Brazil's Holy Meat

Top Sirloin on Grill

I love to make barbecue for my friends and often receive compliments about the flavor of the Brazilian barbecue. Since some of my Americans friends have been asking, I decided to write about the secret of “rodízio” style* barbecue. It’s not hard for me to get excited about this topic – I LOVE meat!

Brazilians cut their meat differently than American butchers. In the U.S. the “Picanha” cut (which is prized for Brazilian barbecue)  is called “Top Sirloin” and weights no more than 2 ½ pounds. What makes this meat great is the thick layer of fat on one side  – next blog I’ll create a video about how to identify a Picanha cut of meat in the market.  Usually Brazilians like to roast the Picanha for about 15 minutes, slicing the meat into small pieces until you can see the blood again. Once you see the blood, the Picanha goes back into the “churrasqueira” (Brazilian grill) to be roasted for more 10 minutes. Picanha should be eaten medium rare – cooking Picanha well done is considered a sin by Brazilians.

Here is a great video by Marcos Bassi* with instructions how to roast and grill a Picanha. I hope you like the instructions and don’t forget to invite me for your next barbecue!
Rodízio Style: Brazilian restaurant system where customers pay a fixed price and the waiters bring an selection of different foods to the table several times throughout the meal, until the customers signify that they have had enough. This concept originated in the South of Brazil and was first adopted in Churrascarias style restaurants that specialize in meat. Today, many types of cuisines offer a Rodízio style dining experience – pizza and sushi for example.

Marcos Guardabassi: (São Paulo, 1948) is a business man from the gastronomy sector. He started his career when he was 13 years old by selling meat in the streets. In 1976 he started the Central Frigorífica de Carnes Bassi. In 1979 he opened his first restaurant Templo da Carne Marcos Bassi – Rua 13 Maio, 668  Sao Paulo, 01327-000, Brazil (0xx)11 3288-7045. In 1999 Marcos Bassi sold all his businesses except his restaurant, where you can meet and chat with him.

Adventures in Brazil (AIB) offers passionate travelers an opportunity to experience the natural and cultural wonders of Brazil through the eyes of a native Brazilian. We offer small group tours that guide travelers off the tourist-beaten path.