Argentine Achuras
South America — Argentina
The collective term for offal cuts cooked on the Argentine parrilla. Achuras are not a side note — they open the asado, arriving at the table before the main beef cuts, grilled over hardwood embers while the larger cuts are still rendering down.
Cuts in this tradition
Cultural context
In Argentine asado culture the parrillero sequences the cook deliberately: achuras go on first because they require less time and reward the waiting guests with something immediate and intensely flavoured. Chinchulines, mollejas, and morcilla are staples at every serious parrilla; mondongo appears more often in home kitchens as a slow stew (puchero) rather than on the grill. There is regional variation — Buenos Aires parrillas favour mollejas and morcilla as the centrepiece; interior provinces like Córdoba and Mendoza lean toward chinchulines and rinones. The parrillero's skill in managing different cooking times for each cut is considered a mark of mastery.
Preparation
All achuras cook directly over hardwood or charcoal at medium heat. Intestines (chinchulines) are cleaned thoroughly, then braided to hold their shape on the grill and turned frequently until crisp. Kidney (rinones) is halved, fat trimmed, and grilled quickly at high heat to avoid toughening. Tripe (mondongo) is more commonly slow-simmered for hours with vegetables and chickpeas than grilled, though thin-cut strips do appear on the parrilla. Blood sausage (morcilla) is grilled whole until the skin blisters and just begins to split. All achuras are eaten simply — salt, lemon, and chimichurri only.
Sources
- Francis Mallmann, Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way (2009)
- Patricio Tapia, Argentine asado traditions (field notes)