Suppose you want to show off to your guests, different from a traditional Galician churrasco. This is a delicious grilled Iberian pork rib accompanied by the famous churrasco sauce. How is it prepared? Can you make it at home?

What is Galician churrasco?

One of the symbolic recipes of Galicia is the churrasco. It is pork or beef ribs prepared on the grill and accompanied by a delicious sauce. It is eaten with fried potatoes, but it is also usually accompanied by piquillo peppers or Padrón peppers, a variety you can only get in the north of Spain.

Surprise your guests by preparing a delicious churrasco in the purest traditional Galician style. You should know that even restaurants are dedicated to serving this type of dish; these places are known as churrasquerias.

The secret of a good churrasco is in its sauce, and if it is homemade, so much the better. Learn all the details about this typical Spanish dish!

Pork churrasco recipe

Ingredients

• Two kilos of Iberian pork ribs.
• Five cloves of garlic.
• One tablespoon of hot paprika.
• One tablespoon of fresh parsley, finely chopped.
• One teaspoon of fresh or dried oregano.
• Half a teaspoon of thyme.
• Half a teaspoon of rosemary.
• A quarter teaspoon of ground bay leaf.
• A glass of extra virgin olive oil.
• A glass of cognac.
• 700 grams of potatoes.
• One medium onion.
• Freshly ground black pepper.
• Salt in flakes.

Elaboration

• Remember that the first thing to do is find quality meat, which is better if it is Iberian pork. This type of meat not only has excellent nutritional properties but also has a unique texture. The churrasco will be very juicy!
• In a mortar, crush the peeled garlic, parsley, and salt.
• Add to this mixture oregano, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, paprika, freshly ground black pepper to taste, and a glass of extra virgin olive oil.
• Stir the ingredients well so that the mixture integrates.
• With the help of a kitchen brush, paint the ribs on both sides. You can also dip the meat in the bowl for a few minutes, so it is well-impregnated.
• Marinate the meat for approximately two hours. You can leave it at room temperature during this process.
• Preheat the grill to high heat before placing the meat on it.
• Bring the meat to the fire for approximately 20-30 minutes to cook properly.
• Place a tray under the grate to recover the sauce the steak releases during cooking.
• You must reserve the sauce with which the churrasco has been marinated, as you should add a little from time to time if you notice that the ribs are drying out with the heat.
• When the ribs are well browned, sprinkle with a glass of cognac.
• Once the alcohol has evaporated, remove it from the heat and serve.
• Remove the tray from under the rack and baste the ribs with the sauce that has been released.

If you don't have a grill at home, don't worry because the Galician churrasco can also be prepared in the oven. In this case, you only need to preheat the oven to 220º C and put the ribs in it for two hours. Of course, you must turn the ribs every so often.

From this point on, follow the steps as in the grilled recipe: add a glass of cognac and leave it until the alcohol has evaporated.

No matter your cooking method, you should know that the churrasco a la gallega will be ready once the meat can be easily removed from the bone. To do this, use a fork and knife and do a simple test.

Garnish for churrasco

Following the tradition, in Galicia, the churrasco is eaten with boiled potatoes with the skin on; then, these potatoes are fried in plenty of extra virgin olive oil and seasoned with a mixture of garlic, paprika, salt, and a splash of vinegar.

This is a typical Galician way to accompany the delicious churrasco, but it is not the only way to do it. In many restaurants, the churrasco is accompanied by delicious fried potatoes cut into strips and decorated with a piece of roasted piquillo bell pepper. The piquillo bell pepper gives a unique touch to this recipe!

On the other hand, if you are going to grill the churrasco, we suggest grilling a medium onion and seasoning it with lemon and salt. To do this, you can place the onion directly on the fire or wrap it in aluminum foil.

Another alternative is to accompany the steak with a simple salad: Batavia lettuce, fresh tomato, and onion. This type of salad is also often served in Galicia as a garnish for the churrasco, so it's time to surprise your guests and enjoy!