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Chef Irene Chapski • Carnaval Brazilian BBQ
PRO TIPS Brazilian barbeque, or churrascaria, is the art of cooking meat over flame, often on a rotisserie. As the meat cooks, turning the spit prevents all those delicious juices from dripping out, resulting in super-succulent cuts with a light char sealing the outside. The key to perfect churrascaria is knowing when and how much to salt; fatty capped picanha steak is heavily salted, curing the meat while cooking to create a tender texture, while Carnaval’ s pork sirloin gets its flavour from an herb and spice heavy rub with only a pinch of salt.
Pork Sirloin with Sumac Honey Dijon Glaze
A glaze made with vibrant red sumac gives this pork its luscious colour. The spice can be found at bulk barn.
INGREDIENTS 2 Tbsp chilli powder 2 Tbsp paprika 1 Tbsp sumac 2 Tbsp garlic powder 2 Tbsp onion powder 1 / 2 tsp canola oil 1 / 4 cup grainy Dijon mustard 1 / 2 cup honey 1 / 2 tsp salt 1 lb pork sirloin
METHOD 1. Combine all ingredients except for pork to create a glaze. Mix well. Mixture should have the consistency of a paste; if too thick, add 1 Tbsp water and mix well. 2. Rub over pork and marinate in glaze overnight. Reserve some glaze for cooking. 3. Skewer pork on a rotisserie spit or grill flat on the barbeque until interior is pale pink. Brush extra glaze on at the beginning of grilling to keep the colour vibrant.
Yield 1 lb pork sirloin
Picanha Steak
Picanha refers to the fat-ridged cap of meat at the tip of the sirloin and is a specialty of Brazilian barbeque. This rare cut is stocked at Miller’ s Meat Market.
INGREDIENTS 6-8 oz cut picanha steak coarse salt
METHOD 1. Traditionally picanha is cooked by continually salting the meat as it cooks. For best flavour, begin by salting the meat the night before. 2. When ready to cook, rinse the salt off the meat. The steak can be bent into a C shape and skewered to be cooked on a rotating spit, or cooked flat on the barbeque. 3. Barbeque for about 30 minutes to reach perfect medium rare. Slow cooking yields the most tender result, as the salt and fat act together to retain juices. Continue to add salt while on the barbeque. For a more heart healthy option, use( low sodium) potassium salt. 4. Remove pichanha from heat and slice, gaucho style, with a sharp knife.
Yield 6-8 oz picanha steak
ciao! / june / july / two thousand seventeen 21