What are the best things to eat at a Brazilian steakhouse? We consulted with a chef and some
notable experts in Brazilian steakhouse dining world, and got their advice on the best ways
to spend your calories. Here's what to eat –- and what not to eat –- at a Brazilian
steakhouse.
Jean Delgado, the executive chef at Toro Toro in Miami said:
"When anyone thinks of a Brazilian steakhouse, the first thing they think of is picanha.”
If you're not overly familiar with picanha, it's the crescent-shaped cut with the fat
cap that's become the iconic image of rodizio, and the quintessential cut to get when you
go. According to Steak School, the cut is taken from the cow's backside, also called
the rump cap, rump cover, sirloin cap, or occasionally culotte. But the Brazilian Steakhouse
preparation, with a hint of salt, is called picanha.
Chef Delgado told Mashed that picanha is best served medium rare to medium, to ensure that
the fat and juices are all captured in the meat. He added that it's especially important
to make sure that the picanha is sliced correctly as well. It should be cut against the grain,
to ensure the proper texture.
The parade of side dishes that come out when you flip your card to green at a Brazilian
steakhouse are a carb lover's dream. The waiter gracefully arrives bearing French fries, rice,
mashed potatoes, yucca flour, fried polenta, beans, fried bananas, and broccoli and carrots
— so you can pretend you're having a balanced, healthy meal.
Fly & Dine appropriately calls them, quote, "a distraction," and suggests limiting your
sides consumption to about 20 percent of your total intake. The sides are much cheaper,
yet still more filling than the steaks circling your table, and therefore a far less efficient
use of your money and appetite.
The other quintessential Brazilian steakhouse menu item isn't even steak, according to Jean
Delgado, it's seafood wrapped in pork. The traditional skewers of bacon-wrapped scallops
start with fresh sea scallops, are then wrapped with thick slices of cured bacon, and are
roasted in the rodizio until the bacon is delightfully crispy. The smoke flavor from
the cured meat and the grill, along with the bacon fat, seeps into the savory scallops,
creating a unique flavor that's hard to find elsewhere.
Chef Delgado says:
"People love this classic dish [...] The mom and pops wanna go back just for the bacon
wrapped scallops."
They're not the only seafood item that's worth checking out at a Brazilian steakhouse, though.
James Hills, author of the food and travel blog Mantripping, wrote an extensive guide
to Brazilian steakhouses. He told Mashed that if you see salmon or lobster on the rodizio
to give it a shot.
Advising against ribeye is not to say that Brazilian steakhouses use lesser-quality cuts
of meat than their American counterparts. In fact, in an interview with Fly & Dine,
Henrique Hoeppel Huyer, head gaucho at Fogo de Chao in Los Angeles, revealed that the
chain uses only 100 percent Black Angus beef, and that Fogo is highly selective about the
cuts they pick.
He said:
"You need naturally tender beef.”
And ribeye, especially higher-quality ribeye, still scores well in the tenderness department,
and is far higher in fat and flavor than filet mignon, according to Robb Report. But at the
end of the day it's still an American cut, and ultimately something you'll find in abundance
elsewhere.
As you settle in for your festival of meat at a Brazilian steakhouse, you may see your
servers gliding around holding long metal skewers of sausage. Many times, this will
be Brazilian chorizo, a cured-meat sausage that's especially tasty out of the rodizio.
According to HuffPost, the Brazilian version is very similar to the original Spanish chorizo,
which includes sweet and hot varieties of pork mixed with paprika.
Jean Delgado, Executive Chef at Toro Toro in Miami, said:
"If there's one item I love [at a Brazilian steakhouse] it's chorizo. I think it's because
they rotate it in with their steaks, it's just a great quality."
In addition to the chorizo, Delgado also recommends trying the Brazilian brisket sausages, if
they're being offered. He told Mashed that the finely ground brisket is mixed with paprika
and garlic that don't overpower the meat. And when it's smoked, it creates a flavor
profile unique to this sausage.
Filet mignon is often held up as the ultimate cut of steak: a tender, expensive variety
that's used interchangeably with caviar and champagne in luxe life hyperbole. According
to the Robb Report, this is mostly because the muscle that it comes from — the tenderloin
in the lower back — is especially tender because it isn't used much.
Katie Flannery, butcher and COO at Flannery Beef, told Robb Report:
"They're not doing gymnastics [...] So filet muscles get almost zero use during the animal's
lifetime. That's why it's so tender."
Fly & Dine points out that while filets — which are low in fat — are great as 6 oz. or 8
oz. cuts, little pieces of it wrapped in bacon really won't do much for you.
When beef ribs come out at a Brazilian steakhouse, it's a little reminiscent of Fred Flintstone
getting a slab of brontosaurus meat that's so big it topples his car.
“Would you like to try for a case of amnesia, jumbo?”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
James Hills described the visual of beef ribs brought to the table as a sight that's just
as impressive to the eyes as it is to the stomach.
He told Mashed:
"Pork ribs, they're nice, but it's mostly bone. Beef ribs coming out on a plate, it's
just this giant hunk of meat that's big and juicy and fatty. It's a cool experience."
The flavor, Hills said, is equally monumental, with perfectly caramelized edges on the meat
giving the ribs a hint of sweetness.
