My son-in-law lived for some years in Uruguay and now has started to build an Uruguayan "PARILLA" which is a BBQ grill. It is like an open-sided brick oven with a fire kept going in a metal basket at one end from which coals are raked out under the grill ("parilla" pa-REE-zhah, refers to the actual metal grill.).

Of course, I'll be doing all of the ironwork.

Some parillas have a chain hoist or some sort of a way to lift and lower one end of the grill. Others have some kind of a crane to be able to swing the grill completely off of the fire. Many just set the grill on a permanent tilt and leave it at that, preferring to move the meat from the cooler to the hotter areas and back as needed.

With all of the brain power I've observed in the forum, I'm opening it up to all of you. Throw your ideas at me and I'll use the ones I fancy most.

Thanks, folks!

One of my buddies built a portable rig like that for a big ranch in the area. He used a chain going to a cable overhead and back down, and a small boat winch to control the tilt, working on the theory that each wood fire is unique, and more heat control is better.

Very similar to the South Africa braai... although the term may just be like our "bbq". Definitely on my "to do" list!












Hope it helps! :D

South Africans barbeque their BEER? Or is that a Canandian thing? Or is it just you?

Actually, my daughter once pierced a can of beer and stuffed it inside of a whole chicken she was grilling. It was pretty good.

Apart from that, we are non-drinkers, so I'm not up on my worldwide beer-drinking protocols.

I will have to remember this if I want to build an out door fireplace/bbq in coming years. Really neat ideas.
Phil

You might want to google "ataud" (Spanish for 'coffin'). They are popular in South Texas for roasting with indirect heat but will also allow grilling on top of the hot box.

If I were building it, I'd do the chain hoist so it could be lifted and lowered a few inches. The rest is controlled with fire management.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

South Africans barbeque their BEER? Or is that a Canandian thing? Or is it just you?

Actually, my daughter once pierced a can of beer and stuffed it inside of a whole chicken she was grilling. It was pretty good.

Apart from that, we are non-drinkers, so I'm not up on my worldwide beer-drinking protocols.

I didn't even notice that can of beer on the BBQ....lol!

Beer-can chicken is the best way to cook one up on the BBQ. You don't have to use beer though, ginger ale or even water with some herbs and spices will work just as well!

The beer goes in the cooler, then down the hatch, mmmmm beer!
now I am hungry all that bbq looks good

Some friends took my wife and I to a fancy Italian restaurant that had a wood grille and it had a chain to raise and lower the heavy metal grate. The fire was in an equally heavy metal basket off to one side with the coals falling out the bottom and then raked over under the meat, mostly sausage, veal and lamb. I kept wondering where the Beef was.
(Yes, I know veal is from a calf but it just ain't stake. )

I'm kind partial to the design in the 3rd pic, with the crank and chain, it has an original look to it, altho I might beef it up a little...no pun intended.

A brick oven of sorts has been on my to-do list for quite some time, being of Italian decent on one side of my family, my great grandparents came here from Italy, so brick ovens have been a part of our family for many generations, my great grandfather was a bricklayer by trade and when he came to America that is what he did the most, build woodfired brick ovens. Unfortunately there is no longer anyone in the family carrying on the the trade, however I did start out my carear as a mason but I have yet to build a brickoven and now with my back I may never but who knows.

These are really nice for bbq style brickoven, I like the idea of being able to raise and lower the grill.

welder19

I'm starving now, thanks alot guys

I'm starving now, thanks alot guys

Yeah, "fajitas parilladas" is a common dish around here so now I'm hungry too... <_<

Beer can chicken is a great way to try new beers. Good beer goes down the hatch. Bad beer goes up(ya know)
Ken.

Well, I might be getting off topic a bit, but here's a pig I roasted for my 40th birthday. Did it "cuban-style" using a temporary bbq built from concrete blocks.






Here's a link to full set-up if anyone is interested.

Pig Roast Cuban Style


Here's to the weekend!

Hey! El Lechon Cubano was a great post! I guess a permanent fixture is nice, but not necessary. I'll forward this to my son-in-law. His family does a pig roast every year.

My wife is from Maldonado Uruguay , we went to visit the in-laws, man they know how to cook beef!!!
been wanting a parilla ever since...
good luck building one and post some pics!

Hi guys

didn`t saw the thread earlier

attached are some pics i hope you find interesting

a good size for the grill is something like 2 feet by 3 feet
the grill is made from one piece or several parts, in the later case, a perimeter frame made from 1" x 1/8" (or 3/16") angle and generally two to four separated grills that fit in the frame, these can be made with 5/8 x1/8 angle (in a V position) or 3/8 to ½ " round bar. these modules fit free in the frame so they can be removed and cleaned, the angles or rods can be separated up to 1 ¼" depending the size of the pieces to cook, mine has one of the grills with the bars separated 5/8" for smaller cuts and other things.
This frame rises or lowers because it hangs from two chains attached to a rod (with a lever formed in one end). the rod is put over the grill with something like 2 ft of chain. you turn the lever and the chains roll in the rod raising the grill… some system to hold the lever in place must be devised, (mine is fixed - no elevator - at 7" ). the supports are two vertical pieces of the same angle, that are imbedded in the bricks (or can be welded to a frame). in the top of these pieces a hole or short pieces of tubing are welded for the rod to pass through.

after you make two or three "asados" you develop a sense of the heat and the elevator system is not used anymore.

if the grills are made from angle they must be tilted to the front 2" (more or less 5º) for the fat and blood to drain to the front (and a catch must be made. Is a mess believe me), if it is made from rods it can be level (mine is).

if you cook with wood the distance from the grill to the floor of the chamber must be no less than 7", with gas can be as high as 12"

don´t know if this explains... if not see the pics

some diagrams, a pic from a magazine and the last two are from my backyard shot a few months ago.

regards

Thanks Penca. He's done with the concrete and brick work now. Just the ironwork left. I sent him the pics anyway, Quien sabe?