Argentine Sweetbreads, Morcilla and Achuras: A Guide to the Most Authentic Argentine Grill in Barcelona

Argentine Achuras: What They Are and Why They Are the Hidden Heart of the Asado

At any Argentine grill, the first part of the meal is not the big cuts of meat. It is the achuras: smaller, more particular pieces cooked over the coals before the main cut, defining the character of the grill. For the diner familiar with Argentine meat, achuras are the heart of the asado. For who does not know them, they are the most intriguing part of the menu.

The term achuras covers several pieces: argentine sweetbreads, argentine morcilla, chinchulines (small intestine), tripe, kidney, among others. All share two features: intense flavour, and specific techniques of cooking over the coals. 

In Argentina, starting the asado with achuras is not a menu choice. It is a ritual. They are eaten before the main cuts, with the table still opening, with the conversation at its most animated. 

Argentine Sweetbreads: The Noblest Achura and the Hardest to Cook

Argentine sweetbreads (called mollejas in Spanish) are probably the most appreciated of all the achuras. Technically, they are the thymus gland of the calf (sometimes also the salivary glands, depending on the school). Gastronomically, they are a delicacy with a unique texture: crispy on the outside when the coals work them well, creamy on the inside, with a delicate flavour that resembles no other part of the animal.

The challenge of sweetbreads is the cooking technique. Badly cooked, they turn rubbery or with an unpleasant texture. Well cooked, they are one of the best pieces that can arrive at an Argentine table. They require several stages: previous cleaning, blanching in hot water, and then cooking over the coals at moderate heat, so that the outside browns while the inside keeps its smooth texture. A grill cook who does them well gains immediate professional recognition.

For the diner trying them for the first time, argentine sweetbreads usually surprise. The texture does not match expectations, the flavour is intense but not invasive, and the combination with lemon — which usually accompanies them — creates an acidic counterpoint that elevates them. The classic recommendation is to try them without prejudice: whoever judges them before the first bite tends to regret it.

At La Cabrera, argentine sweetbreads are part of the regular starter menu. They are cooked following tradition: direct coals, careful cooking, service with a squeeze of lemon. For those who know them, they are a mandatory stop. For those who have not tried them, they are the best entry point to the world of argentine achuras.

Argentine Morcilla: The Blood Sausage That Opens the Table

Argentine morcilla is the other pillar of the achuras that arrive before the main cuts. It is a cooked blood sausage, similar to European blood sausages but with its own spicing, texture and tradition from the Southern Cone. In Argentina and Uruguay, it is a constant presence at the asado table.

What distinguishes argentine morcilla from other blood sausages is the combination of spices, the slightly looser texture, and the way of cooking it: over the coals until the skin browns and crisps, with the inside still hot and creamy. It is opened before serving, eaten on toasted bread or straight with a fork and works as a perfect opener for a long meal.

At a Argentine grill, argentine morcilla usually arrives in the first round together with the chorizo criollo, empanadas, or provoleta. It is part of the opening ritual: while the fire finishes preparing the main cuts, the table opens with what is already ready. This order is not accidental: morcilla, by its intensity, activates the appetite without filling. It prepares the table for what is to come.

For the European diner, argentine morcilla may seem a slightly different version of other known blood sausages, but it deserves to be tried on its own terms. The spicing is different, the texture is different, and the way of cooking it — over coals, not in a pan — completely changes the result. It is one of the best ways to understand what distinguishes an Argentine grill from other meat cuisines.

How to order offal: tips to get started

For the diner approaching argentine achuras for the first time, some practical advice avoids surprises and makes the experience work better.

1.Start with the most accessible. Argentine morcilla is usually the natural first step for those who do not know the achuras: it is a sausage, a familiar format, with an intense but recognisable flavour. Argentine sweetbreads are a step further, with a less common texture and flavour. And the more specific achuras, like chinchulines, are territory for the already familiar diner. Going in this order maximises the probability of enjoying each step.

2.Order to share. Achuras work better at the centre of the table, so each diner tries the amount they want without committing to a full plate of something unknown. One serving of morcilla and one of sweetbreads at the centre, for a table of four, is enough for everyone to try without saturating the appetite before the main cut.

3.Trust the floor team. At an Argentine grill, the waiter can guide on which achuras are particularly well that night, suggest combinations, and adjust the order to the group's familiarity with Argentine food. For the diner approaching for the first time, this conversation is more useful than five minutes reading the menu.

The Culture of Achuras: Why They Are a Social Ritual in Argentina

Outside Argentina, argentine achuras can seem like a gastronomic curiosity: less common pieces, specific cuts, intense flavours. Inside Argentina, they are none of that. They are the most social part of the asado, the one that marks the start of the long table, the one that defines who is family and who is a friend close enough to share them.

The Argentine asado, as a social ritual, does not begin with the main cuts. It begins with the achuras: argentine morcilla, chorizo, argentine sweetbreads if the asador is good, chinchulines if the group is more adventurous. These pieces are eaten standing, around the grill, with wine in hand, while the fire finishes preparing the bife de chorizo or the asado banderita. It is the moment of conversation, of the first sip of wine, of the greetings between guests. The part of the meal where nobody sits down yet.

This logic does not translate literally into a restaurant setting, but its spirit does. When at a Argentine restaurant the achuras arrive before the main cut, they are fulfilling the same function: opening the table, activating the appetite, marking the start of the long arc of the meal. Understanding this helps to appreciate them: they are not any starter, they are the part of the meal that Argentine culture considers most social.

That is why the diner arriving in Barcelona looking for an authentic Argentine grill is looking precisely for this: not only the big cuts, but the opening of the table with the argentine achuras that define the complete character of the asado. Without them, the experience is only half of what it can be.

La Cabrera Barcelona: Where to Try Argentine Sweetbreads and Morcilla in the Eixample

La Cabrera Barcelona, on Diputació street in the Eixample, is one of the places to try argentine sweetbreads and morcilla in Barcelona with the Argentine tradition intact. Both achuras are part of the regular starter menu, and arrive at the table cooked with the techniques this article has been describing: direct coals, careful cooking, service in the first round.

The argentine sweetbreads are served with a touch of lemon, following tradition. The morcilla, in the criollo style, arrives ready to open, with the skin browned and crispy, the inside still hot. Both are shared at the centre, so the table can try without committing to individual portions. For groups that do not know the achuras, it is the ideal way of getting introduced: try, decide, and whoever wants continues with more.

The starter menu also includes other Argentine classics that accompany the achuras well: chorizo criollo, empanada, provoleta clásica or completa. Combining sweetbreads or morcilla with a shared provoleta is exactly how an Argentine table is opened when the group is interested in exploring. And for those who then order a main cut — bife de chorizo, entraña, ojo de bife, asado banderita — the achuras fulfil the traditional opener function without overloading the appetite.

For the diner arriving in Barcelona looking for the most authentic Argentine grill, La Cabrera Barcelona offers the complete combination: argentine sweetbreads and argentine morcilla cooked with tradition, main cuts over the coals, classic starters to share, an Argentine wine list, and a floor team that guides those unfamiliar with Argentine cuisine. For those looking to try morcilla in Barcelona in its most Argentine version, it is probably one of the best starting points in the city.