Yes, if you're watching your cholesterol, a chicken breast is often a wiser choice than
a big hunk of fatty steak. But if you're watching your cholesterol, why'd you just drop $75
on an all-you-can-eat steak dinner? Opting for the healthier option went out the window
the minute you booked a table at a Brazilian steakhouse, and though the chicken may well
be tasty and finely-prepared, Mantripping's James Hills says it's kind of a waste.
He revealed to Mashed:
"I'm reluctant to say 'in general,' because everyone is a little different, but if you
look at the selections that are out, some are not as prime as others. So I never get
chicken; chicken is not what I'm going to spend my appetite budget on."
If there is one universal piece of advice about eating at a Brazilian steakhouse, it's
not to fill up at the salad bar. In Zagat's video guide explaining everything people do
wrong at a Brazilian steakhouse, before even discussing the steak, Churrascaria Plataforma
meat carver Sandro Lorenzi tells everyone not to overdo it at the buffet.
He said of his New York restaurant:
"A common mistake people make here is going crazy at the salad bar. They don't save room
for the meat."
James Hills agreed when talking to Mashed, with a caveat that vegetarians, or those not
looking to gorge, can save some money by dining solely at what Brazilian steakhouses refer
to as the Market or Harvest Table. But if you're spending $60 a person to enjoy steak,
don't get your fill at the salad bar.
Hills advised:
"Have a little of that stuff, olives, or charcuterie, to cut the fat from the steaks. But don't
fill up on salad if you're there for steak."
Though beef tends to be the star attraction at a Brazilian steakhouse, it's far from the
only thing on the menu. And, in addition to stuffing yourself with enough beef to feed
an entire preschool class, part of the idea in going is also to try some stuff that's
unique to Brazilian cuisine. In its guide to eating at Brazilian steakhouses, Fly & Dine
suggests branching out from the stuff you know, and delving into some other specialties.
Among these is the traditional Brazilian pork loin known as lombo.
Fly & Dine describes it as a parmesan-crusted cut, promising
"You'll be rewarded for your adventure."
Grill Hall, a churrascaria in Maple Grove, Minnesota, delves a little deeper into lombo,
saying
"[It’s a] traditional, slow-roasted, style of pork [that] is usually seasoned sparingly
with salt, garlic, and some other herbs."
It's not exclusively served with a parmesan crust — sometimes it's covered with other
cheeses, or sometimes none at all. But parmesan is the most common.
If you manage to heed our earlier advice, and don’t immediately spoil your appetite
at the salad bar, you may be tempted to pile your plate with the first meats that show
up at your table. But while satisfying, this may not be the best idea.
In its guide to eating at Brazilian steakhouses, Groupon stresses some patience after you flip
your card to green. Steakhouses, the online coupon site says, often save the more expensive
and tastier cuts of meat for last, so the juicy picanha and prime rib won't show up
until after the flank steak and chicken; if you can hold off a little bit you'll get the
better stuff.
The abundance of side dishes at a Brazilian steakhouse can make you feel conflicted; you're
spending a lot of money to enjoy the beef, so using valuable stomach space on sides might
seem like a waste. At the same time, you also want to try some classic Brazilian dishes
that don't come on a stick. James Hills told Mashed that even if you're there for meat,
it's worth trying a side or two, and if you've got to try one, he says it's farofa.
He shared:
"Personally, I don't love it, but it's a fun way to explore another culture."
Farofa, according to Rio and Learn, is a toasted yucca flour that's prepared all kinds of ways.
It’s typically served as a side with meat, rice, or beans, but you may see it served
by itself too. Additionally, another common preparation is feijoada, a stew made up of
sausage, bacon, and vegetables. Brazilian steakhouse chain Fogo de Chao offers it as
part of its menu, and though feijoada will fill you up more, it's also quite the culinary
adventure.
While most Brazilian steakhouses will have a pretty solid wine list, Mantripping suggests
instead pairing your meat with something more unique to the cuisine. Its guide to Brazilian
steakhouses points to the caipirinha — a traditional cocktail of cachaça, sugar, and
lime ––as a refreshing, zesty drink that contrasts with the salty, greasy flavors of
the steak perfectly.
If you're not trying to include alcohol in your meal, you're not limited to tap water
and fountain sodas either. Mantripping suggests trying guarana soda, a Brazilian specialty
with a fruity flavor that uses the guarana fruit to keep you out of a meat-induced food
coma. Another non-alcoholic option: agua fresca. This is a simple mixture of blended fruit
with water and sugar. It’s definitely on the sweet side, but this category of beverage
gives you lots of booze-free ways to complement your meal.
In a traditional steakhouse, drowning your prime filet in steak sauce is a big-time no-no.
It might even earn you a not-so-subtle sneer from your waiter if you try, and will definitely
infuriate the chef.
“I’m extremely disappointed in you. This is a joke to you.”
But this is not the case at a Brazilian steakhouse — not because the meat is of inferior quality,
but because, according to Chef Jean Delgado, it's not very seasoned.
He told Mashed:
"You don't see much seasoning, so it's kind of bland."
This, however, is easily offset by the abundance of sauces most Brazilian steakhouses offer
on the side. Typically, these will include yucca flour and a vinaigrette sauce called
molho a campanha – that's a little like a pico de gallo with red and green peppers
instead of tomatoes. According to Insider, the acidic side is meant to cut the fat and
complement the meat in the main course, and you're welcome to cover your meat in a little
or as much of it as you want.
Meat carver Sandro Lorenzi told Zagat:
"There is no wrong way to do the toppings. Just do as you like it."
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