious occations with your family and friends!