Parrillada + Beach Blanket Recipe

Prep and brine sweetbreads

Place sweetbreads in cold water for 1 hour (change water once) to remove blood. Blanch in simmering water for 5 minutes, drain and refresh in ice water. Pat dry, remove silver membrane and excess fat, then refrigerate until grilling time.

Trim and score

Trim visible excess fat from all meats. Lightly score fat on short ribs and chicken skin to encourage rendering. Leave skirt and flap meat whole; you will slice across the grain after grilling.

Season meats

In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice (or vinegar), smoked paprika, oregano, 2 tbs of the coarse salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Brush or rub this mixture onto skirt steak, flap meat, short ribs, chicken and sausages. Reserve 1 tbs oil mixture to baste while grilling. Sprinkle remaining 1 tbs coarse salt and remaining pepper evenly over all meats just before grilling.

Preheat grill

Set up a two-zone fire on a charcoal or gas grill: one high-heat direct zone (hot) and one cooler indirect zone. Preheat to about 450–500°F (hot side). Oil the grill grate with a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil and tongs to prevent sticking.

Sear and cook

Start on the hot side. Sear skirt steak and flap meat 2–3 minutes per side until deeply browned (they will be best at medium-rare to medium). Move to indirect heat to rest and finish if thicker. Sear short ribs 4–6 minutes per side until a good crust forms, then move to indirect and cook another 10–15 minutes until tender (internal ~165°F for safe eating but target tenderness). Place chicken skin-side down and cook 6–8 minutes per side, finishing over indirect heat until internal 165°F. Grill sausages over medium heat 8–12 minutes, turning frequently until cooked through. Grill blood sausage slices 2–3 minutes per side briefly — they are fragile so handle gently. Grill sweetbreads over medium heat 3–4 minutes per side until golden and slightly crisp.

Rest and slice

Transfer all meats to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Rest 5–10 minutes to redistribute juices. Slice skirt and flap meat thinly across the grain. Cut short ribs off the bone or slice meat into pieces. Keep sausages whole or halved, and present sweetbreads whole or in halves.

Finish and serve

Arrange meats family-style on a large platter. Spoon reserved oil mixture and chimichurri over several cuts, or serve chimichurri on the side for guests. Garnish with lemon wedges and an extra sprinkle of coarse salt and pepper to taste.

While meats rest, place husked corn on the grill over medium heat, turning every 2–3 minutes until kernels are charred in spots and tender, about 8–10 minutes. Mix softened butter with chopped parsley and 1/4 tsp salt. Brush butter over hot corn and serve alongside the parrillada.

Boil potato pieces in salted water until fork-tender, about 10–12 minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Toss warm potatoes with mayonnaise, Dijon, chopped scallion, salt and pepper to taste. Serve room temperature or slightly warm alongside the grilled meats.