''Churrasco'' (, ) is the Portuguese and Spanish name for grilled beef prominent in South American and Iberian cuisines, and in particular in Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. The term is also used in other Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries for a variety of different meat products. The related Brazilian term '' churrascaria'' (or ''churrasquería'') is mostly understood to be a steakhouse restaurant serving grilled meat, many offering as much as one can eat: servers move around the restaurant with skewers, slicing meat onto the customer's plate. This serving style is called ''espeto corrido'' or '' rodízio'', and is quite popular in Brazil, especially in southern states like

Rio Grande do Sul Rio Grande do Sul (, ; ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative units of Brazil#List, fifth-most populous state and the List of Brazilian s ...

, Paraná, and Santa Catarina.

''Churrasco'' by country

In Brazil, ''churrasco'' is the term for a barbecue (similar to the Argentine and Uruguayan '' asado'') which originated in southern Brazil. It uses a variety of meats, pork, sausage and chicken which may be cooked on a purpose-built '' churrasqueira'', a barbecue grill, often with supports for spits or skewers. A home equipped with a churrasqueira is a main selling point for properties in Southern Brazil. Portable ''churrasqueiras'' are similar to those used to prepare the Argentine and Uruguayan ''asado'', with a grill support, but many Brazilian ''churrasqueiras'' do not have grills, only the skewers above the embers. The meat may alternatively be cooked on large metal or wood skewers resting on a support or stuck into the ground and roasted with the embers of charcoal (wood may also be used, especially in the state of

). In Nicaragua, the first immigrant group to introduce the term for this cut of beef to the United States restaurant scene in Miami, Florida as early as the 1950s, it refers to a skirt steak prepared grilled and served with a traditional ''

chimichurri () is an uncooked sauce used as an ingredient in cooking and as a table condiment for grilled meat. Found originally in Argentina and used in Argentinian cuisine, Argentinian, Uruguayan cuisine, Uruguayan, Paraguayan cuisine, Paraguayan and ...

'' sauce made with macerated parsley, garlic, peppers, and olive oil sauce. In Argentina and Uruguay, a ''churrasco'' refers to any boneless cut of beef that is sliced slightly thin as a steak and grilled over hot coals or on a very hot skillet. In the Dominican Republic and

Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...

, it always refers to skirt steak, cooked on a barbecue grill. The ''chimichurri'' sauce is optional, since the meat is very savory with just a slight hint of sea salt that is sprinkled over the meat during cooking. In Puerto Rico, it is also customary to replace ''chimichurri'' sauce with a guava rum sauce made with spices and 7up or '' Ajilimójili'' sauce. In Ecuador ''churrasco'' is a staple food of the Coast Region, especially Guayaquil. The dish's main ingredient is the grilled steak that is seasoned with ''chimichurri'', it is served with plantains, white rice, French fries, a fried egg, and slices of avocado. In Guatemala, ''churrasco'' is regarded as a typical dish, often eaten in familiar gatherings and festive occasions. It is usually served topped with '' chirmol'', a red sauce containing chopped tomatoes and onions, and accompanied by corn, guacamole, grilled potatoes, stewed black beans, rice, and tortillas. In Chile, ''churrasco'' refers to a thin cut of

steak A steak is a cut of meat sliced across muscle fibers, sometimes including a bone. It is normally Grilling, grilled or Pan frying, fried, and can be diced or cooked in sauce. Steaks are most commonly cut from cattle (beefsteak), but can also ...

which varies depending on the desired quality of the sandwich. The slices are grilled and served in a -sometimes warmed-local bun (called '' marraqueta'', or ''pan batido'' in Valparaíso), usually accompanied with tomato, avocado, and mayonnaise, in the case of a ''churrasco italiano''. Another popular dish, ''churrasco a lo pobre'' ("poor man's churrasco"), consists of a ''churrasco'' served with French fries, fried egg, and caramelized onions. In Portugal, ''frango de churrasco'' with '' piri piri'' (a kind of salty roasted chicken cooked on the '' churrasqueira'', spiced with hot red chili sauce, garlic, and paprika) is very popular. Portuguese ''churrasco'' and chicken dishes are very popular in countries with Portuguese communities, such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, South Africa, Zimbabwe ( Rhodesia) and Venezuela. The term ''churrasco'' is also used in former Portuguese colonies; a ''churrasco moçambicano'' is a grilled meat dish from Mozambique, for instance. In Galicia, ''churrasco'' refers almost exclusively to grilled pork or beef spare ribs. Galicians who emigrated to America in the 20th century took with them the recipe for ''churrasco''. Nowadays, many Galicians of all social classes prepare a ''churrascada''. In the mainland United States, ''churrasco''-style restaurants have grown in popularity since the 1990s, fueled by the success of various chains, including Rodizio Grill, Texas de Brazil, Fogo de Chão, and Tucanos, as well as stand-alone Brazilian barbecue restaurants. In the mainland United States, "Churrasco" is a registered trademark for rotisserie/grills manufactured by Hickory Industries, Inc. of Fort Lee, New Jersey. File:Churrasco00001.jpg File:Churrasco00003.jpg File:Wagyu00001.jpg File:Primerib00001.jpg

References

External links

* {{Barbecue Argentine cuisine Grilled skewers Brazilian cuisine Culture of Brazil Chilean sandwiches Nicaraguan cuisine Portuguese cuisine Uruguayan cuisine Paraguayan cuisine Puerto Rican cuisine Bolivian cuisine Ecuadorian cuisine Guatemalan cuisine Galician cuisine Beef steak dishes Cuisine of the South region of Brazil Symbols of Rio Grande do Sul

''Churrasco'' by country

See also

References

External links