Uruguay is a country located on the southeastern tip of South America, between Brazil and Argentina. Little wonder foods and drinks popular in Argentina, like dulce de leche, chimichurri, and yerba mate, are also popular in Uruguay.
Uruguay is known for its rich food culture; food and drinks like dulce de leche, chimichurri, mate, wine, and caña are mostly stored in glass jars and glass bottles. Aside from these, Asado (wood-fired BBQ), chivito (a loaded steak sandwich), a go-to street food, empanadas are a staple snack, and dulce de leche is one of the ingredients that ties Uruguayan cooking together from breakfast to dessert.
This article shares some insights on Uruguay’s foods and drinks often stored or preserved in glass jars and bottles, recipes, and a guide on choosing the right glass containers, regardless of where you are across the world (including the UK) when preparing Uruguayan delicacies.
Uruguay's Food Culture and Its Use of Glass Containers
One unique thing about Uruguay's food culture is that it revolves around communal eating and high-quality ingredients because food in Uruguay is more about celebration, hence the rich foods, such as asado (the traditional Uruguayan barbecue), the iconic chivito (a steak sandwich), empanadas, chimichurri, dulce de leche, and Tannat wine are popular in the country. Alongside these dishes, you will always find the popular drink, yerba mate, a caffeinated herbal infusion shared among friends and family.
When you go into a Uruguayan home, you will see that glass jars and bottles are used in almost every day food storage, pickling, and even serving some dishes and drinks.
These glass containers are used due to the BPA-free nature of glass jars and bottles because they are safe for food and drinks, unlike plastic containers that can leach chemicals into food content over time. Glass containers are also a sustainable packaging solutions that’s why for decades, the famous Cristalerías del Uruguay glass-container plant has produced top-tier glass containers for food, wine, beer, and spirits across the country. This investment further shows how Uruguayan’s value glass containers in preserving food as well as storage.
Dulce de Leche, Chimichurri, and Mate in Glass Jars
Uruguayan Dulce de Leche in Glass Jars
One food that is most commonly stored in glass jars in Uruguay is dulce de leche. Dulce de leche is a smooth caramel spread that is made by slowly cooking milk (whole milk) and sugar together. Instead of plastic, glass jars are used because it is non-reactive and won't absorb flavours or leach anything into the dulce de leche.
Uruguayan Dulce de Leche Recipe in Glass Jars
Ingredients
● 1 litre of whole milk
● 300g caster sugar
● 1 tsp vanilla extract
● ¼ tsp baking sod
Method
● Combine the milk, sugar, and baking soda in a saucepan over medium heat.
● Stir until the sugar dissolves, then reduce the heat.
● Cook uncovered for 1 to 2 hours, stirring regularly, until the mixture thickens and turns a deep caramel brown.
● Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
● Pour into sterilised glass jars, seal with lids, and leave to cool completely at room temperature.
● Refrigerate it. Once opened, it lasts for up to 3 weeks in the fridge and several months if unopened.
Depending on the quantity, you can use any size of glass jam jars with tight-fitting lids. Most of these jars are available in our wide collection.
Uruguayan Chimichurri Sauce in Glass Jars
Another Uruguayan food popularly known and enjoyed in the country is Chimichurri. Chimichurri is mainly a green vegetable sauce that is made from garlic, parsley, oregano, vinegar, and olive oil. Sometimes, other ingredients like rosemary, thyme, or red pepper flakes are added. Chimichurri is the standard ingredient in asado and grilled meats, often made fresh at home and transferred into a closed glass jar.
Uruguayan Chimichurri Sauce Recipe in Glass Jars
Ingredients
● 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
● 4 garlic cloves
● 1 tsp dried oregano
● ½ tsp dried rosemary
● ½ tsp dried thyme
● 1 tsp red pepper flakes
● 1 bay leaf, crumbled
● 100ml olive oil
● 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
● Salt and black pepper to taste
Method
● Add the parsley, garlic, oregano, rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf to a food processor.
● Pulse until finely chopped but not completely smooth; the chimichurri should have some texture.
● Season well with salt and black pepper.
● Transfer to a bowl and stir in the olive oil and red wine vinegar.
● Allow the mixture to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before using it to allow the flavours to meld.
● Spoon into a clean glass jar, pressing the vegetables down to ensure they are submerged in the oil.
● Seal with a tight lid and refrigerate. It can last up to 2 weeks and improves after 24 hours.
Depending on the quantity, you can use any size of wide-mouth glass jars with airtight lids. Most of these jars are available in our wide collection.
Uruguayan Yerba Mate in Glass Jars
The Uruguayan yerba mate drink is made with dried leaves and is stored in airtight glass containers in many households. Beyond a drink, yerba mate is more of a social ritual in Uruguay, passed around in a shared gourd and sipped through a metal straw. Storing yerba mate in an airtight glass prevents moisture from getting in and stops the leaf from going stale.
The Uruguayan yerba mate is a little unlike the Argentine or Paraguayan coarser cuts because it has a more powdery, flour-like texture of finely ground leaves and virtually no stems.
Uruguayan Yerba Mate Recipe in Glass Jars
Ingredients
● 30g (approx. 4 tbsp) Uruguayan yerba mate (pure leaf, no stems, e.g., Canarias)
● Hot water (75°C to 80°C) for hot brew
● Ice-cold filtered water for cold brew
● 1 tbsp honey (optional)
● A few fresh mint leaves or lemon verbena(optional)
Method for Hot Brewed Yerba Mate
● Add the loose yerba mate directly into a clean heat-resistant glass jar or the traditional gourd.
