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I'm interested in cooking some meat Brazilian style, like they do at those BBQ restraunts where the meat is served on trays in small slivers. Is there an effective way to do this without a huge turning slow cooker thingy (sorry don't know correct name/terminology).

Rodrigo de Azevedo
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Anonymous Type
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2 Answers2

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Not sure if there is a correct way. It's basically skewered hunks of meat on a wood fired BBQ

You can do your own Churrasqueira by using a Weber "kettle" style BBQ or a B.D.S. (Big Drum Smoker). Use long steel skewers (or swords!) for your meat and BBQ away

Thick steaks of beef and lamb work well. Also try chicken drumsticks and some small Chorizo (spicy sausage)

Don't marinate the meat, but toss some coarse salt onto the meat surface before and during cooking. Don't go crazy with it, but it seems to absorb the roasting flavours and really boost the taste

Use a smoky fire, if your wood won't smoke add some fresh wood or herbs that do. Try lavender bush (wood and flower), grape vine or kiwifruit vine cuttings, or any other fresh cut aromatic wood

Watch the amount of fat dripping onto the hot coals; too much will make the meat taste bad. Shield the coals as required or trim off large chunks of fat

There is no need for motorised skewers that takes the fun out of it. Occasionally turn the meat by hand while enjoying your favourite beverage, and "chewing the fat" with a friend

Serve by taking a skewer to the diners plate, and hold skewer nearly vertically above plate. Use an extra sharp carving knife and slice onto the plate with a downwards cut so juices and other slicing splatter goes onto the plate and not onto the diners

If you are having a Churrasco party, give each diner a flippable symbol (e.g. red/green) to indicate to the server (probably you) "GIVE ME MORE!", or "I am stuffed". Serve a round of each meat as their outer layer becomes done

Coolest Churrasco cooker I could find

alt text

The rails on the top are what the skewers rest on

Following the car theme, some more cool Churrasco cookers here http://autozine.com.br/inusitados/churrasqueiras-automotivas

Community
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TFD
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  • I lol'd at your "cooker", but I bet it would produce the perfect flavour. – Anonymous Type Dec 09 '10 at 21:35
  • You only need to rub the coarse salt on the meat and then give it a good shake to remove any excess salt. NEVER add herbs or spices to the fire, brazilians only use charcoal made from wood or wood itself always keeping the flames at a minimum. – Fábio Apr 07 '11 at 17:47
  • @Fábio 'Herbs' as in the whole woody plant. as in whole Lavender etc, which burns slowly and smoky – TFD Apr 14 '11 at 12:57
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Step 1. Pull out your sword. Step 2. Slice off hunk of meat... ...

To simulate the technique at home, I'd go with something along the lines of kebabs.

talon8
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