To brasero or not to brasero? We get that question a lot.
The brasero is the side fire box that is attached to your typical Argentine style grill. It can be configured for right or left hand side, while some grills may even have a rear option.
Pros of including a brasero:
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Traditional Argentine grilling is over hot coals and embers, not live flames. The brasero makes sure you are burning over this fuel. Without a brasero, if you needed more fuel, you would have to throw another log on the fire creating smoke and flames directly under what you are cooking. All this is done off to the side with the brasero while you continue to grill.
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You never run out of heat. You can use the brasero continuously while you grill. When your heat is low or you are grilling round 2 or 3, you can drop the coals and reload the box to make some more. This is great for the traditional Asados typical of Latin American grilling traditions.
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It is ideal if a brasero is adept at handling both split wood and charcoal. (Lump or briquettes) An added bonus to look for is a type of shuttle plate that closes off the inside of the box to hold your charcoal in place while it burns. When ready, open the shuttle and your embers drop out. For wood you just lay it right in the box and let the coals fall through the slats. See video here for example: https://www.gaucho-grills.com/grill-features
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The brasero can create another grill surface or a shelf to keep things warm with an optional Brasero-Top Grate. (When you are not in full blown fire mode.)
How a brasero works.
Things to consider:
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Cost. Adding the brasero adds to the cost of the grill. It can be an elaborate component to fabricate. It should be robustly built, and it should bring more to the table than a simple fire log holder.
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Space – You are adding about 12” of real estate to have the brasero. If space is limited some people opt to have a larger grill area and skip the brasero.
For a quick synapsis, we recommend the following:
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If the budget or space is tight… pass on the brasero.
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If your typical grilling is 1 round, like for dinner at a set time… pass on the brasero. Just lift your grill plates up, start your fire underneath the grill area and you’ll be good to go.
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If you like to grill or entertain asado style, where you fire up the grill and grill multiple rounds, or grill for several hours at a time, try and get the brasero. It is a tremendous convenience feature to have fuel constantly being prepared while you continue to grill.
