Charqui

The charqui or charque (from the Quechua charki, "cecina") is a type of dehydrated meat typical of the Andean and southern South America originating from pre-Columbian Peru to preserve meat for long periods.

Preparation

Initially, auquénid meat was used such as guanaco meat or llama or any other animal, although charqui can be prepared with almost any meat; due to this and with the arrival of the Spanish to America, charqui took on more importance. of beef.

The preparation method usually begins by cutting the meat into slices or strips as thin as possible, removing the fat and, as much as possible, the blood ("meat juice"). The strips prepared in this way are hung in dry, ventilated and, above all, very sunny places, until they take on a texture similar to that of cardboard and even leather, protecting them from flies with mosquito net-type fabrics. Once they have finished drying, they are smoked.

Then, it is usually stored in containers between layers of common salt, sometimes adding pepper, paprika and dried chili peppers. More rarely, layers of honey and propolis are used to preserve jerky.

Method of consumption

Charqui is essentially dehydrated meat from auquénids, pork, sheep, cow, horse, camelids and others. When dehydration is carried out in areas such as the Puna or the Andean highlands, due to the characteristics of the climate, charqui is practically a freeze-dried food (the same as its frequent companion of plant origin: chuño) and can be consumed without any other preparation., although the most common thing is that, like goulash, it is eaten rehydrated, being the main ingredient in stews or forming part of the filling of empanadas, tamales and other dishes.

Northwest Argentina

In the northwestern provinces of Argentina such as Jujuy and Salta, charqui covered with salt and dried in the sun is very common. This technique was used by Andean people to preserve meat for long periods.

Bolivia

In the eastern region of Bolivia it is consumed fried, accompanied with boiled yucca (or cassava), or boiled and mashed potatoes for majadito, masaco de plantain (or banana) or cassava and also in jigote.

It is also possible to find it in some culinary recipes from western and central Bolivia, such as in papalisa chili, tucumanas and fiambre in the cities of La Paz, Oruro and Cochabamba. Where the charquekan is prepared, which contains a portion of shredded and fried charque, accompanied by mote, white corn, potatoes from the region, chuño or tunta and also small portions of the typical llajwa.

In Potosí, Bolivia, Valdiviano is made, which consists of a meat soup with chalona (lamb jerky) and pork, with vegetables, potatoes and ground red chili pepper and spices, served with llajua, which is an Andean sauce. of locoto, tomato, quirquiña.^{[citation required]}

Chile

In Chile, according to a legend, the soldiers of Valdivia created the dish called valdiviano, bored of eating the same charqui every day. It is also the original main component of charquicán, although nowadays the most common thing is to prepare charquicán with ground beef. In the small north, in the Atacama regions, and mainly in the Coquimbo region, goat charqui is mainly produced and consumed. From the central area to the south, the consumption of equine jerky is more common.

Peru

In Peru charqui is widely consumed, for example in the typical olluquito with charqui and charquicán.

In popular culture

The phrase y#34;eye to the charque#34; It is often used to tell someone to be careful or pay attention.