Churrasco
Brazilians were the first to raise cattle in South America, imported from Cape Verde to São Paulo in the 1530s. A Churrasco (shoo-HOSS-koo) is a Brazillian grill or rotisserie, sometimes also referred to as Brazillian barbecue. Restaurants specializing in this preparation have become increasingly popular. The meat is usually grilled over a charcoal-pit, simply seasoned, and served on skewers.
Churrasco was the traditional staple food for gaúchos (inhabitants of Rio Grande do Sul), hence their fame as "churrasqueiros" (churrasco cookers).
The meat was originally cooked over coals, usually in a pit dug in the ground, skewered in metal spits. The only seasoning was coarse salt and each gaúcho had his own churrasco knife which he used to cut pieces of meat from the spit. People in southern Brazil have churrasco pits built in their backyards with bricks or incorporated into a wall with decorative tiles around the edges.
Almost any occasion can be celebrated with a churrasco: birthdays, christenings, political rallies, or it can be a simple get-together with your family and friends on the weekend. Some brazilians make churrascos just as an excuse to drink caipirinhas.
White meats are marinated overnight in a mixture of garlic, salt and lime juice. The red meats are seasoned with coarse salt only. There are two traditional methods for doing this (we use the first one): press a good amount of salt into the sides of the meat and once the meat is cooked knock it off with the side of a large knife, or baste the meat with salt water using a bunch of parsley or bay leaves as a brush.
ja:シュラスコ
Categories: Food and drink | Brazil | Brazilian cuisine