Charqui: Unraveling This Traditional Bolivian Dish

Traditional Bolivian charqui is at risk of losing its cultural roots and identity. As globalisation introduces foreign methods of meat curing, the ancestral techniques that make charqui unique are fading away. Charqui originated as a preserved meat source for indigenous Andean peoples, who sun-dried alpaca and llama meat using salt from the Uyuni salt flats. Spanish adoption transformed it into an expedition food, spreading it across the Americas. But industrial smoke-drying and beef jerky have displaced charqui’s traditional identity. By understanding its origins, curing process, and use in Bolivian cuisine, its cultural legacy can be preserved. Appreciating its roots in the Andes and differences from jerky reveal why protecting charqui’s heritage matters. This article explores charqui’s history, production and uses so this distinctive Bolivian food endures.

History of Charqui in Bolivia

Origins as Native Food Source

The indigenous peoples of Bolivia and Peru developed it as a way to preserve meat without refrigeration. Alpaca, llama, and vicuña meat was salted, aired, and sun-dried into hardened charqui. It provided essential proteins during harsh winters and times of scarcity.

Adoption by Spanish Colonisers

In the 1500s, Spanish colonisers adopted the Quechua term charqui, adapting the native curing techniques to cattle and sheep. It fueled conquest expeditions, leading to its spread across South and North America.

Charqui vs Jerky

As it spread northward, it evolved into modern jerky, which is now dried at low temperatures. But traditional Bolivian charqui is still sun-dried and salt-cured, keeping its ancestral roots alive.

Traditional Production of Bolivian Charqui

Ingredients: Alpaca Meat

Authentic Bolivian charqui uses meat from native Andean camelids, typically alpaca. The lean alpaca meat has a distinct sweet, tender flavour. Llama or vicuña meat may also be used.

llama and alpaca meet is regularly used for charqui

Curing Process

Alpaca meat is cut into thin strips and soaked in a salty brine, which adds flavour and preserves the meat.
It is air-dried at ambient temperature before going into the sun. Air flow facilitates even drying.
The strips are sun-dried for several days, which dehydrates the meat and intensifies its salty taste.
In Bolivia’s high-altitude dry climate, it can be dried for months, reducing moisture below 10%.

Fermentation for Flavour

Some Bolivian charqui uses fermentation for extra tangy flavour. Meat sits in a brine for days, allowing natural fermentation before drying. This adds a sharp, amyloid taste.

Qualities and Uses of Bolivian Charqui

Long Lasting and Nutritious

The salt and moisture reduction preserve it for years without refrigeration. It retains proteins and vitamins essential for life in the Andes highlands. Small amounts can sustain energy and nutrition.

Unique Flavour Profile

Sun-drying and salt-curing give it a distinct savoury, salty flavour different from smoke-dried jerky. Fermented charqui has an extra sharp bite. The camelid meat has a sweetness unlike beef.

Differences from Jerky and Biltong

Minimal Processing

Unlike jerky, charqui undergoes very little processing beyond salting. It is sun-dried instead of smoked or oven-dried. Simple curing makes it closer to ancestral forms of preserved meat.

Meat Source

Biltong uses beef while jerky employs beef, venison, or turkey. It uses native camelids like alpaca and llama, giving it a distinct sweet flavour.

Storage Needs

Jerky and biltong require refrigerated storage to prevent spoilage. The extreme dryness allows it to keep for years without refrigeration.

Preservation of Tradition

For over 500 years, Bolivians have preserved its roots as an essential preserved food. The continued reliance on ancient curing methods and camelid meat ties it directly to indigenous foodways, keeping culinary tradition alive in the Andes.

Charqui Dishes

Its salty and deeply savoury flavour profile makes it an extremely versatile ingredient in Bolivian cuisine. Here are some of the most popular dishes:

Charquekan

This hearty Bolivian stew features bites of rehydrated charqui in a thick, spicy tomato-based sauce. Potatoes, onions, locoto peppers, and chuño (freeze-dried potatoes) are common additions.

Salteñas

These Andean meat pasties are stuffed with fillings like charqui, olives, hard-boiled eggs, and peas. The charqui provides a concentrated salty flavour to balance out the other ingredients.

Aji de Charqui

Charqui is reconstituted and finely chopped to make this spicy condiment. It combines charqui with peppers, onions, tomatoes, and fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley.

Charqui Soup

Simply rehydrating the meat in water or bone broth makes a hearty, protein-rich soup. Add potatoes, quinoa, chuño, or vegetables for a nutritious one-pot meal.

Cheese and Charqui Skewers

Alternating pieces of charqui and queso fresco cheese on skewers makes a popular appetizer. The skewers are lightly grilled to melt the cheese.

Its versatility allows it to enhance the flavour of many everyday Bolivian dishes. Its concentrated savouriness balances the other ingredients.

And What Is a Charqui Board?

A charqui board is a type of meat and cheese board or platter that features different types of charqui as the star ingredient.

Some key elements of a board include:

An assortment of different charqui varieties – this could include llama, alpaca, vicuña charqui, as well as charqui made from different cuts of meat. Having different charquis provides a range of textures and flavours.
Pairings with cheeses like queso fresco or aged hard cheeses. The saltiness of the charqui balances out the rich creaminess of the cheese.
Crackers, breads or corn chips for serving as a base for the meat and cheeses. These provide crunch.
Olives, nuts, and dried fruits add different flavours and textures to complement the charqui.
Condiments like mustard, chimichurri sauce, or ancho chili paste to dress up the meat.
Fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro add freshness.

A charqui board makes an impressive appetiser for a party or gathering. The mix of charqui varieties, cheeses, and other pairings allows guests to appreciate the range of flavours in this Bolivian specialty.

Conclusion

Charqui remains an integral part of Bolivian cuisine and culture. Its traditional sun-drying and salt-curing techniques create a unique flavour loved for centuries. As a food source able to sustain life in harsh climates, it will continue preserving the ancestral culinary heritage of the Andes for generations to come.