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The Delicious Brazilian Churrasco (Barbeque)
When the churrasco (barbeque) was first introduced in the gaucho Pampas – which covers part of Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina – it was not like the one we know today. At that time, around the 17th century, people were not worried about commercializing beef like today; what mattered was the animal’s hide and fat.
For such, they used to have ‘vacarias’, which was when large numbers of cattle were killed in order to remove what really had commercial value at the time. After that, the ‘vaqueiros’ (cowboys) would carve out the easiest piece of meat to remove and roast it in a hole opened in the ground, seasoning it with the ashes from the fire. This can be considered the most remote origin of the churrasco (barbeque).
As time went by, the number of people that enjoyed this novelty began to increase; its preparation was improved and the meat was handled more hygienically. Little by little the churrasco (barbeque) became one of the most famous and liked dishes in the gaucho region.
In the 1960s, the rodizios (the serving of a variety of meats at the table) became the main attraction in the State of Rio Grande do Sul menus, especially in restaurants located along the side of the roads, which are basically truck stops – the ones who disseminated the novelty to the rest of Brazil.
This new churrasco (Brazilian barbeque) modality (rodízio) consisted of serving all tables at the same time; the waiters would come around with several skewers of different types of meat, offering it to whoever wanted the cut, and as much as they wanted. Today, this practice is found throughout the country, and it is loved by admirers of good roasted meat.
Together with the traditional cuts of beef, items such as chicken, pork, sausages, chicken hearts as well as other types of wild meat like boar and alligator, were incorporated to the churrasco (barbeque). Today, a modern churrascaria (restaurant where churrasco is served) works with at least 10 different varieties of meat, besides all the side dishes – salads, rice, beans, manioc flour and much more - making it one of the most popular dishes in the country.
At present, Brazil is the world’s largest meat producer. The Brazilian herd consists of 165 million heads of cattle, losing only to India, which has 245 million. However, Brazil has the largest commercial herd because in India the cow is considered sacred and, thus, cannot be consumed. Brazil’s meat consumption, which is 34.5 kilos per capita per year, ranks among the 10 largest in the world.
In Rio Grande do Sul, churrasco (barbeque) is still part of the deep-rooted gaucho culture. In other parts of the country the dish acquired special peculiarities according to the region where it is prepared. However, the place does not matter; what matters is that the Brazilian churrasco (barbeque) is mouth-watering and it has become a national passion. As a matter of fact, today we can find an enormous number of churrascarias (restaurants) anywhere in Brazil.
Nowadays, our churrasco (barbeque) has acquired international fame. There are many Brazilian churrascarias (restaurants) spread around several parts of the world, and they are a success, in countries like the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Switzerland, England, Macaw, Singapore, and Thailand.
It is Brazilian culture permeating the world through its delicious culinary.
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