Brazil is one of the places most notorious for its barbecue, and at the heart of its offerings is churrasco de picanha. A tradition that blossomed in the 16th century in southern Brazil, Brazil’s method of barbecuing, known as “churrasco,” involves grilling skewered meat over a fire. This is often accompanied by a specific style of service, known as “rodízio” style, meaning “rotation” or “turn” in Portuguese, which, according to legend, developed accidentally at a restaurant when a waiter took a meat skewer to the wrong table. This service is still typically seen at Brazilian steakhouses today and is associated with famous all-you-can-eat establishments in which you continuously sample a number of different cuts and styles of meat.

Picanha, meanwhile, refers to the cut of steak. Known as a rump cap or sirloin cap, picanha has a layer of fat that adds depth of flavor, leaving you with a cut of meat that’s juicy, tender, and buttery. Traditionally, it is just seasoned with rock salt, allowing the meat’s natural flavors to shine through. It’s typically grilled alongside other Brazilian barbecue favorites like sausage and queijo coalho, a firm cheese, and served with sides like rice, beans, and farofa, a toasted cassava flour commonly enjoyed in Brazil.