What is the Portuguese word for the Brazilian barbecue style?

The Portuguese word for the Brazilian barbecue style is churrasco. In Brazil, churrasco refers both to the cooking tradition and to the grilled meats prepared in it, especially beef, pork, sausage, and chicken.

The style developed in southern Brazil, particularly Rio Grande do Sul, where gaúcho cattle workers cooked freshly butchered meat over wood fires. Traditional churrasco may use large metal skewers, a grill, or both, with the meat seasoned simply—often primarily with salt—to highlight its flavor.

A common mix-up is confusing churrasco with churrascaria. Churrascaria means a restaurant specializing in churrasco, while rodízio describes the all-you-can-eat serving format in which waiters bring skewered meats to the table. Espeto means a skewer, not the barbecue style itself. Churrasco is related to Argentine and Uruguayan asado, but each country has its own techniques, cuts, and customs. In Brazil, picanha, a flavorful rump-cap cut, is especially associated with churrasco.