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Overview

Uruguayan Chinchulines

Chinchulines a la parrilla; Chotos; Grilled beef small intestines

Uruguayan chinchulines are beef small intestines, cleaned, braided into rings, parboiled until tender and then grilled over charcoal until the outside turns crisp and golden. They are served hot with lemon wedges and chimichurri, usually as one of the first things off the parrilla. One serving is about 183 g.

Cattle arrived in the Río de la Plata region with Spanish colonists in the 1600s, and the gauchos who worked the herds cooked every part of the animal over open wood fires — the origin of the asado. Chinchulines, the small intestines braided into rings, became one of the parrilla's signature offal cuts: they go on the grill early, crisp over the embers, and are eaten hot with lemon while the beef is still cooking. In Montevideo, the parrilla restaurants of the Mercado del Puerto still serve them as the opening bite of the Sunday asado.

Pairs well with: Lemon wedges & chimichurri, with grilled bread

Provenance

Uruguay flag Uruguay

Río de la Plata Parrilla Heritage

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

1h 25m

60m prep • 25m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

380 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 183 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (Offal Prep)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Occasions: Sunday family asado, weekend barbecue, dinner with friends, Father's Day, summer grilling Cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home
Tags: Beef Savory Grilled
Braided chinchulines grilling over charcoal embers on a parrilla, golden and crisp

Río de la Plata Parrilla Heritage

Photo: Sebastian Bassi, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home (USD)

Beef small intestines cleaned, braided, parboiled and grilled crisp over charcoal, served with lemon and chimichurri.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 1h 25m
P

Prep Stage: Cleaned, Braided and Parboiled

60 Mins • Cleaning, Braiding, Parboiling

Rinse the 800 g intestines inside and out in cold water with 30 ml vinegar, turning each tube inside out and rinsing until the water runs clear. Braid each length into a flat ring — the classic chinchulin shape — and tie the ends, then parboil the rings in simmering water for 25 minutes until tender. Drain and pat dry; dry rings crisp on the grill, wet ones steam. While they parboil, chop the parsley and garlic and stir the chimichurri together with 30 ml lemon juice, 15 ml red wine vinegar, 20 ml olive oil, 1 g salt, 1 g oregano and 1 g red pepper flakes.

Maestro Tip: The rinse is the whole dish — any smell left at this stage stays in the finished chinchulines, so rinse until the water is truly clear.

  1. 1

    Clean the intestines

    20 mins Cold water, below 4°C (40°F)

    Rinse the 800 g intestines under cold running water, then turn each tube inside out and rinse again in a bowl of cold water with 30 ml vinegar. Rub gently to remove any residue and rinse until the water runs completely clear, changing the water as needed. Drain well.

    Wear gloves if you prefer, and work in a clean sink — this is the step that decides whether the dish tastes clean or not.

    Done when: Pale, clean tubes with no residue and no smell; rinse water clear.

  2. 2

    Braid into rings

    10 mins Cold, below 4°C (40°F)

    Take each length of intestine and braid it into a flat, loose ring about 12 cm (5 in) across, tucking the ends underneath so the ring holds its shape on the grill. Do not braid too tightly — the rings shrink as they cook, and a tight braid squeezes out the juices. You should have about 8 rings.

    A loose braid crisps better than a tight one, because the heat reaches every fold.

    Done when: About 8 flat, loose rings that hold their shape when lifted.

  3. 3

    Parboil until tender

    25 mins Simmering water at 95°C (200°F); rings to 74°C (165°F)

    Lower the rings into a large pot of gently simmering water — never a rolling boil, which toughens them — and parboil for 25 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife. Lift out, drain and pat very dry with paper towels. Season lightly with 2 g coarse salt. The rings are now fully cooked and safe; the grill is for crispness and flavour.

    Dry them thoroughly — water on the surface is the enemy of a crisp crust.

    Done when: Tender rings, dry to the touch, reading 74°C (165°F) inside.

  4. 4

    Grill over charcoal

    20 mins Hot grill, about 220°C (425°F); reheat to 74°C (165°F)

    Build a hot charcoal fire and let it burn down to glowing embers. Brush the rings with 15 ml olive oil and grill for 8–10 minutes per side, turning once, until they are deep golden brown, crisp at the edges and sizzling. Move them to a cooler spot if the fat flares. The chimichurri — 20 g parsley, 9 g garlic, 30 ml lemon juice, 15 ml red wine vinegar, 20 ml olive oil, 1 g salt, 1 g oregano and 1 g red pepper flakes, stirred together while the rings parboiled — should be sitting for at least 15 minutes by now.

    Leave each side alone until it crisps — moving the rings around tears the crust.

    Done when: Deep golden, crisp rings, hot all the way through at 74°C (165°F).

  5. 5

    Serve with lemon and chimichurri

    5 mins Serve hot, above 60°C (140°F)

    Cut each ring into bite-size pieces or serve whole on a warm plate with lemon wedges and the chimichurri on the side. Squeeze lemon over each serving at the table — the acid cuts the richness and is part of the dish, not a garnish.

    Cut just before serving so the crisp edges stay crisp.

