How to Throw a Brazilian Steakhouse Party

Has the Olympics given you a flavour of the Brazilian lifestyle? Here's how to enjoy a taste of South America at home or when dining in our restaurants this month.

One of the summer's last hurrahs, this Bank Holiday weekend sees Notting Hill Carnival come to town and is a great opportunity to gather family and friends and add a saucy samba twist to your cooking. Here's how to turn your home into a churrascaria, a traditional Brazilian steakhouse where waiters slice large skewers of grilled meats onto your plate as desired.

Get the best steaks in Brazil

Picanha, Brazil’s most famous cut of beef, is the cap of the rump and sirloin and is easily recognisable because of its thick crescent of fat on one side. If your butcher doesn’t sell it, flank steak is another authentic churrasco cut, best cooked long and slow till pleasingly chewy.

Grab a jar of ready-made hot pepper jelly and then all you need is some simple side dishes.

Make Easy Brazilian recipes

Steak marinade

When cooking your steak on the barbecue (sorry – churrasco) add a few handfuls of whole okra that you’ve slicked with olive oil and grill them until the flesh is just tender and starting to char. Throw into a dish and season with sea salt, finely sliced fresh chillies, fresh coriander and lime.

Sweet potatoes

If you’ve got embers, why not bake sweet potatoes in them, or simply use the oven. Rub with sea salt and wrap in foil first. They’ll take about 40 minutes to cook. When done, break the sweet potatoes open, drizzle with melted butter and add chopped spring onions. 

Coconut rice

Simmer up a side dish of long-grain white rice in coconut milk. Fry a chopped onion in coconut oil before adding the rice, liquid and a little salt. For a nice change, replace the coconut milk with coconut water and a few tablespoons of desiccated coconut. 

Salsa salad

The perfect salad-cum-salsa for barbecued beef is made up of a mild onion, your preferred colour of bell pepper and 4 tomatoes, all chopped small. Put them in a bowl and stir in 6 tablespoons of chopped parsley, 4 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, and 8 tablespoons of olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and it’s ready to serve.

Book a Brazilian BBQ in London

To celebrate the Rio Olympics, our team at The Narrow are devoting their famous weekend terrace barbecue to churrasco-style dishes full of punchy South American flavours.

Think chilli and garlic grilled tiger prawns. Think flank steak with chimichurri. Think plantain chips. And, if you really can’t live without a burger, our signature short rib beef burger will be there too with chunky guacamole and hot chilli sauce – delicious!

With its fabulous waterside views, The Narrow terrace barbecue (sorry, churrasco) is also ideal when you’re considering where to eat over the August bank holiday weekend.

Enjoy picanha steaks in Chelsea

Want to try fabulous picanha steak but don’t want to clean the barbecue?  Maze Grill is serving picanha steaks with chimichurri and a zingy caipirinha for £25. Join us at Maze Grill Royal Hospital Road or Park Walk and you can watch the sporting events on our widescreen tvs too.

If you love meat, remember that Maze Grill Royal Hospital Road is hosting a South American Eve of Beef on Tuesday 20 September. This new supper club in Chelsea is a unique opportunity to compare and contrast Brazil’s favourite steak with luxurious t-bones and rib eye on the bone. It’s not long to wait, so book now to reserve your space.