Condiment of the Week: El Chori Tangy Classic — Auntie Celina's Green, Made in Australia
⚓ SMUGGLER'S LOG — ENTRY No. 479
Dated this 27th day of October, 2026
Position: Armstrong Creek, Victoria
Conditions: a warm northerly — the kind of evening that calls for something to go over the top of everything
The Bland Regency thinks a sauce is a finishing touch, something you remember at the last second if there's room on the plate. Darryl's spent the week proving that's backwards — this one goes on everything, not just the steak.
Auntie Celina's green, made right here
El Chori bottles a no-heat green chimichurri built from a family recipe — Auntie Celina's, by the brand's own account — and makes it fresh in Australia rather than shipping it in. The Tangy Classic is the one with no chilli at all: fresh parsley out front, a sharp hit of red wine vinegar, a serious amount of garlic, all carried on a grassy blend of canola and extra virgin olive oil. It's a loose, pourable, spoonable sauce, built to be piled on with a heavy hand rather than dabbed with a teaspoon.
Ingredients: Australian-grown canola oil (non-GMO), red wine vinegar, parsley, herbs and spices, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, salt. It's all-natural and vegan, made from ingredients that are gluten-free by nature (though the jar isn't certified gluten-free), with no added sugar. Always check the physical label for the latest word on allergens.
Where it earns its keep
Chimichurri gets filed under "steak sauce" and that undersells it badly. Spoon it over grilled lamb or a Sunday roast, toss it through roast potatoes or char-grilled veg the second they come off the heat, fold it through scrambled eggs, pile it on smashed avo — or build a proper choripán: crusty roll, grilled chorizo, a big unapologetic spoon of green on top.
This week's cook: Chargrilled Chicken Thighs, Four Ways
One tray of chicken, four small bowls of sauce — this is the easiest way to work out which El Chori jar is your jar, and it turns dinner into a bit of an event without any extra cooking.
You'll need: 6–8 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs; a simple salt-and-pepper or all-purpose rub; a jar of El Chori Tangy Classic (and, if you've got them, the Smoky Paprika, Zesty Coriander or Hot Jalapeño varieties for the full spread).
- Pound the thighs to an even thickness, season simply and let them come to room temperature.
- Grill skin-side down first over direct heat until the skin is deeply charred and renders out, then flip and finish through to 74°C internal.
- Rest 5 minutes, then plate whole or sliced with small bowls of chimichurri alongside — don't dress it before serving, let everyone spoon their own.
🏴☠️ Darryl's Secret: Save a spoonful of Tangy Classic and use it as an overnight marinade on tomorrow night's chicken before you even think about the grill. The vinegar does the tenderising while you sleep, and you've still got the jar for finishing.
Grab the jar at El Chori: Tangy Classic Chimichurri — 228g, or get all four heat levels in one go with the El Chori Chimichurri Four Pack. If you're after a beef rub to season the protein before the sauce goes anywhere near it, Jimmy Brisket Special Ops from this week's Log is a strong pairing.
Reader level: Dead simple — no special gear, just a grill and four bowls.
— Cap'n Darryl
