Explore the world’s finest barbecues

Americans are often seen as the pioneers of the ‘barbecue’ tradition. Parks and backyards across the United States are filled with people enjoying saucy chicken and a variety of grilled meats.

While America’s grilling reputation is widely known, some might argue that countries like Argentina and South Africa have a deeper, more passionate barbecue culture.

The origin of the word ‘barbecue’ remains a mystery, but one theory is that it stems from ‘barbacoa,’ a term used by Spanish explorers to describe the cooking method of the indigenous Taino people of the Caribbean.

Today, barbecue encompasses a wide range of cooking techniques, from grilling over open flames to slow-cooking in underground pits or clay ovens.

Barbecue traditions vary widely across regions, from South America to Africa to Asia.

Keep reading to discover that the irresistible joy of barbecue is a global tradition, not just an American one.

Braai (South Africa)

The South African braai (meaning ‘barbecue’ in Afrikaans) is the country’s most cherished culinary tradition.

Here, the act of gathering for a feast of grilled steaks, sausages, and chicken sosaties (skewers) unites people from all walks of life, transcending racial and economic divides.

Nowhere embraces ‘Sunday Funday’ like the townships, where shisa nyama (meaning ‘burn meat’ in Zulu) spots elevate the braai experience with butchers, chefs, drinks, and energetic DJs. Chicago native Unique Love, who lived in Cape Town for three years, fondly remembers her first shisa nyama.

“Having a braai at Mzoli’s Meat in Cape Town felt like home,” she recalls. “I didn’t want to leave after eating because the warmth of the community was so inviting.”

Asado (Argentina)

While its status as the world’s top beef consumer may shift year to year, many still consider Argentina the ultimate destination for barbecued meats. Much like South Africa’s braai culture, Argentina’s love for grilling is deeply rooted, surpassing even the American barbecue tradition.

In Argentina, it’s common to partake in a hearty, sociable asado (‘barbecue’) almost every week.

Though a wide range of meats and cuts can be served at any asado, Argentinian chef Guillermo Pernot, partner at Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar, recommends: ‘For the perfect asado, you must include sweet pork and beef sausages, sweetbreads, thighs, intestines, and blood sausages.’

Other asado tips from the two-time James Beard Award winner include generously salting the meats and having chimichurri – a zesty mix of parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar, and chili flakes – on hand as both a marinade and a sauce.

Yakitori (Japan)

Yakitori, a beloved dish in Japan, features bite-sized pieces of chicken threaded onto bamboo skewers and cooked over a bed of glowing charcoal.

Different yakitori styles are named after the parts of chicken used (e.g., ‘towikawa’ for strips of chicken skin and ‘negima’ for thigh meat paired with leeks).

The definition of yakitori has expanded to include any grilled food on skewers, such as vegetables, seafood, pork, and beef. Travel blogger Tanya Spaulding shares her tips for making the most of this iconic Japanese dish.

According to Tanya Spaulding, the best way to enjoy yakitori is either from a street vendor or while seated on the floor in your yukata (a casual summer kimono), grilling your skewers over a shichirin (small charcoal grill) placed in the center of your table.

Churrasco (Brazil)

For barbecue lovers with hearty appetites, Brazil’s churrasco (which means ‘barbecue’ in Portuguese and Spanish) is a must-try.

Most visitors to Brazil will experience churrasco at a churrascaria, where waiters bring an endless variety of grilled meats straight to the table. While Brazilian churrasco is the most well-known, the tradition also exists in other countries like Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Portugal.

Dan Clarke, director of RealWorld Holidays, who often travels to South America, believes that Brazilian barbecues offer more vegetarian options compared to meat-heavy Argentina.

‘At an Argentinian asado, your sides are mostly limited to salad and fries,’ says Dan Clarke. ‘But in Brazil, it’s a different story. Most churrascarias offer an impressive salad bar with a wide array of fresh salads, pasta salads, pickles, breads, olives, and many other sides to complement your meat.’

Lechon (Philippines)

Lechon, meaning ‘suckling pig’ in Spanish, involves roasting a whole pig on a spit over charcoal or in an oven. While it’s a beloved dish in the Philippines, Puerto Ricans also claim it as their national delicacy.

Lechon from the Philippine island of Cebu is often considered the finest in the country – some even say it’s the best in the world.

Fun fact: Every June 24th in Balayan, Philippines, locals celebrate the Parada ng Lechon (Parade of Spit-Roast Pig), a special religious tribute to the beloved roasted pig.

The celebration involves lechons being blessed during a church mass, followed by a vibrant parade featuring floats, music, water guns (used for the ‘baptism’), and lechons dressed in extravagant costumes and accessories.

