Guanaco

Guanaco is a wild camelid native to Patagonia, and its meat has been eaten by the indigenous peoples of the south for thousands of years. Related to the llama but wild, the guanaco produces a lean, tender, slightly sweet meat that is lower in fat and cholesterol than beef. Historically hunted by the Tehuelche and Mapuche peoples, guanaco is now farmed in limited quantities in Patagonia, and its meat appears in specialty restaurants, particularly around El Calafate and Ushuaia. The most common preparation is a slow braise with red wine, garlic and native berries, or grilling of the tenderloin. The flavour is clean and mild, between venison and lamb, and the meat's leanness means it must be cooked carefully to avoid dryness.

Lean, tender, sweet meat with a flavour between venison and lamb, clean and mild, in a rich dark sauce if braised or charred if grilled. Eaten in Patagonia as a taste of the deep south's wild heritage.

The technique depends on the cut. Tender cuts (tenderloin) are grilled fast and hot, 2 to 3 minutes per side, served medium-rare, the leanness meaning anything beyond medium-rare dries out. Tougher cuts (shoulder, leg) are braised slowly in red wine with garlic, onion, bay and berries for 2 hours, the long, slow cooking breaking down the fibres. The meat's extreme leanness means fat must be added (oil, bacon fat, or wrapping in caul) during cooking, as it has none of its own to baste with. The flavour is delicate and should not be overwhelmed by heavy seasoning; salt, pepper and perhaps juniper are enough.