🔥 BBQ Around the World: Brazil 🇧🇷 – The Art of Churrasco

📜 The History of Churrasco – BBQ in Brazil

The origins of Churrasco go back to the Gauchos , the South American cowboys. They began grilling beef over an open fire as early as the 17th century. This developed into a true BBQ culture, especially in Rio Grande do Sul .

Over time, the well-known rodizio system developed, in which different types of meat are served on large skewers – a concept that is now popular worldwide.

🥩 Local specialties – What goes on the grill?

• Picanha: Brazilian beef rump with fat – the highlight of every churrasco.
• Costela: Slow cooked beef ribs, tender as butter.
• Frango com Bacon: chicken skewers with bacon.
• Queijo Coalho: Grilled cheese, slightly caramelized.
• Linguiça: Spicy grilled sausage with paprika and garlic.

Each churrasco also includes side dishes: farofa (toasted cassava flour), black beans and vinaigrette salad.

🎭 Customs & Traditions – How does Brazil grill?

• Rodizio principle: types of meat are served one after the other – guests always get fresh pieces.
• Salt instead of marinade: Meat is usually only rubbed with coarse salt flakes .
• Accompanying drinks: Beer & Caipirinha are part of every Brazilian BBQ.

🔥 The perfect preparation – How do you make Churrasco?

The secret of a good churrasco lies in the embers, the technique and the right grill equipment .

The grill device: Churrasqueira

• Charcoal or pieces of wood for even embers.
• Place skewers at different heights depending on the degree of doneness.
• Turn the meat only a few times to keep it juicy.

🍖 3 original recipes for your Brazilian BBQ

1️⃣ Picanha – The Brazilian steak classic

• Ingredients: 1 kg Picanha, coarse sea salt
• Preparation: Cut the picanha into 3-4 thick pieces, rub with coarse salt, put on a skewer and grill over embers. Cut thin slices and continue grilling.

2️⃣ Frango com Bacon – Juicy chicken skewers with bacon

• Ingredients: 500 g chicken breast, 200 g bacon, coarse sea salt, pepper
• Preparation: Cut the chicken into cubes, wrap in bacon, season and grill over medium heat.

3️⃣ Queijo Coalho – Grilled Brazilian cheese

• Ingredients: 250g Queijo Coalho (or Halloumi), wooden skewers
• Preparation: Skewer the cheese, place it directly over the embers and grill until caramelized.

🔥 Conclusion: This is how you make your own Brazilian Churrasco!

• Use strong embers and grill on a classic churrasqueira grill.
• Season only with coarse salt to preserve the natural meat flavor.
• Serve different types of meat one after the other – this creates the typical rodizio experience.
• Don’t forget the side dishes: Farofa, black beans & vinaigrette salad complete the menu.
• Enjoy the BBQ slowly – with friends, beer or caipirinha in hand!

🔥 Are you ready for your own churrasco?

Write in the comments which meat you would put on the grill first!

➡️ Next stop on the BBQ world tour: Portugal 🇵🇹 – Churrasqueira & Frango Piri-Piri!