When I first tried asaditos, I was excited! Many of my friends had been telling me how delicious they were. I was also nervous. Paraguayans often eat differently than we do. I was unsure if I was preparing my asaditos wrong, or eating them in a way that could seem rude. After a quick joke, my nieghbor showed me how to put on lime the right way and how you are supposed to eat them right off the stick.
Asaditios are essentially kebabs. They are skewers of meat, either beef or pork. They are prepared using the same method as traditional asado, which is over a charcoal grill. The meat is seasoned with salt and its own fat, and they let it cook for hours to develop rich flavors.
This food is deeply connected to the social culture of Paraguay, which is very much a collectivist culture. Everyone knows everyone and takes time out of their day to relax and socialize with their family and neighbors through sharing asaditos, terrere (Paraguay's national drink) or through playing soccer.
These types of meat kebabs also portray the culture of not letting anything go to waste. The beef and cattle industry in Paraguay is enormus, but all of the products are exported, to be sold for more money. This then leaves many paraguayans unable to afford nicer cuts of meat. This is where the culture of tradiational asado and asaditos came from. Usually the meat is pieces of spine, or bone with small amount of meat, and is cooked in this way to imporve the flavor and texture.
