Eating Argentine style: meat, meat, with more meat

Tourists to Argentina know that Argentines are famous for their consumption of quality meat, cooked in a kind of barbecue which they call 'parrilla'. Tourists may usually participate in this by going to a restaurant or out to a farm for a gaucho experience. 

But hangout at an Argentine campsite on a Saturday or Sunday and you'll get to see Argentine families and friend groups in action. (We've happened to be at campsites for this a few times.) It seems that commercial campsites in Argentina are more used for the business of renting out the parrilla (BBQ) than hosting campers. 

The cost will be about 50c-$1 per person and you bring your own wood/coals and everything else (meat, plates, knives, bread, friends etc). Argentines calculate the meat required at 500g per person, not including the sausages. The meat will usually be various cuts of beef, and a whole chicken will probably be BBQ'd as well (I think this might also be additional to the 500g per person). 

But there is another type of BBQ that the Argentines, especially around Patagonia, love. It's where they spread out a whole sheep (lamb) on a metal frame above flames. 

I've been wanting to try this for a while. I've even hung out at campsites taking photos of people's 'asador' and asking dumb questions in the hope of getting an invite. It didn't work, but H and I did get to participate in one last weekend!

It was through the brilliance of couchsurfing (www.couchsurfing.org). Our host, on discovering our curiosity, decided to host one and invite all his friends. It was great, he has plenty of garden, so we stayed there (didn't go to a campsite), and experienced the whole thing from start to finish. 

It was very interesting, and very delicious. 

For approximately 14 people there was: 1 young sheep of 9.5kgs, 1 large chicken, approx 2kg piece of beef, and approx 2kg sausages. Plus breads and a little salad. (Note that the neighbours dog stole a whole leg of lamb while no-one was watching, but there was still plenty to eat.) Wine was on offer, but people mostly drank coke. 

This was a wonderful experience that we really enjoyed.