Churrasco with chimichurri (barbecued meat with sauce)
Churrasco is the Latin American name for meat barbecued over a wood or charcoal fire. Chimichurri is a herby pesto-like marinade or sauce used with grilled food.
Ingredients
Beef Brisket
- 1.2-1.4 kg beef brisket at room temperature
- olive oil for rubbing
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¼-⅓ cup beer or stock check label for gluten free
Mint chimichurri sauce
- ⅓ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves finely chopped
- ⅓ cup mint leaves finely chopped
- 2-2½ tablespoons oregano leaves finely chopped
- 2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons neutral-flavoured oil e.g. grapeseed canola
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2-3 cloves garlic cloves minced
- ½-1 teaspoon chilli flakes
Instructions
- Rub meat with oil and salt. Cook in barbecue with hood down (or in oven at 150°C) for 1 hour, then wrap brisket in foil, adding beer or stock to foil parcel (in oven, add beer to tin and cover with foil). Cook for 2½-3 hours until tender.
- To make the chimichurri, whisk ingredients in a bowl and season to taste with salt. Refrigerate for a few hours while the meat cooks (or overnight) to let flavours meld.
- Set meat aside to rest, still in tinfoil, for 15 minutes. Then roughly slice or shred meat and pour over juices from foil. Serve with chimichurri.
Notes
I slow-cooked our churrasco with hickory chips for smokiness. Call ahead as you may need to order beef brisket from your butcher in advance. Brisket is a cut of meat from the lower chest of the animal, and is ideal for slow cooking. The chimichurri goes well with all meat, especially red meat.
Serve this brisket with ceviche, smoky prawns with creamy chipotle mayo, guacamole and rice for a tasty Latin American feast.
This recipe is from NADIA magazine.