Santa Maria Grill Vs Argentine Grill
When it comes to outdoor cooking, wood fired grilling is one of the most intriguing cooking methods around the world. In this blog we’ll explore the wood fired grills of Argentina as well as a regional culinary tradition in the United States called Santa Maria Style BBQ. The Argentinian parrilla (grill) and the Santa Maria Grill are commonly confused, and we are here to set the record straight. We’ll discuss what each grill is and what you’ll find when shopping for a grill in the market today.
What is the difference between Santa Maria and Argentine Grills?
Interest in Argentine and Santa Maria grilling has grown in the past ten years. Consequently, demand for outdoor wood-fired cooking appliances has increased. Domestic and overseas manufacturers now build grills with features that meet consumer expectations. Retailers aim to supply consumers with feature-rich grills to stay competitive. This trend has caused widespread misunderstanding about these traditional grilling styles. Grill retailers combine the two terms to dominate the market and boost sales. Most available grills today blend components from both Santa Maria and Argentine styles. Consumers often see Argentine and Santa Maria grills as the same. These hybrid grills are often called ‘Gaucho Grills’ or ‘Cowboy Grills.’ We will explore the history of Santa Maria and Argentine grilling. Understanding their features and functional design differences will help you find a grill that fits your needs.
What is a Santa Maria Grill?
Santa Maria style BBQ originated in the mid-1800s. Local Santa Maria Valley ranchers needed a way to cook for vaqueros after brandings. They dug earthen pits and filled them with red oak (coast live oak). Ranchers cooked large slabs of top block seasoned with a dry rub on long metal skewers over the fire. The meat was served with local pinquinto beans, bread, and a side salad.
Since the 1800s, the Santa Maria Grill has evolved. Today’s Santa Maria grill design suits residential backyards. It features a height-adjustable cooking grate on rails welded to a deep metal firebox. A Santa Maria BBQ pit often has caster tires for portability. Other configurations can be built into an outdoor kitchen as a built-in Santa Maria grill. Catering companies and restaurants often use a Santa Maria Grill Trailer to serve large gatherings. In all cases, pile the fuel (wood or charcoal) inside a deep firebox, directly under an adjustable cooking grate. This form of direct heat grilling produces a smoky, savory flavor.
Growing up in Santa Maria Valley means eating a fair share of this local delicacy. Every warm weekend is filled with at least one grill day surrounded by savory aromas, great food, and company. Cooking over an open fire with family and friends brings camaraderie and a sense of community. This tradition remains as much a part of locals’ lives today as it was for families in the mid-1800s.
Local restaurants like Far Western Tavern, Jockos Steakhouse, and The Hitching Post in Casmalia exemplify authentic Santa Maria BBQ style. Shaw’s Steakhouse, AJ Spurs, Historic Santa Maria Inn, and F. McLintocks are also landmarks of this tradition. All these restaurants still operate on the Central Coast of California. If you’re ever in the area, try them to see a Santa Maria grill in action and taste what the hype is all about.
What is an Argentine Grill?
Argentine asado (barbecue) originated similarly to Santa Maria style barbecue. La parrilla tradition evolved around local gaucho culture. Gauchos are Argentinian cowboys who herd cattle on horseback for months. For centuries, Gauchos have grilled available meats over hot wood coals.
An Argentine parrilla is traditionally simple. It consists of a low, stationary cooking surface alongside a “brasero” or “wood basket.” The brasero burns branches and logs down to embers. Embers fall through large basket openings and are raked under the low cooking surface. Argentine asado (barbecue) traditionally includes flank steak, skirt steak, chorizo, or blood sausage. These meats are grilled long and low over hot wood coals on a brick surface. The process involves a very hot initial searing to lock in juices, followed by a lower temperature cook. Argentine grilling requires constant raking of coals from under the brasero to the cooking grate.
Many Argentine parrilla designs still feature a side or centered brasero. The brasero usually has a three-sided, open front firebox or a front door for raking embers. You’ll often see a V-shaped grate, tipped slightly forward, channeling excess fat to a drip tray. Channeling fat drippings away from the fire prevents flare-ups in non-height adjustable grills. Drippings can be used for basting or discarded. The Argentine V grate is especially useful for cooking skin-on chicken halves, providing a crispier texture.
We find certain designs easiest to use, withstanding high heat, and producing the best results. In our experience, grills with a brasero allow less temperature control, longer cook times, and require more effort. We eliminate features that lessen the grilling experience and offer them as “add-on” options if desired. Front doors are only needed with a brasero. Front doors and three-sided or open front fireboxes warp more easily and decrease the grill’s lifespan.
Learn why your height-adjustable grill does not need a brasero, front door, or air vents. Read “Common Misperceptions About Charcoal Grills with Front Doors & Air Vents.” The Argentine V Grate, however, is a wonderful feature we offer.
View features of JD Fabrications Santa Maria Grills and JD Fabrications Argentine Grills on our blog: “JD Fabrications Santa Maria Vs Argentine Grill Features.“
At JD Fabrications BBQ, we build grills with components that last. We offer innovative, beautiful Santa Maria and Argentine Gaucho grill hybrid designs at the forefront of functionality and longevity. Check out our website for the best Santa Maria grill for sale at www.jdfabrications.com. Or let us answer your questions by phone at 805-637-6700. We would love to build your dream grill!
