Churrascaria

A churrascaria (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʃuʁɐʃkɐˈɾi.ɐ]) is a place where meat is cooked in churrasco style, which translates roughly from the Portuguese for 'barbecue'.

Related terminology comes from the Portuguese language. A churrasqueiro is somebody who cooks churrasco style food in a churrascaria restaurant. A churrasqueira is a barbecue grill used for this style of cooking.

Distinctly a South American style rotisserie, it owes its origins to the fireside roasts of the gaúchos of southern Brazil traditionally from the Pampa region, centuries ago.

In modern restaurants rodízio service is typically offered. Passadores (meat waiters) come to the table with knives and a skewer, on which are speared various kinds of meat, be it beef, pork, filet mignon, lamb, chicken, duck, ham (with 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 most parts of Brazil, the churrasco is roasted with charcoal. In the south of Brazil, however, mostly close to the borders of Argentina and Uruguay, embers of wood are also used.

Throughout Portugal 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.

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