Asado is the technique and the social event of having or attending a barbecue in various South American countries: especially Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay where it is also a traditional event. An asado usually consists of beef, pork, chicken, chorizo, and morcilla; all of which are cooked using an open fire or a grill, called a parrilla. Usually, red wine and side dishes such as salads accompany the main meats, which are prepared by a designated cook called the asador or parrillero.
A typical asado in Argentina
Asado on an open pit
Asado de tira, flanken-cut short ribs.
Lechazo asado (roast lechazo), shown above, is a typical dish from Spanish cuisine, as is the similar Cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig).
Barbecue or barbeque is a term used with significant regional and national variations to describe various cooking methods that employ live fire and smoke to cook the food. The term is also generally applied to the devices associated with those methods, the broader cuisines that these methods produce, and the meals or gatherings at which this style of food is cooked and served. The cooking methods associated with barbecuing vary significantly but most involve outdoor cooking.
Meat being barbecued at The Salt Lick restaurant
Barbecued hickory-smoked baby-back pork ribs
A barrel-shaped smoker on a trailer. Pans on the top shelf hold hamburgers and hot dogs. The lower grill is being used to cook pork ribs and "drunken chicken".
A British barbecue including chicken kebabs, marinated chicken wings, sweetcorn, and an assortment of vegetables
