4th of July Barbecue: Make a Brazilian barbecue on the holiday

In this article you will find:

Did someone say "barbecue"?
    Chicken and pork
In good company
    Farofa can't miss
Candy time
    Candy buffet with Brazilian sweets
Invest in good drinks
Buy everything online

The writer Nelson Rodrigues said: "The Brazilian is a holiday". One could say that the sentence is an attempt to define the essence of the Brazilian people. If we put the verb to love in the present tense instead of "is", then we would have an absolute truth: "Brazilians LOVE a holiday". And if it's a holiday with a party, then that's when they feel at home!

That is why, wherever they are, Brazilians appropriate the celebration, and do their own way to celebrate. And with the independence holiday - the 4th of July - it couldn't be different. The 4th of July Barbecue is a tradition in the United States: families get together to eat barbecue - burger and sausage! -, corn on the fire, fried chicken, ice cream, and other typical foods of the date.

If this is already good, with a touch of green and yellow it can get even better. The Brazilian churrasco is very different, but can be easily reproduced in American lands. So, if you want to make your 4th of July Barbecue look and taste like "churrasco", come and we'll show you how.

Did someone say "churrasco"?

The soul of the Brazilian churrasco is meat, and maybe this is the biggest difference between our "churras" and the American barbecue. No hamburger and sausage: the stars are picanha, maminha, fraldinha, costela, and linguiça?

And those who like Brazilian churrasco know that one of the secrets lies in the way the meat is seasoned. The flavor of the meat must be enhanced, not masked by the seasonings. Both beef and pork should be sprinkled with a coarse quality salt - seasoned or not - at least 2 minutes before going on the grill. A good measure is 1 teaspoon of coarse salt to 1kg of meat.

Remember that coarse salt is recommended for slow-cooked meats, such as ribs, pork chops, among others. The others can be seasoned with fine salt and other spices, such as a mix of herbs.

Chicken and pork

In the same way, the seasoning for chicken and pork must be dosed according to the cut and cooking time. For those who prefer the natural flavor of the meat, salt alone will do. Now, those who prefer a little pepper, or like to experiment with other flavors, can invest in sauces and condiments outside the already beaten ketchup and barbecue sauce.

An example: chicken wings roasted on the barbecue are delicious with a homemade mustard, habañero pepper, and mango. And fried chicken - a 4th of July classic! - goes super well with a pâté of chili peppers.

For the pork ribs and sausage (and even the sausage if you like!), the sweet and sour taste is the most recommended. You can try the pork with red pepper jelly which is also a great complement to a cheese and cold cuts board. Or, if you prefer a sauce, the passion fruit and pepper sauce is just the right amount of citrus.

In good company

A good Brazilian barbecue calls for an abundant table of side dishes. Each region of Brazil has its own preference, but what you can't miss are the farofa, the vinaigrette, and the white rice.

To enhance the white rice, how about adding a green and yellow touch to the recipe? You can add corn e canned peas in the preparation of a cup of rice. It is colorful and super tasty. Just add the vegetables when sautéing the garlic and the onion, and let it cook for a few minutes. Then, just follow the recipe as usual, not forgetting to add your special seasoning.

In the same way, the vinaigrette gains an extra charm with a little extra seasoning. In addition to salt, you can sprinkle the vinaigrette with chimichurri, oregano or basil dehydrated. Just be careful not to over season it, so that it doesn't steal the flavor of the barbecue meat.

Farofa is a must

Just like the vinaigrette, farofa is indispensable in the Brazilian barbecue. For those who like practicality, nowadays there are several options of farofa already seasoned: with garlic, pequi, bacon, cracklings? you can put one of each on the table, so everybody likes it!

But if you prefer to add your own special touch, you can prepare this recipe for Carrot Flour. You will need: 250g of traditional Yoki farofa; 1 red or white onion; 1 carrot; 80g sliced green olives; juice of 2 lemons; 3 tablespoons of olive oil; parsley and salt to taste.

Preparation is very simple: finely chop the onion and grate the carrot. Add all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Season with parsley and salt to taste. If the farofa is not moist and acidic enough, add a little more lemon juice and olive oil. Leave it in the refrigerator until serving time.

After you have gorged yourself on the savory dishes, it's time to impress your guests and make the kids happy with the sweets and dessert!

Sweet time

One thing that we always have at the Brazilian churrasco is homemade dessert. So, to end your 4th of july barbecue in great style, how about betting on the classic Condensed Milk Pudding? The recipe is simple and economical, as it only takes 1 can of condensed milk, 1 can of milk (use the same size as the condensed milk) and 3 eggs.

To prepare the pudding, simply beat all the ingredients (except the sugar) in a blender, and let the mixture rest for 15 minutes. During this time, a foam will form on the cream.

While waiting, make the syrup: put 6 tablespoons of sugar in a 20-cm diameter pan and heat it over medium heat until the syrup forms (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat and turn the mold until the syrup covers the entire bottom and sides.

Then, gently pour the pudding mixture into the mold, holding the foam that has formed on the surface with a spoon. Bake in a medium oven (180º) in a bain-marie for 1? hours. After baking, let it cool and refrigerate for 2 hours more or less. Unmold, serve and receive compliments.

Candy buffet with Brazilian sweets

No time to cook? A quick purchase in your Brazilian market online, and you solve the dessert issue in a few minutes. For those who don't have time, a small buffet of Brazilian sweets will be the dessert of the event.

Among the many options available, invest in the practicality of individually wrapped candies. Sonho de Valsa or Ouro Branco bonbons are loved by Brazilians and cannot be missed. The bananinhas and squares of dulce de leche also bring back good memories for those who live far from home.

Whatever your choice, the secret is in the presentation. Arrange the candies in bowls, buckets or decorated glass jars, and you're done! You'll have a charming candy buffet that will please adults and children alike.

Invest in good drinks

Along with the meat, drinks are the soul of the Brazilian churrasco. If you don't want to spend your holiday drinking the usual American beers, you can value the national production and invest in a different Brazilian beer. Leopoldina is produced in Rio Grande do Sul, and carries all the tradition and excellence of Casa Valduga, an established winery in the country.

And there is Leopoldina for all palates. The bottle beer is available in our store in the versions Weissbier, Pale Ale IPA, Gourmet Pilsener, Witbier Limão Siciliano e Coentro, and Gourmet Porter. Our tip is: bring one of each, and have a tasting with your guests. You can even do an experiment, in which everyone tastes the drinks with the barbecue, and chooses which Leopoldina goes best with a certain type of meat.

And for children and those who do not consume alcoholic beverages, the best choice is Guaraná Antarctica. Whether regular or diet, you have to have it at the barbecue, and preferably with some ice cubes. To make it even more Brazilian, serve the guaraná with slices of orange. This way, you can quench your thirst and satisfy your homesickness at the same time.

Buy everything online

Now that you have a checklist of what you need for your 4th of July barbecue to become a Brazilian barbecue, get to work!

Since we are an online Brazilian market, we offer most of the products listed in this article. As some of them run out quickly, our recommendation is that you buy as soon as possible what you need for the holiday, so that you don't run the risk of running out.

You can buy directly from our website, and we deliver anywhere in the USA and the world. Or, if you are in the LA, California area, you can pick it up at our physical store in Redondo Beach. Whichever is best for you, count on us to make your 4th July unique. Go to the website, and start organizing your Brazilian barbecue now.