Full Churrasco Night

The Story

Had a Brazilian beef ribeye cap — picanha — sitting in the fridge. The kind of cut that makes the decision for you. Smoked it low at 225 until it hit 125 degrees, let it rest, then seared it hard over the coals to crisp up the fat cap. Reverse sear is the move for this cut. Built the whole spread around it — chimichurri, vinagrete, garlic rice, black beans, grilled pineapple. Couldn't find cassava flour anywhere locally so the farofa is a panko swap. Honestly close enough that nobody at the table questioned it. Opened a Super Tuscan and a Sonoma Cab. The Italian thing and the Brazilian thing are natural cousins — simple ingredients, fire, good meat.

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Reverse-Seared Picanha (Smoked Ribeye Cap)

Ingredients

• 1 Brazilian beef ribeye cap (picanha), ~2-3 lbs
• Coarse salt (generous)
• Black pepper (optional)

Steps

1. Score the fat cap in a crosshatch pattern — don't cut into the meat.
2. Season generously with coarse salt on all sides.
3. Smoke at 225°F until internal temp hits 125°F (~1.5-2 hrs). Fat cap up so it bastes the meat as it renders.
4. Pull and rest 15 min — temp will coast up a few degrees.
5. Get the grill ripping hot. Sear fat-side down first, 2-3 min until the cap is blistered and crispy.
6. Flip, sear the other side 1-2 min.
7. Slice thin against the grain.

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Chimichurri

Ingredients

• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh oregano (or 1 tbsp dried)
• ½ cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Steps

1. Combine parsley, garlic, shallot, oregano, and pepper flakes in a bowl.
2. Pour in olive oil and vinegar.
3. Stir, season with salt and pepper.
4. Let sit at least 20 min — better after an hour. Don't refrigerate, serve at room temp.

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Vinagrete (Brazilian Tomato-Onion Salsa)

Ingredients

• 3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt to taste

Steps

1. Combine all the diced veg and parsley.
2. Dress with vinegar and olive oil.
3. Season with salt, toss gently.
4. Let it sit 15-20 min so the flavors meld.
5. Give it a stir before serving — the tomatoes will release juice, that's good.

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Garlic White Rice

Ingredients

• 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
• 3 cups water
• 1 tsp salt

Steps

1. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat.
2. Sauté garlic 30 seconds until fragrant — don't brown it.
3. Add rinsed rice, stir to coat in oil, toast 1 min.
4. Add water and salt, bring to boil.
5. Cover, reduce to low, cook 18 min.
6. Rest covered 5 min off heat, then fluff with fork.

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Brazilian Black Beans

Ingredients

• 2 cans black beans (don't drain)
• ¼ cup diced onion
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• Pinch of cumin
• 1 tbsp olive oil or bacon fat
• Salt, black pepper
• Splash of red wine vinegar
• Chopped parsley or cilantro

Steps

1. Sauté onion in oil/fat ~3 min until soft.
2. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds.
3. Add bay leaves, cumin, and both cans of beans with all their liquid.
4. Simmer on low 15-20 min, stirring occasionally.
5. Ladle some out, mash with a fork, stir back in to thicken.
6. Season with salt, pepper, splash of vinegar.
7. Pull the bay leaves, top with parsley or cilantro.

Notes

• The mash-and-stir-back trick is the key move — that's what separates "beans from a can" from "these beans are incredible." The broth should be creamy and coat the back of a spoon.
• Optional: fry some diced bacon or linguiça first, then build the sofrito in that fat.
• A squeeze of orange juice sounds weird but is very traditional.

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Panko Farofa (Butter-Toasted Breadcrumb Crumble)

Ingredients

• 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup diced onion (small dice)
• Salt to taste
• Pinch of black pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• Squeeze of lime

Steps

1. Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat — the oil keeps the butter from burning.
2. Add onion, cook 2 min until just softened.
3. Add garlic, stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Dump in all the panko at once.
5. Stir constantly — lower heat if it's browning too fast.
6. Toast 5-7 min until evenly golden and nutty-smelling.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Kill the heat, toss in parsley and scallion.
9. Squeeze of lime right before serving.

Notes

• Don't walk away — panko goes from golden to burnt in about 15 seconds.
• Should be loose and crumbly, not clumpy. If it's clumping, break it up with a fork.
• Make this last, right before plating — it loses its crunch fast.
• This is a swap for traditional cassava flour farofa. Coarse cornmeal also works as a sub.

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Grilled Pineapple

Ingredients

• 1 pineapple, peeled and cut into ½" thick rings or spears
• 1 tbsp brown sugar (optional)
• Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
• Pinch of salt

Steps

1. If using sugar/cinnamon, dust both sides lightly.
2. Grill over medium-high heat 2-3 min per side until char marks appear and it caramelizes.
3. Hit with a tiny pinch of salt right off the grill.
4. Do this while the picanha rests.

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Timing Plan

• 1 hour before: Make chimichurri and vinagrete — they need time to sit.
• 30 min before: Start beans simmering, start rice.
• 15 min before eating: Light the grill, get it ripping hot.
• Grill time: Picanha first (~10 min), pineapple while meat rests.
• Last: Make the farofa right before plating.

Wine Pairing

A full-bodied red with good tannins. A Super Tuscan or Sonoma Cab are both ideal — enough structure to stand up to charred, salty grilled meat without getting bulldozed. Sangiovese's natural acidity plays beautifully with the chimichurri and vinagrete.