Top 3 South American Lamb and Mutton Dishes

Cordero al palo is a traditional lamb specialty that involves roasting a whole lamb on a spit, a cooking technique which has long been practiced in Chile and Argentina (especially Patagonia). The lamb is slowly cooked for several hours over a wood fire, all the while basting in its own juices and fat, resulting in succulent and tender meat surrounded by crispy skin. While cooking, the meat is often enhanced with a mixture of warm water, salt, and garlic. The dish can be found on the menus of numerous restaurants throughout the region, and it is typically served with pebre, a popular Chilean condiment. Other typical accompaniments to this dish include boiled potatoes, fresh salads, bread, and lots of fine red wine. This spit-roasted lamb delicacy is nowadays usually prepared on special occasions and for holidays.Expand

Cordero patagónico al asador is a Patagonian meat delicacy consisting of a whole, opened, and butterflied lamb roasted over an open fire. The lamb is attached to an iron cross, and it is then placed near the fire, slightly angled in order to slowly cook to perfection. A mixture of water, salt, garlic, and aromatic herbs and spices such as oregano, rosemary, and bay leaves is used for basting the meat while it is roasting. After several hours of cooking, the meat comes off the cross with a nice, crispy exterior and a succulent, tender interior. Slices of roasted lamb are typically accompanied by roasted vegetables, other meats, potatoes, fresh salads, and sauces, and they are usually washed down with full-bodied red wines such as Malbec, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon.Expand

Cancacho is a traditional dish originating from the town of Ayaviri. It's prepared with a combination of Ayaviri lamb, red chili peppers, local potatoes, lemon juice, and sometimes malt beer. The lamb must be raised in Ayaviri because the animals are only fed with Peruvian feather grass, ichu, and they're raised at 13,000 feet above sea level. The meat is marinated in red chili, lemon juice, cumin, garlic, and sometimes malt beer. Before it's roasted, the lamb is seasoned with oregano, then roasted until fully cooked. The dish is served with boiled local potatoes (often moraya, a white freeze-dried potato) and ají chili sauce.Expand