Churrasco is the Brazilian word for barbecue: cuts of beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and sausage seasoned with coarse salt, threaded onto long skewers and roasted over fire. It began with the gauchos of southern Brazil and today is served at churrascarias, where gauchos carve the meat tableside in a format called rodizio. In English, churrasco simply means Brazilian barbecue or fire-roasted meat.
There is one catch. In many Latin American restaurants in the US, “churrasco” on the menu means a single grilled skirt steak with chimichurri. This guide clears up the difference, explains what is churrasco, how Brazilian churrasco is cooked and served, lists the cuts you will meet at a Brazilian steakhouse, and shows where to try it in Florida.
What Does Churrasco Mean?
Churrasco comes from Portuguese and Spanish, and it describes meat grilled over fire. In Brazil, the word covers both the food and the occasion. “Vamos fazer um churrasco” means “let’s have a barbecue”: friends, family, a fire, and meat coming off the grill for hours.
A few related words are useful to know:
- Churrasco: the barbecue tradition and the meat itself
- Churrascaria: a restaurant that serves churrasco, also called a Brazilian steakhouse
- Rodizio: the service style where gauchos bring skewers to the table and carve continuously
- Churrasqueiro: the grill master who cooks the meat
- Espeto: the long metal skewer the meat is roasted on
Brazilian Churrasco vs. Skirt Steak Churrasco
If you have ordered “churrasco” at a Nicaraguan, Cuban, or other Latin American restaurant, you probably got one long, thin skirt steak, grilled fast and topped with chimichurri. That dish is delicious, and it shares the name, but it is a different experience from Brazilian churrasco.
| Brazilian churrasco | Latin American churrasco (skirt steak) | |
| What it is | A full barbecue meal with many cuts | One grilled steak |
| Cut of meat | Picanha, fraldinha, lamb, sausage, chicken, and more | Usually outside skirt steak |
| Seasoning | Coarse salt, little else | Marinade, often garlic and citrus |
| Sauce | Usually none, sometimes vinaigrette | Chimichurri |
| Cooking method | Slow-roasted on skewers over fire | Fast, high-heat grill |
| How it’s served | Carved tableside, rodizio style | Plated with rice, beans or plantains |
So when someone asks for the difference between skirt steak and churrasco, the honest answer is: in a Latin American restaurant, they may be the same dish; at a Brazilian steakhouse, churrasco is the whole fire-roasted feast.
Where Churrasco Comes From
Churrasco started on the pampas of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s southernmost state. The gauchos who herded cattle there cooked beef the simplest way possible: large cuts on wooden or iron spits, pushed into the ground beside a fire, seasoned with nothing but salt. You can read more about the wider history on Wikipedia’s churrasco page.
As gauchos and their cooking moved north, roadside churrascarias opened to feed travelers. Over time, the format grew into the Brazilian steakhouse: a dining room where many cuts are cooked at once and carried to the table on skewers. Today churrasco is part of everyday life across Brazil, from Sunday family lunches to celebrations.
How Brazilian Churrasco Is Cooked
The method is simple, and the quality of the meat does the work:
- Cut large. Meat is cut into thick pieces or whole sections, keeping the fat cap on cuts like picanha.
- Skewer. Pieces go onto long espetos, folded or stacked so they roast evenly.
- Salt. Coarse rock salt, called sal grosso, is the traditional seasoning. Some cuts get garlic or parmesan.
- Roast over fire. Skewers turn beside charcoal or wood until the outside forms a salty crust and the fat renders.
- Carve to order. The outer layer is sliced off and served, and the skewer goes back to the fire for the next round.
What does churrasco taste like? Smoky, salty, and deeply beefy, with a crisp crust and a juicy center. It is not spicy. Because the seasoning is so light, each cut tastes like itself.
How a Churrasco Dinner Works at a Brazilian Steakhouse
A churrasco dinner at a churrascaria follows a simple rhythm. Here is how it works at Adega Gaucha:
- Start at the Gourmet Table. Salads, charcuterie, roasted vegetables, and grilled items such as cinnamon pineapple and cheese with guava. Learn more about the Gourmet Table.
- Pick your sides. Choose three, such as fried yuca, fried polenta, or caramelized bananas.
- Flip your card to green. Gauchos start visiting your table with skewers and carve slices onto your plate.
- Flip it to red to pause. Take a break, then go back to green whenever you are ready for more.
- Finish with dessert. Save room for one of our Brazilian desserts.
