Argentine vs. Santa Maria: which grill fits your fire?
By The GetBackyarding crew · Reviewed by Erik, pitmaster and owner
Published February 10, 2026 · Updated September 1, 2026
Short answer
Both cook over live wood coals. Choose an Argentine grill with V-channel grates if you want fewer flare-ups and forgiving long cooks; choose a Santa Maria with a flat grate and crank if you want dripping-fed smoke and you'll stand at the fire.
Both styles cook over live wood coals, and both raise and lower the grate to control heat. The difference is what happens to the drippings.
An Argentine grill uses V-shaped channel grates that catch fat and drain it to a trough, so flare-ups stay rare and the fire stays steady. That makes it forgiving for long cooks and fatty cuts.
A Santa Maria grill uses a flat grate over the coals with a crank or chain hoist. Drippings hit the fire and come back as smoke and flame — that's the flavor Central Coast cooks are after, and it rewards attention.
If you mostly cook steaks, chops, and vegetables and want low drama, go Argentine. If you want that basting smoke and you'll stand at the fire, go Santa Maria.
Gear from this guide
Questions we get
- Can I burn charcoal on an Argentine grill?
- Yes. Lump charcoal works fine — you just lose some of the smoke you'd get from splitting your own wood down to coals.
- How much cooking space do I need?
- Plan on roughly 100 square inches per person for a full dinner. A 36-inch grill feeds six comfortably.