● Pour the hot water slowly over the mate
● If using honey or mint, add them now and stir or swirl gently to combine, then let it steep at room temperature for 5-7 minutes.
● Strain the mixture through a fine sieve or muslin cloth into a second clean glass jar or bottle to remove all the loose mate leaves.
● Seal the jar or bottle tightly with a lid and place it in the fridge once it has cooled down.
● Leave to chill completely for 4-6 hours before serving over ice.
Method for Cold Brewed Yerba Mate
● Add the loose yerba mate directly into a clean glass jar or the traditional gourd.
● Pour the cold water slowly over the mate, filling the jar to the top.
● If using honey or mint, add them now and stir or swirl gently to combine.
● Seal the bottle tightly with a lid or stopper and place it in the fridge.
● Leave to cold brew for 8-12 hours; overnight works perfectly.
Depending on the quantity, you can use any size of glass jars with airtight lids or glass bottles, which are available in our wide collection.
Wine, Caña, Beer, and Spirits in Glass Bottles
Beyond food and condiments, Uruguay is also known for beverages, particularly produced from Tannat, a grape that produces a deeply coloured, tannic red wine that ages beautifully in glass bottles.
Mostly, dark/amber glass bottles are used for storing this wine precisely because UV light degrades its colour and flavour over time, and Uruguayan winemakers know this well.
Aside from wine, Caña is another drink known and consumed in the country. Caña is a rough, unaged sugarcane liquor that predates the country's wine culture by generations, hence it's called Uruguay's traditional spirit. It is bottled in glass for the same reasons as wine and spirits everywhere: glass preserves the flavour of beverages, and doesn't interact with alcohol. Also, beer is widely consumed across Uruguay and stored, plus served in standard glass beer bottles.
Other Uruguayan traditional drinks include:
● Tereré: It is similar to mate, but prepared with ice-cold water or citrus juice. It is especially popular during the hot, humid Uruguayan summers.
● Medio y Medio: It is a refreshing local special drink commonly enjoyed before meals. It is typically an equal-part blend of dry white wine (or sparkling wine) and sweet espumante (fortified sweet wine).
● Grappamiel: It is a blend of traditional Italian grappa and honey. It clocks in at around 25% ABV and is usually consumed in a single shot. It is highly popular during the cooler autumn and winter months to warm up the body.
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Food/Drink |
Recommended Glass Containers |
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Dulce de leche |
Jam jars, glass storage jars, pickle jars |
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Chimichurri sauce |
Pickle jars, glass preserving jars, storage jars |
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Yerba mate |
Glass jars, pickle jars, |
|
Caña (sugarcane liquor) |
Alcohol bottles, glass bottles, spirit bottles |
|
Beer |
Beer bottles, alcohol bottles |
|
Spirits |
Spirit bottles, alcohol bottles, glass bottles |
5 Interesting Things About Uruguay's Food and Glass Jars/Bottles Culture
1. Dulce de leche is Uruguay's national spread, mostly stored in glass jars. Brands like Los Nietitos, Conaprole, and Havanna all package their dulce de leche in glass jars.
2. Cristalerías del Uruguay is the backbone of the country's glass packaging industry, producing glass containers for food, wine, beer, and spirits domestically and keeping Uruguay's food and drinks supply chain firmly rooted in glass.
3. Chimichurri stored in a closed glass jar lasts up to two weeks in the fridge, and Uruguayan home cooks know that the flavour actually improves after the first day as the garlic, herbs, and vinegar settle into each other. Making a batch in advance and keeping it in a glass is often the standard practice.
4. Uruguay's national drink, mate, is one of the few beverages in the world with its own dedicated storage culture. Keeping yerba mate in an airtight glass container is not just good practice, it is the only way to preserve the leaf's grassy, slightly bitter features over months of use without it going stale or absorbing other kitchen smells.
5. Uruguay's Tannat wine, its signature red grape, has helped put South American wine on the global map and amber glass bottles are used because UV light degrades the wine over time, protecting its colour, aroma, and flavour.
Using the Right Glass Container in the UK for Uruguay-Style Food
If dulce de leche, chimichurri, or yerba mate has caught your attention, then you can go ahead and give it a try; we’ve shared the recipe already, and you can easily find the glass jar or glass bottles you need in our wide collection of food-grade glass containers.
Here’s a quick guide again to help you:
● Wide-mouth jars (like pickle jars) are best for chimichurri and chunky sauces.
● Jam jars are perfect for homemade dulce de leche and fruit preserves.
● Airtight glass jars with rubber seals, such as Le Parfait jars, help preserve yerba mate for years.
● Wine bottles and alcohol bottles (clear or amber) are essential for home-brewed Uruguayan Tannat or infused caña.
When choosing glass jars and bottles for any of these uses, look for:
● Food-grade glass
● Reliable lid or closure
● Size that suits your batch.
Generally, glass is more eco-friendly, reusable, easy to sterilise, and far better at preserving flavour than plastic. You can find a full range of glass jars, jam jars, pickle jars, and clear, green, and amber glass bottles in our collection as a trusted 30+ years glass jars and bottles supplier in the UK.