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I’ve never actually been to a Brazilian steakhouse before, but after making this incredible Brazilian Beef Churrasco, I’m itching to go!
Have you ever visited one? Or even better - have you visited Brazil before? Let me know in the comments!
Whether or not you’ve been to the country itself or dined at a Brazilian steakhouse, you can bring Brazil to your home by whipping up these incredibly easy Brazilian Grilled Beef Skewers! Don’t have a barbecue? Not a problem! I’ll show you exactly how to make these succulent juicy beef skewers with a simple grill pan over the stove!
If Brazil is a destination unseen for you (as it was for me), then be sure to try this recipe out as part of your Live to Cook one-month challenge! In fact, as I describe in my motivational guide, Make Cooking Fun!, you can make an entire theme out of Brazilian food for the week, which will keep you on your toes with lots of new flavors to explore! Get started on your cooking journey by signing up to my newsletter - it’s totally free!
Check out how easy it is to whip up these fabulous Brazilian beef skewers by watching the video! If you’re not already subscribed to my YouTube channel, please do so and don’t forget to press the bell button so you’re notified when all of my video recipes go live! I really enjoy pairing the written recipes with videos so you’ve got a tangible view of the process and you can piece the puzzle together for success! Let’s get cooking!
What is Brazilian Churrasco?▼
Churrasco is the Brazilian word to describe grilled steak or barbecuing. While this concept originated in Brazil, churrasco is very popular in many Latin American countries including Argentina, Uruguay, and Ecuador. Nowadays, Brazilian steakhouses are prominent in North America, and these skewers are definitely a hit!
What is Chimichurri Sauce?▼
Chimichurri is a South American condiment that’s served with meats or the famous churrasco! After doing some research, chimichurri is supposed to be made by hand and not with a food processor or blender! It’s supposed to be a fresh hand-made dressing that you can whip up in a flash. That’s exactly what we’ll be doing here! It should really only take about 30 seconds to get your Chimichurri sauce together! You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make chimichurri and you can use any leftovers with any other protein of your choice!
Why You’ll Love This Brazilian Churrasco Recipe!
- Easy process: Trust me, this process is really easy to do! Just one marinade that’s practically dump and go, and then you get grilling!
- Excellent for those without a BBQ: You may have been intimidated to make skewers perfectly if you don’t have an outdoor grill. I’ll show you exactly how to make these star quality skewers with just a grill pan at home!
- Awesome for dinner parties: If you want a fuss-free crowd-pleaser to serve guests, then this is a wonderful option! Because this recipe is so easy to follow and execute, you don’t need too much hands-on time. While your beef is marinating, you can easily prepare sides and get everything together without stress!
- Fresh & healthy: If you have access to ultra-fresh herbs and local beef, then that’s even better! However, using ingredients from a regular grocery store still provides you a healthy and wholesome meal. Beef is loaded with iron, protein, and healthy fats, plus it’s so so delicious!
- Gluten-free: These skewers do not contain any gluten at all, so it’s great to serve to those who have a gluten intolerance!
- Low carb & keto-friendly: Depending on how you pair the skewers, this beef churrasco recipe can be included in a low carb or ketogenic diet.
What Steak Can I use for Brazilian Beef Skewers?▼
As mentioned earlier, the traditional beef used for churrasco is picanha. In North America, this is referred to as top sirloin cap, rump cover or rump cap. The picanha cut of beef is from the top of the cow’s rump. This cut of beef is quite inexpensive and it’s perfect for grilling!
However, if you can’t find this cut of beef then that’s no problem! Other recipes also use skirt steak or flank steak. I used ribeye here and that really turned out amazing! It was absolutely so juicy and really absorbed the incredible flavours from the marinade, plus it was easy to skewer.
How To Cut the Beef?▼
Cut the steak in half lengthwise and then turn the steak so it’s sitting on its slice side and then cut against the grain into strips,, about 1/4 inches wide. Use a sharp butchers knife to make this easier to get evenly sliced pieces.
Then cut each strip in half, slicing diagonally and place in the bowl with the marinade. and rub the dry spices over the meat.
How Long Should I marinate the Steak?▼
Ideally you should marinate this for at least 30 minutes to an hour before cooking, preferably go for an overnight marinade for best results.
