Churrasco is a Portuguese or Latin American term used to describe beef that is grilled under an open flame until tender then sliced and served with a delicious chimichurri sauce.
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I LOVE churrasco. It’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy steak. My uncle used to make this for our family often. You would usually find my uncle, on hot summer nights, on the grill cooking these steaks until they were just right (not too charred but not too rare either).
We’d then enjoy them, sliced, as an appetizer, snack, or as a meal with a side of white rice and tostones, of course! It’s one of my favorite childhood memories.
What is Churrasco?
Churrasco is a Latin American term used to describe grilled steak under an open flame. Churrasco is typically made with a long flat cut of skirt steak that is marinated until tender and grilled to juicy perfection. This churrasco recipe takes about 40 minutes to make and comes together quite easily.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Skirt steak. There are different variations of this recipe depending on where you’re from however the common denominator is that skirt steak is the best cut of meat for churrasco.
- Mojo marinade. Skirt steak is pretty flexible in terms of marinades. You can even omit marinades altogether however there is nothing more delicious than a citrus-garlicky marinade like Cuban mojo. That’s what we’re working with today!
- Salt + pepper. When it comes to skirt steak, I like to keep it simple with just salt and pepper since it already has an intense beef flavor. It doesn’t need much else!
Questions about Churrasco
Churrasco is made from skirt steak which is a thin, long cut of beef that has tough fibers. This is why it’s recommended to marinate skirt steak for up to 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
Although they are similar cuts, they are not the same. Skirt steak comes from the diaphragm muscles of the cow while flank steak comes from the bottom abdominal area of the cow. Flank steak is also a bit thicker than skirt steak which is why I prefer braising with it, like when I make my ropa vieja recipe. Yum!
The best way to tenderize skirt steak is by marinating it in acid, like lime juice or vinegar, which is why I love using Cuban mojo for this recipe. Mojo marinade has all types of citrus in it!
How To Make Churrasco
- Marinate the steaks. Place the steaks in a large baking dish. Pour the mojo marinade on top then season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and marinate the steaks for 20 minutes or up to 2 hours. The longer, the better!
- Time to cook! Grill or cook the steaks on the stove in a cast-iron skillet, on medium-high heat, for 5-6 minutes or until desired doneness. Transfer steaks to a plate to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
What To Serve with Churrasco
You can’t go wrong with serving churrasco with chimichurri, an oil-based sauce made with fresh herbs, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, and spices. Churrasco with chimichurri sauce is a match made in heaven! You can also serve churrasco with mashed potatoes, twice-fried plantains (tostones), white rice, or even a fresh avocado cucumber salad.
You may also like:
- Chimichurri Sauce
- Avocado Cucumber Salad with Sirloin Steak Tips
- 5-Ingredient Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Plantains (Platanos Maduros)
Churrasco (Skirt Steak)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs skirt steak cut in 4 steaks
- 1 cup mojo marinade
- Salt + pepper to taste
- Chimichurri Sauce
Instructions
- Place the steaks in a large baking dish. Pour the mojo marinade on top then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap and marinate the steaks for 20 minutes or up to 2 hours in the fridge. The longer, the better!
- Grill or cook the steaks on the stove in a cast-iron skillet, on medium-high heat, for 5-6 minutes or until desired doneness. Transfer steaks to a plate to rest for 5 minutes. Serve with chimichurri sauce. Enjoy!
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