While its exact definition can vary from country to country, churrasco is a Portuguese-Brazilian term that broadly refers to
grilled meat. If you haven’t experienced one of the Brazilian steakhouses (known as Churrascaria) popularized in the U.S. or traveled in Latin America (where most countries have their own variation on this cooking style), you can now experience the flavors at home with our homemade churrasco recipe. This smoky, grilled steak recipe, complete with homemade chimichurri, is the perfect summer dinner to impress, or to simply treat yourself. Here’s everything you need to know to make churrasco perfectly right at home:
The best cut of meat for churrasco:
Our recipe is prepared with flank steak (one of our favorite cuts for churrasco at home); moderately priced while being flavorful and tender, it’s easy enough for an impromptu dinner, but special enough to truly embrace the Churrascaria experience.Tip: To keep the flank steak tender, cook it fast over high heat—this isn’t your low-and-slow-cooking piece of beef. Another crucial step is slicing the steak properly. Make sure to slice against the grain to keep each slice nice and tender, and ready to soak up all the flavors of our homemade, best-ever chimichurri sauce.
The chimichurri sauce:
Chimichurri is an essential part of churrasco. Spoon it over your grilled flank steak, and let its herby, bright flavors soak into your meat. You can prepare the chimichurri in advance, or store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To ensure max freshness, keep the herbs and other little bits submerged in the oil, adding an extra drizzle on top before storing, if needed.
Serving churrasco:
We suggest serving this dish alongside roasted potatoes, grilled tomatoes, maduros, or rice.
Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!