Churrasco: The Portuguese BBQ – Part 1

Churrasco

is the Portuguese term for barbecue. It refers to grilled or roasted food, usually over hot coals. But it is more than that. In most countries, including Portugal and Brazil, it also means gathering your friends for a fun gathering and cooking together.

Humans have been cooking food over fire for millennia. And even though most of us do not use a barbecue every day, we all love the smoky flavors of the hot grill. In more recent times, this cooking technique originated in southern Brazil. Today, it is a crucial cultural feature in the region.

Regardless of where you are, Churrasco is a great way to make delicious meals for your family and friends. It is the best excuse to gather a big group, have fun, and eat a delicious meal together. But how can you prepare and organize a Churrasco?

Preparing the Perfect Churrasco

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Discover the essential ingredients to organize the perfect Churrasco. Learn more about what it involves and explore the cooking techniques you must apply for an authentic experience.

Organizing and Shopping

A good Portuguese Churrasco starts with fresh ingredients full of flavor. If you want to create a delicious and authentic meal, you must pick the right ingredients. When shopping, buy a generous amount of meat to cover each person. Keep in mind that you will also serve starters, side dishes, and desserts.

Additionally, confirm the number of guests as early as possible. Plus, ask them to contribute to the party. They can bring a starter or a side dish they love. You can even ask them to buy drinks or make a sweet treat for dessert. After all, Churrasco is a community event, and it should feel that way.

Porco Preto

– The Best Pork Meat You Will Ever Have

When you go shopping for meat, you want the best ingredients you can get. In Portugal, you must try Porco Preto

, also called Iberian Black Pig. This species of pig is exclusive to the Iberian Peninsula. The bulk of its production comes from Spain, where it is used to make delicacies like the famous Jamón Iberico.

In Portugal, it is raised in the wilderness of the Alentejo

region, where the pigs feed mostly on acorns. The result is a tender, fatty, melt-in-your-mouth meat with a nutty taste. Because of its fat marbling, you can get unique cuts from this type of pig. Some of the most popular are Secretos

and Plumas

.

Cooking and Serving Tips

Cooking on a grill is a skill you must master, as most grill lovers will assure you. To make the perfect Churrasco, you will need to learn the proper cooking techniques. You must know which meats should be seasoned beforehand.

Depending on the type of meat you will cook, you will also need a flavorful marinade. It typically includes ingredients like olive oil, lemon, garlic, paprika, and piri-piri sauce. The marinade is essential for adding flavor to lighter meats like chicken. It also helps to maintain a tender and juicy texture.

Besides knowing how to prepare the coals, you must learn how to regulate the temperature and when to place and remove each meat from the grill. Remember to turn it regularly so it does not burn, but not so often that it does not caramelize. Finally, if you use meats that require cutting before serving, you must also learn how to cut them. In the end, you want delicious, melt-in-your-mouth pieces of well-seasoned meat.

But the meat does not go down on its own. Instead, Churrasco

implies a wide variety of delicious side dishes. In Brazil, you will see rice, beans, Farofa (toasted cassava flour), and Vinagrete, a fresh salad. In Portugal, natives usually serve it with plain white rice, fries, and a variety of salads. You might see grilled and seasoned bell peppers, leafy greens with grated carrots, and cucumber, tomato, and onion.

Churrasco can feed a crowd. Thus, it is a popular choice for big gatherings, and the natives usually cook together. The men traditionally have a beer and chat by the grill, and the women prepare the starters and sides in the kitchen. Then, everyone gathers to eat together. Because the whole process takes some time, ask your guests to arrive early and plan for them to stay a few hours after the meal.

Frango no Churrasco

Recipe

One of the most traditional Portuguese barbecue recipes is Frango Churrasco

. It is an easy-to-make recipe with minimal ingredients and lots of flavor. You start by making a marinade for the chicken, using garlic, white wine, lemon juice, chili, parsley, and olive oil.

After marinating the chicken, you only have to grill it over hot coals. During the cooking process, you brush some of the marinade over it to help it absorb more of the flavors and caramelize the skin. It is traditional to butterfly the chicken, which can be skewered or put directly on the grill and turned manually.

Frango Churrasco

Vs. Frango Piri-Piri

There are several versions of this traditional recipe, with some using piri-piri sauce. In that case, the natives call it Frango Piri-Piri

. It has the same caramelized and delicious taste. However, it also carries the strong spiced flavor of the traditional sauce.

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Your Portuguese Churrasco

Checklist

Now it is your turn! At Portuguese with Carla, we love a good barbecue, and we want to help you have the most authentic experience. Here is your food checklist to organize the perfect Portuguese Churrasco. Remember to add the seasonings, drinks, and ingredients for the desserts you would like to make.

Share this article with your friends with whom you want to organize a barbecue. And do not forget to let us know how your Portuguese barbecue came along!

Stay tuned for our next article, where we will be discussing the famous Portuguese grilled fish.

Use This Checklist For an Authentic Churrasco

Meat And Vegetables for Grilling

• Frango
  (Chicken)
  • Whole chicken (can be spiced or marinated)
  • Chicken thighs and legs or wings
• Porco
  (Pork)
  • Entremeada
    (Pork Belly), cut into thick slices for grilling
  • Costeletas de Porco
    (Pork Chops)
  • Secretos
    (found in the back part of the loin next to the forequarters, between the fat)
  • Plumas
    (The pork equivalent of the flank, located at the bottom end of the loin)
  • Lagartos
    (Eye of round)
• Salsicha Fresca
  e Enchidos
  (Fresh and Cured Sausages)
  • Portuguese-style sausages like Chouriço or Linguiça
  • Fresh pork or pork and beef sausages
• Pimentos
  (Bell Peppers)
  • Red, green, and yellow peppers, whole or halved
• Cebolas
  (Onions)
  • Large onions, peeled and halved or cut into thick rings for grilling

Ingredients For Starters And Side Dishes

• Pão
  (Bread)
  • Any traditional crusty loaf
  • You can also grill some slices to serve with the meats and sausages
• Molho de Piri-Piri
  (Piri-Piri Sauce)
  • For basting the meats or dipping
• For Salada Montanheira
  (Fresh salad)
  • A fresh salad with tomatoes, onions, cucumber, olive oil, and vinegar
• Azeitonas
  (Olives)
  • A mix of green and black olives seasoned in the traditional style
• Batatas
  (Potatoes)
  • Fried or roasted and seasoned with salt and olive oil
• Arroz
  (Rice)
  • Typically served plain
• Salada
  (Salad)
  • Simple leafy greens such as lettuce, arugula, or rocket, sliced red onion, and grated carrots.