    Done when: Golden rings in bite-size pieces, lemon and chimichurri on the side.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve the chinchulines the moment they leave the grill, cut into pieces, with lemon wedges and chimichurri — they lose their crispness fast, so the table should already be set.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

380

kcal / serving

Protein

28g

Complete AA

Carbs

2g

Complex

Fats

28g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 183 g)
Energy380 kcal
Protein28 g
Carbohydrates2 g
Fat28 g
Fibre0.4 g
Sugar0.3 g
Sodium418 mg
Per 100g
Energy208 kcal
Protein15.5 g
Carbohydrates1.1 g
Fat15.4 g
Fibre0.2 g
Sugar0.2 g
Sodium229 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin B12 and zinc (beef intestine), vitamin C (lemon, parsley), vitamin K (parsley), vitamin E (olive oil).

High in protein

One serving gives about 28 g of protein, which helps the meal feel satisfying and supports normal muscle maintenance.

Vitamin B12 and zinc

Beef intestine is a source of vitamin B12 and zinc, nutrients that support normal red blood cell formation and immune function.

No sugar, fresh sauce

The dish has almost no carbohydrate or sugar, and the chimichurri is raw herbs, garlic, oil and vinegar with nothing added.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sauces

Chimichurri

Parsley, garlic, oil and vinegar cut through the richness of the chinchulines — the acidity is the classic foil for grilled offal.

Vegetables

Green salad with tomato

A simple salad with a sharp vinaigrette refreshes the palate between rich, crisp bites and adds crunch to the plate.

Sides

Grilled bread

Crusty bread toasted on the parrilla soaks up the juices and gives a soft contrast to the crisp rings.

Drinks

Tannat red wine

Uruguay's Tannat has the tannin and dark fruit to stand up to rich grilled offal, and it is the traditional partner at the asado.

Full Menus

As the asado opener

Chinchulines with lemon and chimichurri, then chorizo, vacío and salad, is how a Uruguayan parrilla begins — the offal comes off first while the beef cooks.

Complete menu

Start with chinchulines, lemon and chimichurri, follow with grilled vacío and ensalada rusa, and finish with polvito uruguayo and a glass of Tannat.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Undercooked or poorly cleaned intestines

Intestines must be rinsed until the water runs clear and cooked to 74°C (165°F) at the centre; undercooked offal can carry harmful bacteria. Always check with a thermometer. This is general information, not medical advice.

Grilling wet rings

Rings that go on the grill wet steam instead of crisping and stay rubbery — pat them very dry after parboiling, or the texture never recovers. This is general information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA rich, satisfying dinner for most adults; one serving with salad and bread makes a complete plate.
  • ChildrenNot recommended for young children — the flavour and texture are unusual, and the dish is very rich.
  • ElderlyBest in small portions — half a serving with salad and bread — because chinchulines are rich and high in purines.
  • Pregnant womenEat only freshly cooked and piping hot, from a trusted butcher; offal should be very fresh, and ask your clinician about offal foods during pregnancy.
  • Breastfeeding womenFine as an occasional food; keep the portion modest and pair with salad rather than extra bread.
  • AthletesAbout 28 g of protein per serving makes it useful after hard training, but it is high in fat and purines — not an everyday choice.
  • Weight gainOne serving with bread and salad covers a large share of daily energy and protein needs in one plate.
  • Weight lossVery energy-dense and rich, so keep it rare and small — half a serving with a big salad, not a full plate.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesAlmost no carbohydrate, but the richness means portions still matter; ask your clinician about fitting it into your meal plan.
  • High blood pressureSodium is about 418 mg per serving — keep the added salt light and ask your clinician if you are on a sodium-restricted diet.
  • Kidney diseaseHigh in protein, so people on a kidney diet should keep portions small and ask their clinician before eating it.
  • GoutOffal is high in purines, which can raise uric acid; people with gout should avoid it or eat it rarely, and ask your clinician.
  • Stomach issuesThe rich, fatty offal can be hard to digest and may trigger discomfort; eat slowly and in small portions, and ask your clinician if symptoms persist.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseHigh in saturated fat and cholesterol, so treat this as an occasional food in a small portion; ask your clinician about your overall pattern.
  • Fatty liverVery high in saturated fat, so it is a poor everyday choice for fatty liver; enjoy rarely and in small portions, and ask your clinician for guidance.
  • Food allergiesContains beef offal. The chimichurri is free of the common allergens, but anyone avoiding beef should not eat this dish.
  • Special therapeutic dietsThis is a high-fat, high-purine, offal-based food; it does not suit low-fat, low-purine or beef-free therapeutic diets — ask your clinician or dietitian before including it.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool leftover chinchulines quickly and store in a covered container in the fridge; reheat only what you will eat.
In the fridge
2 days for grilled chinchulines; the chimichurri keeps 5 days in a sealed jar.
In the freezer
Up to 1 month, wrapped tightly; freeze after parboiling, before grilling, and thaw overnight in the fridge.
How to reheat
Reheat in a hot pan or a 200°C (400°F) oven for a few minutes until hot all the way through, to 74°C (165°F); the microwave makes them rubbery.
Freezing recommended
Yes — after parboiling, before grilling.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour or off smell, slimy surface, grey or green discolouration — discard, do not taste to check.

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