16 February 2024
Estancia Tradition: Asado de Cordero (Lamb Barbecue)
Lamb Barbecue is one of the most popular dishes among travelers from the Southern Region of Chile and the world. At Estancia Cerro Guido you can enjoy its tasty and juicy meat.
We have just arrived at Estancia Cerro Guido, located in the Province of Última Esperanza in the Region of Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica. Our stomachs make a few rumbles due to the hunger caused by a long journey, first by plane and then through the mountains.
We get out of the shuttle vehicle that the Estancia prepared for us and that was waiting for us outside the airport. It is not the common concept of any hotel. There are different ecosystems, it has a unique natural beauty and you can breathe the ranching culture.
As we go to leave our bags and suitcases in the rooms, I could not help but notice how a group of people gather around a kind of bonfire. They are chatting, laughing, and passing around a small circular cup, without a handle and with a kind of straw sticking out. I don’t know what it is, but it strikes me that they all drink from the same one.
Once settled in, we walk around the Estancia while we are given a brief tour. However, I kept thinking about what those people must have been doing. We passed by and noticed that they had now put what looked like a lamb on the fire.
Curiosity won me over and I asked the guide about those people who did not seem to be affected by the strong wind combined with the smoke from the fire. He replied “They are the gauchos that gather around the Ruedo, after the tour go sit with them”. So I did.
We went all around the Estancia, but the only thing I wanted to do was to go with them. After wandering around aimlessly, a bit lost, trying to find the fire pit or Ruedo, I find it and they are still there, sharing.
I sit down next to them, and they offer me the cup without a handle. A little reluctantly, they tell me “Have a matecito che’! I take the cup, taste it and the bitterness invades my palate, but it is pleasant, soft and addictive at the same time. I thank them and they tell me “Don’t thank me because I won’t give you any more”. I still have a lot to learn.
El Ruedo and the Asado
Curious, I start talking to the gauchos who are making the lamb “al palo” and I ask them what this place is. They tell me that it is the Ruedo, a kind of meeting place where they gather at the end of the day to share about the day’s work.
They tell me that their days start very early in the morning and end in the afternoon. They work with the animals and although sometimes it does not seem so because of their behavior, sometimes sullen, they love them. The animals are their work source and their company.
Before arriving at Cerro Guido, I learned a little about the Puma and the existing conflict with the cattle ranchers. I thought I would ask them. Who else but the people who work the animals?
They answer that many times they have seen how pumas have killed their sheep for food and that, certainly, they are a danger to livestock. However, they are aware that the times are changing and humans cannot pretend to eliminate a species for their own convenience. Harmony must be achieved.
The Asado seems to be close to being ready. It has been on the fire for about 4 hours and the crust that forms looks appetizing. The gaucho master roaster, Victor, takes a beer and starts to sprinkle the meat and explains to me that it is to give it “a special flavor”. I don’t question it, it’s his asado and I was taught at home not to mess with other people’s meat.
It’s time to take the asado to the chef to serve it in the restaurant. Victor sharpens the knife and when he cuts the first part, the juice starts to come out gurgling. I am given a taste and it is the best lamb roast I have ever tasted. The meat is juicy, tender and flavorful, not at all heavy like my past experiences. It melts in my mouth and the flavor spreads to every corner.
It’s time to say goodbye to the gauchos and join my family for dinner. They give me one last taste of mate and I leave, everyone says goodbye to me warmly. In just a short time, I learned a lot about their culture and idiosyncrasy, I still have a long way to go. I hope to resume my learning tomorrow.
Lamb Barbecue in Cerro Guido
At Estancia Cerro Guido we offer a unique gastronomic variety in the Magallanes region. We offer a wide range of possibilities for all your daily meals.
However, one of our specialties is the Lamb “al Palo”. We offer certified meat to give you the highest possible quality for your food.
Do you want to taste one of the world’s delicacies? Don’t hesitate to visit us. You can get more information by clicking here.
