What is Patagonian lamb?
It’s a product with a protected name. Resolution 326/2014 of Argentina’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, published in the Boletín Oficial, the country’s official gazette, on September 17, 2014, approved the production protocol and proof of origin for the “Cordero Patagónico” Geographical Indication. The area covers Neuquén, Rio Negro, Chubut, Santa Cruz, Tierra del Fuego and Carmen de Patagones, in Buenos Aires Province: more than 800,000 km².
The genetic base is the Merino and Corriedale breeds and their crosses. A lamb is a young animal: the Ministry of Agriculture’s Alimentos Argentinos fact sheet defines it as under 300 days old. In Patagonia lambs are slaughtered from three months old, when they weigh 8 to 10 kilos.
Why its meat is different
The difference is in how it’s raised. Argentina’s Ministry of Tourism puts it this way: “It’s raised on the steppe and in the valleys at the foot of the Andes,” and credits part of its flavor to coirón and other shrubs of the region. According to the Alimentos Argentinos fact sheet, grass-fed lamb is leaner and lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than lamb from intensive systems.
The same fact sheet publishes this comparison per 100 g of meat, using 2002 data from INTA (Argentina’s National Institute of Agricultural Technology) for Patagonian lamb:
| Per 100 g | Regular lamb (raw shoulder) | Patagonian lamb |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 99 kcal | 109 kcal |
| Protein | 18.7 g | 23 g |
| Fat | 2.7 g | 2 g |
| Cholesterol | 70 mg | 50 mg |
How it’s traditionally cooked
The most traditional way is lamb al asador, also called a la cruz: the whole lamb, split open and fastened to an iron cross, leaning beside a wood fire. It cooks on the inside first and then on the outside, and it’s brushed with brine. Regional recipes allow 2 to 3 hours, depending on the size of the animal and how the fire is kept up.
A few details from traditional recipes:
- Distance and angle: about 60 degrees, 50 to 80 cm from the fire.
- Wood: a recipe from Bariloche recommends piquillín, a local shrub, “for the little bit of flavor it gives.”
- Brine: it’s brushed on both sides until a white layer forms.
There are other ways to cook it. The Ministry of Tourism also mentions the oven, skewers and stews, with marinades of garlic, parsley, crushed red pepper, rosemary and mint. Braising, a slow cook in liquid, is another way to bring it to the table.
Patagonian lamb season
The cycle starts in the fall: mating runs from March to May, gestation lasts about five months and lambing begins in August, depending on the area. Weaning starts in October, supply peaks in December for the holidays, and after February production drops.
Where to eat Patagonian lamb in El Calafate
In town, Medio Perro BBQ & HOME serves braised Patagonian lamb every day from 1:00 pm to 11:00 pm. Out of town, the Asado Workshop by Medio Perro, at Estancia Rio Mitre, works with “cuts of the finest Argentine beef and the famous Patagonian lamb.”
Medio Perro BBQ & HOME, in town
It’s a grill house in El Calafate inside America del Sur Hostel, at Puerto Deseado 153, in the upper part of town. Its dish is called braised Patagonian lamb and comes “bathed in a stock made from its own bones.” Matías “Chacho” Chaumeil has lit the fire there every day for ten years.
Asado Workshop by Medio Perro, at Estancia Rio Mitre
It’s the class in asado, Argentina’s barbecue tradition, that Medio Perro runs at Estancia Rio Mitre, 58 km (36 miles) from El Calafate and 30 km from the Perito Moreno Glacier, overlooking Lake Rico. The host is Matías “Chacho” Chaumeil, with more than 23 years of experience as a grill master. The house sums it up like this: “Cuts of the finest Argentine beef and the famous Patagonian lamb.”
The workshop teaches how to light the fire, when the embers are ready, how to lay out the cuts and how long to wait. It includes transfers, chimichurri, wine tasting, free time to roam the open country and the Centro de Interpretación Tehuelche (Tehuelche Interpretation Center). It runs daily from August to May, with pickup at 11:30 am and return at 4:30–5:00 pm, for USD 180 per person. Price and conditions are in the rates section.
| Place | Format | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medio Perro BBQ & HOME | Dish at the grill house: braised Patagonian lamb | Puerto Deseado 153, El Calafate | Every day, 1:00 pm to 11:00 pm |
| Asado Workshop by Medio Perro | Asado class at an estancia | Estancia Rio Mitre, 58 km away | Pickup at 11:30 am, August to May |
How to book
If you’d like to add the workshop to your trip, check availability on WhatsApp in the booking section; bookings are confirmed with full payment by bank transfer. To learn more about the place and the technique: Estancia Rio Mitre: where it is and how to get there and Argentine asado: what it is and how it’s made.