A good Brazilian churrasco recipe comes down to three things: the right cut, real heat, and cutting it correctly once it’s off the grill. Churrasco — the word simply means “barbecue” across much of South America — is built around fast, high-heat grilling rather than long, slow cooking, which makes it one of the most approachable ways to get real steakhouse flavor at home.
Skirt steak is the classic choice for churrasco, and it rewards a specific kind of attention: it’s thin, cooks in minutes, and can turn from perfectly juicy to tough and chewy in the time it takes to answer a text. Once you understand why that happens, it’s an easy dish to get right every time.
If you’ve ever tried to make churrasco at home and ended up with steak that’s either gray and tough or burnt on the outside and raw in the middle, you’re not alone. A proper Brazilian churrasco recipe isn’t complicated, but it does depend on doing a few small things on purpose: a short dry brine, serious heat, frequent flipping, and slicing thin against the grain so the beef stays tender.
This style of Brazilian/South American barbecue is all about speed. Thin cuts like skirt steak and flank steak cook in minutes, develop smoky charred edges, and stay juicy inside when you hit the right internal temperature. In this guide, you’ll get a clear definition of churrasco, the best beef cuts to use, a practical method you can do on a charcoal grill, gas grill, or plancha, plus serving ideas that go beyond “just chimichurri.” And yes, we’ll keep the spirit of Brazilian BBQ meat: bold seasoning, open flame, and that irresistible crust.
“Churrasco” refers to grilled meat cooked over an open flame, most commonly beef, and most often a thin cut like skirt steak. It’s rooted in the Pampas grasslands of South America and is closely tied to Brazilian and Argentine grilling traditions, where it’s typically a communal meal — meat carved and shared, rather than plated individually. In Brazilian steakhouse tradition, multiple cuts are often served in rounds, alongside simple sides like rice, farofa, and vinaigrette-style salads.
Skirt steak is the traditional choice, but it’s worth knowing there are actually two types:
Flank steak and flap meat are both solid substitutes if skirt steak isn’t available — flap meat in particular (cut from the bottom of the sirloin) offers a similar tenderness at a lower price.
A lot of churrasco recipes lean on a wet marinade, and that’s a perfectly good route — but a simple dry brine (just salt, applied ahead of time) does something a marinade can’t: it draws moisture to the surface, which then reabsorbs back into the meat along with the dissolved salt, seasoning it all the way through rather than just on the surface.
How to dry brine: salt the steak generously on both sides, then let it rest uncovered in the fridge for at least 40 minutes, up to overnight. Pat it dry again right before it hits the grill — any remaining surface moisture will steam instead of sear.
If you’d rather marinate, keep it short. Skirt steak’s loose muscle fibers absorb marinade quickly, so 30 minutes to a few hours is plenty — leaving it overnight can actually break the texture down too far, leaving the meat mushy instead of tender.
4
servings20
minutes12
minutes1½–2 lbs skirt steak (or flank steak/flap meat)
1½ tsp kosher salt, for dry brining (or a marinade — see note above)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp neutral oil, for the grill grates or pan
1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced (germ removed if present — see tip below)
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Dry brine the steak. Pat the steak dry, season generously with the salt, and refrigerate uncovered for at least 40 minutes (overnight is even better for deeper seasoning). Remove from the fridge shortly before cooking and pat dry again — the surface should be completely dry, not damp.
Make the chimichurri. While the steak rests, combine parsley, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, oregano, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Stir well, season with salt and pepper, and let it sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes — chimichurri actually improves with a short rest, as the flavors meld.
Heat your cooking surface. For a grill, preheat to high — you're aiming for real heat, not a gentle warm-up. For a skillet or griddle, preheat over high heat until it's shimmering hot. Skirt steak is thin enough that it's better to go straight from the fridge to a screaming-hot surface than to let it come to room temperature first, since a longer warm-up risks overcooking a thin cut before it develops a proper char.
Sear hard and fast. Grill or sear the steak for 2–3 minutes per side for medium-rare, flipping only once to let a real crust develop. Use a thermometer if you have one — pull the steak at about 125°F, since it will continue cooking slightly as it rests.
Rest before slicing. Let the steak rest for 5–10 minutes, tented loosely with foil. This step isn't optional — cutting in immediately pushes the juices out onto the board instead of back into the meat.
Slice correctly. Identify the direction of the muscle fibers, then slice against the grain. For extra tenderness, angle your knife at about 45 degrees as you cut — this is called cutting on the bias, and it shortens the fibers even further than a straight cut alone.
Serve. Plate the sliced steak and spoon chimichurri generously over the top, passing extra at the table.
Charcoal grill: delivers the most authentic smoky flavor and highest achievable heat, which suits skirt steak’s need for a fast, hard sear. Spread coals evenly and keep the steak moving if flare-ups get aggressive.
Gas grill: more convenient and easier to control, with slightly less smokiness. Preheat thoroughly on high — a common mistake is grilling before the grates are fully hot.
Stovetop (skillet or griddle): a flat surface like a cast-iron skillet or griddle actually produces a better overall char than a ridged grill pan, which mostly just leaves grill marks rather than an even sear across the whole surface.
Rice and black beans are the classic pairing, along with farofa and a simple green salad. Grilled vegetables, sweet plantains, or a Brazilian-style potato salad all round out a full churrasco spread nicely.
“Churrasco” is a South American term for grilled meat cooked over an open flame, most commonly a thin cut of beef like skirt steak. It’s closely associated with Brazilian and Argentine grilling traditions.
Outside skirt is more tender and flavorful but less widely available at grocery stores, since it’s often reserved for restaurants. Inside skirt is more common, slightly less tender, but still works well if sliced thin and against the grain.
Both work, but dry brining (just salt, applied ahead of time) seasons the meat all the way through rather than just on the surface. If you prefer a marinade, keep it to a few hours at most — skirt steak’s texture can turn mushy if marinated overnight.
About 2–3 minutes per side over high heat for medium-rare. Use a thermometer and pull around 125°F, since the steak will continue cooking slightly as it rests.
Almost always slicing with the grain instead of against it. Also check for leftover silver skin, which doesn’t break down during cooking and can add chewiness.
Yes — a cast-iron skillet or flat griddle preheated until very hot gives a great sear, arguably better than a ridged grill pan, which mostly produces grill marks rather than a full, even char.
A great Brazilian churrasco recipe isn’t complicated — it’s about respecting a thin cut of meat for what it is: fast-cooking, quick to overdo, and completely transformed by slicing it correctly. Dry brine it, hit it with real heat, rest it briefly, and slice against the grain on a slight angle. From there, a good chimichurri is really just the finishing touch on something that was already done right.