Tandoor (India)

Yes, the famous Indian tandoori chicken you've probably loved for years is indeed a barbecue dish.

Tandoori cuisine gets its name from the tandoor, a traditional clay oven that resembles a cauldron. Foods like naan, chicken, seafood, and various meats are cooked in this high-heat charcoal oven.

‘The art of the tandoor originated centuries ago in Central Asia, where cooking over charcoal pits and spit-roasting meat was a nomadic tradition,’ says Manjit Gill, corporate chef for ITC Hotels and celebrity chef behind several renowned Indian restaurants, including Bukhara in New Delhi.

‘The tandoori cuisine we recognize today emerged in post-partition India in the late 1940s, when people realized that cooking meat in a tandoor was far more effective than roasting it on a spit,’” explains Manjit Gill.

Mongolian BBQ (Taiwan)

‘Mongolian barbecue,’ as it’s known today, combines thinly sliced meats, vegetables, and noodles, all stir-fried on a large, circular grill at high heat for a quick and flavorful meal.

Mongolian barbecue is a relatively recent culinary trend that emerged in Taiwan during the 1950s. It blends influences from Japanese teppanyaki and Chinese stir-fry, and has gained popularity in certain areas of China as well.

Monica Weintraub, a Beijing-based food and travel blogger, notes that beef and lamb are especially prevalent in the northern regions of China.

‘Whether you’re sharing a leg of lamb with a group of four or five, or enjoying individual lamb skewers (yang rou chuan), expect the meat to be generously seasoned with chili powder, cumin, and salt,’ she adds.

Lovo (Fiji)

Fiji’s barbecue culture takes a more underground approach compared to other countries, with cooking methods that are deeply rooted in tradition.

Erin Yang explains, ‘Unlike many other barbecue traditions, Fijian barbecue is prepared in a ‘lovo,’ which is an underground oven.’

The lovo involves placing hot stones into a large pit in the ground, creating the perfect environment for slow-smoked cooking.

‘Ingredients like pork, chicken, vegetables, taro root, and seafood are wrapped in banana or taro leaves and arranged on the stones,’ Yang adds. ‘After 2-3 hours, the delicious lovo feast is ready to serve.’

The moment the pit-smoked food is unearthed is met with great excitement, likely due to the long wait required for the cooking process.

Umu (Samoa)

Umu, Samoa’s version of barbecue, is akin to the underground cooking methods seen in Fiji’s lovo tradition.

Avichai Ben Tzur, a travel writer and entrepreneur with deep connections to the South Pacific, describes preparing a barbecue as a family affair.

‘Young men from the extended Samoan family come together to prepare the ‘umu’ long before the traditional Sunday feast begins—catching fresh fish, slaughtering a pig, gathering taro leaves and breadfruit from the family garden, and cracking open coconuts for the palusami,’ he says.

Palusami, a beloved Samoan dish made from coconut cream (often seasoned with onions, lemon juice, and simple spices), wrapped in taro leaves, is described by Tzur as 'a delicious calorie bomb that no Samoan can resist.'

Gogigui (Korean Peninsula)

Gogigui, which translates to ‘meat roast’ in Korean, is a popular dish among both Koreans and international food lovers.

Dining at a Korean BBQ typically includes sliced beef, pork, and chicken, served alongside an array of banchan (side dishes) and rice, all cooked either by the chefs or by the diners themselves at the center of the table.

If you decide to cook your own gogigui, 'Masterchef Korea' finalist Diane Sooyeon Kang shares some helpful tips.

'For thin cuts of meat like chadolbaegi (beef brisket), lay them flat and cook briefly on each side,' she advises. 'For dishes like yangnyeom galbi (marinated short ribs), use high heat to achieve a crispy exterior while keeping the meat juicy inside.'

Jessica Mehta, who lived in Korea for a year, recommends pairing Korean BBQ with soju, a clear liquor similar to sake, for the authentic experience.

Pachamanca (Peru)

While Peruvian cuisine is widely celebrated for its ceviche and Pisco sours, many are still unaware of one of Peru’s oldest culinary traditions, pachamanca, which dates back to the Incan era.

Pachamanca, meaning 'earth pot' in Quechua, involves digging a pit to create a ground oven, which is then lined with hot stones to cook the ingredients.

A mix of potatoes, corn, legumes, and marinated meats is wrapped in banana leaves and cooked for hours inside the earth oven.

Authentic pachamanca is served while seated on the ground and is typically reserved for special occasions, especially religious ceremonies or during the harvest season in February and March.