This continuous service is called rodizio, and our rodizio guide covers it in more detail. At Adega Gaucha, the complete meal is called the Full Churrasco Experience.
Churrasco Cuts to Try at a Churrascaria
What kind of meat is churrasco? Almost any, as long as it roasts well over fire. These are the cuts gauchos carve tableside at Adega Gaucha:
| Portuguese name | English name | What to expect |
| Picanha | Top sirloin cap | The star of churrasco: salty fat cap, bold beef flavor |
| Fraldinha | Bottom sirloin (bavette) | Loose grain, very juicy |
| Alcatra | Top sirloin | Leaner and firmer, clean flavor |
| Filé mignon | Filet mignon (tenderloin) | The most tender cut on the skewer |
| Ancho | Beef ancho (ribeye) | Rich marbling, buttery |
| Costela | Beef ribs | Slow-roasted, falls off the bone |
| Cordeiro | Lamb | Tender and lightly gamey |
| Costela de porco | Pork ribs | Smoky and tender |
| Lombinho com queijo | Parmesan pork | Pork loin with a crisp parmesan crust |
| Linguiça | Brazilian pork sausage | Garlicky, often the first skewer to arrive |
| Frango | Chicken | Juicy chicken legs with a crisp skin |
| Medalhões com bacon | Bacon-wrapped chicken and steak | Smoky, salty bites |
New to the cuts? Start with picanha, then fraldinha, and work your way around. Want something to go with them? Brazilians love a spoon of farofa on the side. Guests who keep halal can read about our halal options before visiting.
Churrasco vs. a Traditional American Steakhouse
| Brazilian churrasco | American steakhouse | |
| How you order | One price, cuts come to you | Choose one steak from the menu |
| Variety | A dozen or more cuts in one meal | One main cut |
| Seasoning | Coarse salt, fire-roasted | Salt, pepper, butter or sauces |
| Pace | You control it with a green/red card | Set courses |
| Best for | Groups, celebrations, trying new cuts | A single favorite steak |
Tips for Your First Churrasco
- Go easy at the Gourmet Table. It is tempting, but the skewers are the main event.
- Take small slices. You will taste more cuts that way.
- Ask for what you want. Any gaucho can bring a specific cut or a rarer or more well-done slice.
- Use the red side of the card. Pausing is part of the experience.
- Bring people. Churrasco is made for groups, birthdays, and celebrations.
Where to Try Brazilian Churrasco in Florida
Adega Gaucha serves the Full Churrasco Experience at three Florida locations, at lunch and dinner. Pricing varies by location and time of day, so see the menu and prices for details.
- Adega Gaucha Orlando: churrasco in the heart of Central Florida
- Adega Gaucha Kissimmee: minutes from the theme parks
- Adega Gaucha Deerfield Beach: between Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale
Planning a celebration? Sign up for our birthday offer, or let our group dining team plan a churrasco for your party.
Ready for the real thing? See the Full Churrasco menu or reserve your table.
Churrasco FAQs
What does churrasco mean in English?
Churrasco means Brazilian barbecue or fire-roasted meat. In Brazil, the word describes both the grilled meat and the social occasion of a barbecue.
What kind of meat is churrasco?
Brazilian churrasco includes many meats: picanha (top sirloin cap), fraldinha, filet mignon, ribeye, beef ribs, lamb, pork, chicken, and linguiça sausage. In many Latin American restaurants, churrasco means a single grilled skirt steak.
What is the difference between skirt steak and churrasco?
In Latin American restaurants, churrasco is often a grilled skirt steak with chimichurri. Brazilian churrasco is a full barbecue of many cuts, seasoned with coarse salt, roasted on skewers and carved tableside.
Is churrasco spicy?
No. Brazilian churrasco is seasoned mainly with coarse salt, so it tastes smoky and savory rather than spicy. Sauces such as vinaigrette or chimichurri are optional.
What is the difference between churrasco and rodizio?
Churrasco is the Brazilian barbecue tradition and the meat itself. Rodizio is the service style at a churrascaria, where gauchos bring skewers to the table and carve continuously while your card is on green.
What is a churrascaria?
A churrascaria is a restaurant that serves Brazilian churrasco, usually rodizio style. In the US, it is often called a Brazilian steakhouse.
Where can I try churrasco in Florida?
You can try Brazilian churrasco at Adega Gaucha Brazilian Steakhouse in Orlando, Kissimmee, and Deerfield Beach, served as the Full Churrasco Experience at lunch and dinner.
