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Wednesday, August 4, 2010

BBQ

A few years ago I bought a used gas BBQ from a Canadian expat. I probably paid 3 times what I would have paid for it at a Stateside garage sale. It is probably lower quality than I ever would have bought (it is a Sears model). But, those complaints aside, it is a gas BBQ and it has worked for a couple of years. And the alternative is to buy a gas BBQ locally for as much as $1200 (that is US dollars, my friends). And the quality of that expensive BBQ is less than the one I have.

Just recently, however, the burners have begun to rust so badly, that I made arrangements to buy new ones, have them shipped to my sister and thence to my Uruguayan address. All in all, the $25 replacement burners cost $80 (the balance being shipping to my sisters and then $35 to ship the box here). Not bad, when you consider the alternative- not having a BBQ.

The way I received the box was interesting. Yesterday, a postal worker stopped by the house in the morning and told me I had a box at the post office. Later that day I went in, and the box was sitting right on the counter. It seems that there are just not that many shipments received in the Salinas post office. I signed the few papers, when home and installed the new burners and we are up and running for another couple of years.

Now I know that Uruguayan purists will argue that I need to learn how how to use my parrilla (the large brick BBQ I have off my patio). I will have to admit that when my neighbors fire up the parrilla and put meat on the grill- it smells heavenly. But, I lack the patience, at least for now. So despite paying $80 for a $25 dollar part, I am happy.

5 comments:

Eddie said...

Wally:
Are you saying that you haven't used your parrilla yet?
Eddie

Wally said...

Yes, Eddie. I have used the parrilla. Right now, that is where I am storing pine cones, kindling and some gardening equipment. But no, I have not used it for any cooking. Oh the shame!

Anonymous said...

Wally,
Tell Denise her collard seeds are going in the mail on Monday!
john

Anonymous said...

When I saw your BBQ, I thought it was a "medio tanque " (half metal jerry can),a cheap uruguayan way to make ASADO, by burning wood and using the coals to bbq under a parrilla (sorry, I dont know the english translation for the metal criss cross thing over which we put the meal and sausages)

There are MEDIO TANQUES in hardware stores with special shapes also.

In montevideo, in working areas of the citys, some neighbours sell CHORIPANES ,bbqed on the half jerry cans,that have like a brick floor to make fire and conserv heath

Another instrument or contraptio to cook asado indoors is called HORNO DE PRIMUS, is like a set of pans that you put over a cooker to roast meat, do cakes,sausages,some of them can also steam cook,they costs about 30 dollars in bazars or in Tienda Inglesa, and a similar contraption was sold in tv infomercials like Teleshopping .

Another way to make asado , is ,"argentinian style", with CARBON (black coal), the instrument to make ASADO AL CARBON are also sold in hardware stores "ferreterias" or in Tienda Inglesa.Some uruguayans that live in city apartments also use that PARRILLA AL CARBON

greetings from Montevideo,

FABIAN

(I commented about LA CELESTE, but didnt know how to put signature)

Wally said...

Fabian- yes I saw those Medio Tanques before. Actually, that style is preferred by many BBQ fans in the US, using charcoal. I like the gas BBQ, because I don't have to buy anything extra (either wood or charcoal) to use it and it is fast.