Ingredients for Brazilian Churrasco
Scroll to the bottom of this post for the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD to see all ingredient quantities and the full recipe instructions! You can also scale the recipe based on how many skewers you want to make, and all the individual ingredient quantities will automatically be adjusted! That means you’re all set to make skewers for a large gathering or just a dinner for two!
For the Marinade
- Steak: You can use ribeye steak as I did, or skirt steak, which is commonly used. In fact, many recipes even use flank steak!
- Black pepper: Freshly ground black peppercorns are the best!
- Other seasonings: We’ve got ground cumin, anchiote powder and cayenne pepper. Anchiote powder is an iconic latin seasoning, which comes from the
- Salt: Always to taste. I always use Himalayan pink salt because it’s got less sodium, so you have more control over the amount you use.
- Garlic-Infused Oil: I’m using my homemade garlic-infused oil because I need to use it up, and I made these skewers low FODMAP. If you don’t have homemade garlic-infused oil, feel free to use a store-bought one. However, if you don’t have that either, you can simply use regular olive oil and minced garlic cloves.
- Lime juice: You can add a squeeze of fresh lime juice or use lime juice from a bottle if that’s what you have on hand.
For the ChimiChurri Sauce
- Red wine vinegar: Adds a nice tart flavor to the meat.
- Garlic-Infused Oil: Again, if you don’t have a homemade or store-bought garlic-infused oil, feel free to simply add olive oil and minced garlic.
- Onions: You can omit these if making the sauce for someone following a low FODMAP diet. I’m using chopped red onions.
- Dried oregano: All we need for seasoning for our chimichurri sauce.
- Salt: Again, this is to taste.
- Parsley: Freshly chopped.
How to Make Brazilian Grilled Beef Skewers
To Marinate the Beef
Measure everything besides the steak in a large bowl for the marinade and then whisk well to combine.
Cut the steak in half lengthwise and then slice against the grain into strips, about 1/4 inches wide. Then cut each strip in half, slicing diagonally and place in the bowl with the marinade. Rub the dry spices over the meat.
Marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
For the Chimichurri Sauce
Combine together salt, pepper, garlic oil, red wine vinegar, and parsley in a bowl and mix well. Reserve half for garnish later
To Cook the Brazilian Churrasco
Thread 2-3 pieces of the marinated meat to wooden skewers in a zig-zag/wavy pattern until you have all the skewers prepared.
Heat a grill pan on medium heat until hot and then place the skewers on the grill. Cover the grill pan with a stainless steel metal bowl and allow the meat to cook. After 3-4 minutes, remove the bowl and rotate the skewers . The skewers should be getting a good char on that first side, repeat the same on the other side, and cook until the meat is finished cooking.
Serve the skewers, brushed with the chimichurri sauce and enjoy.
What to Serve with Churrasco
Honestly these Brazilian Beef Skewers are so versatile that you can really serve them with anything you want! This is a great source of protein and you can pair with all sorts of side dishes to make for a wholesome and balanced meal. Here are some ideas:
- Potatoes: Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, Mashed Potatoes, or roasted Baby Potatoes will all be great here!
- Pasta: I paired these Brazilian Beef Skewers with a simple pasta with olive oil, freshly chopped parsley, salt and pepper, and Parmesan cheese. That simple pasta was wonderful with the skewers, and I even added some of the meat right into the pasta for a great flavor profile!
- Rice: You can’t go wrong with Steamed White Rice, but you can even serve with Chipotle-Style Cilantro-Lime Rice to keep up the Latin flair. Any aromatic rice will be awesome here, including Indian-style rice dishes such as Turmeric Rice (as shown here!) or Cilantro-Lemon Rice.
- Veggies: While you’re already grilling, why not grill up some veggies! Your favourite veggies will of course work, but why not try onions, peppers, and zucchini? If you’ve got any extra veggies such as Garlic-Butter Sautéed Broccoli, then you can certainly serve those with your beef skewers!
1 comment
As a Brazilian national, I'm offended to be associated with this recipe. We don't marinate meat and we don't use sauces. Salt and a good cut from a good meat is all it takes.
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