Thank you, Argentina. You leveled up my grilling game and I love you for it.

When I was 16 years old, I left the suburbs of Chicago on a trip to Argentina. That trip opened my eyes to a whole new culinary world! I love BBQ and cooking out, but I was impressed to see Argentinians’ grilling expertise. They really take grilling to a whole new level. The first time I tried marinated skirt steak was on that trip, and the sauce I use today was inspired by it. This delicious marinade 100% reminds me of Argentina. Ahhh, I can just taste it now!

Bringing Argentina and grilling into my home meant I had to have an asado grill. Go big or go home, right?

When we bought our farm, we immediately started having groups of family and friends over, so we did a lot of grilling. I even have a special Argentinian parrilla that we use! I love standing there with my spray bottle, constantly turning and spraying the meat. It’s a labor of love. The glass of Malbec in my hand makes it easier and much more enjoyable.

Connecting over Gaucho-style steaks with family and friends.

Once the meat is off the spit, we serve it up gaucho style—on little wooden plates with rustic steak knives. Anything to bring back those memories of Argentina! The most important part is to take time to actually enjoy the food. There’s no rushing through a meal at a Mary DiSomma party. Connecting. Catching up. Being together, laughing—that’s what we really love.

It's time to fire up the grill!

If any of that sounded good, I’ve got even more to share. For a skirt steak that people will be talking about until next summer, check out some of my favorite mouthwatering marinades. They’re good for more than steak, too.

I’ve also got you covered for a celebratory Cinco de Mayo feast with this Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce (Arrachera) recipe, paired with Randy’s Famous Margaritas. Yum!

Pro tip: I love preparing my marinades in advance. You can leave the meat in the fridge overnight so that all you have to do the next day is grill it!

Need a salad or side idea for your next cookout? Try my Summer Vegetable Fruit Ceviche or my refreshing Mary's Spicy Watermelon Feta Salad recipe. These are just a few of my summer favorites—the list goes on!