Churrasco

Churrasco is a Portuguese and Spanish term for grilled beef, a staple in South American and Iberian cooking, especially in Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina. In other Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking nations, the word can refer to a range of different meat products.

The Brazilian term *churrascaria* (or *churrasquería*) generally describes a steakhouse where grilled meat is served, often in an all-you-can-eat style. Servers move through the restaurant with skewers, slicing meat directly onto customers' plates. This method of service, known as *espeto corrido* or *rodízio*, is especially common in Brazil’s southern states, such as Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná, and Santa Catarina.

In Brazil, churrasco refers to a barbecue, similar to the Argentine and Uruguayan *asado*, with roots in the country’s southern region. It features various meats—including pork, sausage, and chicken—cooked on a *churrasqueira*, a barbecue grill often designed with supports for spits or skewers. A home with a built-in *churrasqueira* is a major selling point for properties in Southern Brazil. Portable versions resemble those used for *asado*, with a grill support, though many Brazilian *churrasqueiras* lack a grill and rely solely on skewers above the embers. The meat can also be cooked on large metal or wooden skewers, either resting on a support or stuck into the ground, and roasted over charcoal embers (wood is also used, particularly in Rio Grande do Sul).

In Nicaragua, where immigrants first introduced the term for this cut of beef to the United States restaurant scene in Miami, Florida as early as the 1950s, churrasco refers to grilled skirt steak served with a traditional chimichurri sauce made from macerated parsley, garlic, peppers, and olive oil.

In Argentina and Uruguay, a churrasco is any boneless cut of beef sliced slightly thin as a steak and grilled over hot coals or on a very hot skillet.

In the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, churrasco always means skirt steak cooked on a barbecue grill. Chimichurri sauce is optional, as the meat is savory enough with just a light sprinkle of sea salt during cooking. In Puerto Rico, it is also common to replace chimichurri with a guava rum sauce made with spices and 7Up, or with *ajilimójili* sauce.

In Ecuador, churrasco is a staple of the Coast Region, especially Guayaquil. The main ingredient is grilled steak seasoned with chimichurri, served with plantains, white rice, French fries, a fried egg, and slices of avocado.

In Guatemala, churrasco is considered a typical dish, often eaten at family gatherings and festive occasions. It is usually topped with *chirmol*, a red sauce of chopped tomatoes and onions, and accompanied by corn, guacamole, grilled potatoes, stewed black beans, rice, and tortillas.

In Chile, churrasco describes a thin cut of steak, the quality of which varies depending on the sandwich desired. The slices are grilled and served in a sometimes-warmed local bun (called *marraqueta*, or *pan batido* in Valparaíso), often with tomato, avocado, and mayonnaise—as in a *churrasco italiano*. Another popular dish, *churrasco a lo pobre* ("poor man's churrasco"), consists of churrasco served with French fries, a fried egg, and caramelized onions.

In Portugal, *frango de churrasco* with *piri piri*—a salty roasted chicken cooked on the *churrasqueira* and spiced with hot red chili sauce, garlic, and paprika—is very popular. Portuguese churrasco and chicken dishes are common in countries with Portuguese communities, such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Venezuela. The term is also used in former Portuguese colonies; for example, *churrasco moçambicano* is a grilled meat dish from Mozambique.

In Galicia, churrasco refers almost exclusively to grilled pork or beef spare ribs. Galicians who emigrated to the Americas in the 20th century brought the recipe with them. Today, many Galicians of all social classes prepare a *churrascada*.

In the mainland United States, churrasco-style restaurants have grown in popularity since the 1990s, driven by the success of chains such as Rodizio Grill, Texas de Brazil, Fogo de Chão, and Tucanos, as well as independent Brazilian barbecue restaurants. Additionally, "Churrasco" is a registered trademark for rotisserie and grills manufactured by Hickory Industries, Inc. of Fort Lee, New Jersey.