Churrascaria
Encyclopedia
A churrascaria ʃuʁaskaˈɾiɐ is a Brazil
ian steakhouse
. Churrasco
is the cooking style, which translates roughly from the Portuguese
for 'barbecue
'.
, it owes its origins to the fireside roasts of the gaúcho
s of southern Brazil traditionally from the Pampa
region, centuries ago.
service is typically offered. Passadores (meat waiters) come to your table with knives and a skewer, on which are speared various kinds of meat, be it beef
, pork
, filet mignon
, lamb, chicken
, duck
, ham
(and pineapple
), sausage
, fish
, or any other sort of local cut of meat. A common cut of beef top sirloin cap is known as picanha.
. In the south of Brazil, however, mostly close to the borders of Argentina
and Uruguay
, embers of wood are also used.
there are various 'churrasqueiras' located in towns, cities, and also by roadside on national highways. While they offer the typical fare of barbecued 'frango' (chicken) or beef, they also offer chicken on rotisserie and a variety of other culinary dishes.
some upscale churrascaria restaurants are Fogo de Chão
, Rumjungle
and Texas de Brazil
.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian steakhouse
Steakhouse
A steakhouse is a restaurant that specializes in beef steaks. The same type of restaurant is also known as a chophouse.The steakhouse started in the USA in the late 19th century as a development of traditional inns and bars....
. Churrasco
Churrasco
Churrasco is a Portuguese and Spanish term referring to beef or grilled meat more generally, differing across Latin America and Europe, but a prominent feature in the cuisines of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Nicaragua, Uruguay, and other Latin American countries...
is the cooking style, which translates roughly from the Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
for 'barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
'.
History
Distinctly a South American style rotisserieRotisserie
Rotisserie is a style of roasting where meat is skewered on a spit - a long solid rod used to hold food while it is being cooked over a fire in a fireplace or over a campfire, or roasted in an oven. This method is generally used for cooking large joints of meat or entire animals, such as pigs,...
, it owes its origins to the fireside roasts of the gaúcho
Gaucho
Gaucho is a term commonly used to describe residents of the South American pampas, chacos, or Patagonian grasslands, found principally in parts of Argentina, Uruguay, Southern Chile, and Southern Brazil...
s of southern Brazil traditionally from the Pampa
Pampa
The Pampas are the fertile South American lowlands, covering more than , that include the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos and Córdoba, most of Uruguay, and the southernmost Brazilian State, Rio Grande do Sul...
region, centuries ago.
Contemporary churrascarias
In modern restaurants rodízioRodizio
Rodízio and the waiters bring an offering of food to each customer at several times throughout the meal, until the customers signify that they have had enough. In churrascarias, servers come to the table with knives and a skewer, on which are speared various kinds of meat, most commonly local cuts...
service is typically offered. Passadores (meat waiters) come to your table with knives and a skewer, on which are speared various kinds of meat, be it beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
, pork
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
, filet mignon
Filet mignon
Filet mignon is a steak cut of beef taken from the smaller end of the tenderloin, or psoas major of the beef carcass, usually a steer or heifer...
, lamb, chicken
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
, duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
, ham
Ham
Ham is a cut of meat from the thigh of the hind leg of certain animals, especiallypigs. Nearly all hams sold today are fully cooked or cured.-Etymology:...
(and pineapple
Pineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
), sausage
Sausage
A sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
, fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, or any other sort of local cut of meat. A common cut of beef top sirloin cap is known as picanha.
Brazil
In most parts of Brazil, the churrasco is roasted with charcoalCharcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
. In the south of Brazil, however, mostly close to the borders of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
, embers of wood are also used.
Portugal
Throughout PortugalPortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
there are various 'churrasqueiras' located in towns, cities, and also by roadside on national highways. While they offer the typical fare of barbecued 'frango' (chicken) or beef, they also offer chicken on rotisserie and a variety of other culinary dishes.
United States
In the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
some upscale churrascaria restaurants are Fogo de Chão
Fogo de Chão
Fogo de Chão is a Brazilian chain of fine dining churrascaria full-service restaurants with sixteen locations in the United States of America and six locations in Brazil. The company is equally owned by two brothers, Jair and Arri Coser. The first United States location was opened in Dallas, Texas...
, Rumjungle
Rumjungle
Rumjungle is a popular Las Vegas restaurant and nightclub built as a part of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino original construction. It has consistently made the Nightclub & Bar Magazine list of the Top 100 nightclubs in the United States, and has consistently been in the Top 20 of Restaurant &...
and Texas de Brazil
Texas de Brazil
Texas de Brazil is a family owned churrascaria full-service restaurant chain, opened in October 13, 1998 in Addison, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
.