🔥 BBQ sauces from South America – fire, fruit & spice for your grilled food! 🔥
The grill is hot, the meat is sizzling over the open fire—and then comes the magical moment: The perfect sauce meets your grilled food. The aromas of fresh herbs, smoky wood, and spicy heat combine to create a taste you'll never forget. Welcome to South America! 🔥🥩
In South America, BBQ isn't just a meal—it's a celebration, a tradition, a passion. In Argentina, families gather for asado ; in Brazil, giant skewers of meat rotate over an open fire at churrasco ; and in Peru, Inca heritage meets fiery aji chilies.
Today we travel through South America – with three legendary BBQ sauces you absolutely have to try!
🔥 1. Chimichurri – The green gold of the Argentinian cowboys
💡 Did you know?
Chimichurri was supposedly invented by Argentinian gauchos (cowboys) ! They needed a long-lasting, spicy sauce that would make their meat more juicy – and so chimichurri was born as a raw, fresh herb sauce.
🥩 Why Chimichurri?
This sauce isn't a thick BBQ dip, but rather a light yet extremely aromatic herbal bomb. It adds freshness, spiciness, and acidity that pair particularly well with grilled meat.
🔥 Perfect for: beef steaks, lamb or shrimp
🔥 BBQ hack: Also delicious as a marinade for vegetables or grilled cheese!
🔥 Recipe for Chimichurri:
- 1 bunch of parsley
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tsp oregano
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- Salt & Pepper
🔥 Preparation:
- Chop everything finely, mix with olive oil and vinegar – done!
👉 Challenge: Have you ever tried chimichurri on grilled bread? It's incredibly good!
🔥 2. Molho Barbecue Brasileiro – The BBQ sauce that Brazil never had!
💡 Why are there hardly any BBQ sauces in Brazil?
Brazilians grill differently: In Churrasco , large pieces of meat are grilled over charcoal – pure, with only salt! Sauces are rather uncommon there. But for us BBQ fans, there's a specialty: Molho Barbecue Brasileiro – a smoky and fruity sauce with an insider tip: guava paste!
🥩 What makes Molho Brasileiro special?
This sauce brings a light sweetness, deep smokiness and a touch of exoticism – perfect for ribs or pulled pork.
🔥 Perfect for: Spare ribs, pork belly, chicken
🔥 BBQ hack: Try adding a shot of rum for even more depth!
🔥 Recipe for Molho Barbecue Brasileiro:
- 2 tbsp guava paste (alternative: apricot jam)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika powder
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 garlic clove (grated)
🔥 Preparation:
- Cook everything together in a pot over medium heat until the sauce thickens.
👉 Challenge: Have you ever tried guava paste in a BBQ sauce? Share your feedback!
🔥 3. Aji Amarillo BBQ Sauce – The chili queen from Peru
💡 The story of the Aji Amarillo
Aji Amarillo is one of the oldest chilies in the world! Even the Incas used this bright yellow pod in their dishes – and even today, it adds a fruity, slightly sweet spiciness to Peruvian dishes.
🥩 Why Aji Amarillo?
This sauce brings together the perfect blend of sweet, spicy, and piquant – and is an absolute insider tip for BBQ fans!
🔥 Perfect for: fish, chicken, pork
🔥 BBQ hack: With a little honey, the sauce becomes the perfect barbecue glaze!
🔥 Recipe for Aji Amarillo BBQ Sauce:
- 2 Aji Amarillo chilies (or Habaneros for more heat)
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt
🔥 Preparation:
- Deseed the chilies, chop finely, and mix with the remaining ingredients until you have a creamy sauce!
👉 Challenge: Would you try Aji Amarillo as a marinade for spare ribs?
🔥 What BBQ type are you? – The South American Challenge!
Now it's YOUR turn! Which sauce sounds best to you?
- 🔥 Argentinian Chimichurri – Fresh & spicy for steaks
- 🔥 Brazilian BBQ sauce – fruity & smoky with guava paste
- 🔥 Peruvian Aji Amarillo Sauce – Spicy & exotic with chilies
🔥 Now it's time to turn on the grill, stir the sauces and get started!
