Churrasco Steak Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What meat cut is churrasco? ›

Churrasco is made from skirt steak, which comes from the section of the cow known as the beef plate primal cut. A very tasty cut of beef, yet it is known to be a tougher cut, as it has a lot of connective tissue.

As you can see, the preferred churrasco sauce is chimichurri. Chimichurri sauce is a bright, herbaceous sauce originating in Argentina, made with parsley and other herbs, olive oil, garlic, red chilis, a little vinegar or lemon juice, some coarse salt, and other ingredients.

Outside skirts is one of the most delicious steaks in a steer. It is tender and full of flavor and that's why the word "Churrasco" (which really translates to "BBQ") is synonym with outside skirt.

Cook it hot!

Cook it fast with high heat, instead of low heat for slow cooking. Slicing the meat thinly across grain will provide enough tenderization, especially if you don't overcook your skirt steak to make it tough and dry.

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.

Price. Flank steak is generally one of the most affordable cuts of beef you can find. Yet it tends to come at a slightly higher price than the Skirt steak. This is largely because the Skirt cut is a little more tender, and therefore easier to cook with different methods.

The steak should be grilled over an open fire (the smoke is key), but a gas grill will do, as will a cast-iron skillet. Serve with adobo roasted potatoes, maduros, white rice or arroz mamposteao, plus fresh tomato and avocado slices.

Carne asada is a Spanish word that also translates to grilled meat but it originated in Mexico. This dish is prepared almost the same way as churrasco, except it is seasoned with Mexican spices like cumin, chili powder and sometimes chipotle peppers.

Churrasco means barbecue in Portuguese - we turned up the heat with this one. Made with zesty lemon, garlic and herbs with notes of smoked paprika, tomato and PERi-PERi, it came in Hot on the PERi-ometer. All thanks to those African Birds Eye Chillies.

What made churrascarias famous is not only the fact that they serve some of the world's best meat, but the espeto corrido. Espeto corrido is a serving style in which the waiters walk around the restaurant with large meat skewers and slice off as much meat as you want on your plate, table-side.

What is the most expensive cut of steak? ›

A5 Wagyu Steak Has The Highest Price Per Pound

Japanese A5 Wagyu is the most expensive steak you can buy, and for good reason.

Pounding

Using a meat mallet (or kitchen mallet) to pound steaks helps soften and tenderize the meat. Simply place the meat in between pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper and pound it prior to cooking. If you don't have a meat mallet, you can also use a heavy kitchen tool such as a skillet, saucepan or rolling pin.

How long to marinate your steak depends on the size and variety of the cut you're using. Thinner cuts, such as skirt or flanks steaks, should be marinated for 2-4 hours. Tougher cuts, such as top sirloin or sirloin tip, will benefit from marinating overnight (about 8 hours).

Marinating skirt steak with an acid such as citrus or vinegar chemically breaks down the tough fibers so it not only becomes buttery tender but drinks up notes of the marinade whether that's lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire, or vinegar.

Lime Juice: Contributes acidity, which helps tenderize the meat and adds a bright, citrusy flavor that complements the savory elements. Vegetable Oil: Helps keep the meat moist during cooking and carries the flavors of the spices and aromatics throughout the marinade.

As well as acid, enzymes found in fruits like pineapple, kiwi, mangoes, and papaya disrupt the molecular structure of meat's connective tissue. Adding puréed fruit to your marinade turns tough and chewy meat tender and juicy. Again, you want to soften the steak, not reduce it to an unappetizing mush.