Barbecue, galeto and soups: Southern cousine leaves its mark

Photo: Arquivo/Gov. do Rio Grande do Sul

Marked by a unique ethnic mixture that led to a completely different cousine from the rest of the country, the south region of Brazil has strong traces of countries like Italy, Germany, Portugal and Spain in its gastronomy. That said, the traditional churrasco barbecue – a very southern-Brazilian creation – is spread nationwide.

Comprised of the states of Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, the south of Brazil also produces excellent pasta, polenta (a typical corn meal dish) and a roasted young chicken dish known as galeto. Churrasco is predominant, especially in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, but locals will not say no to some Guarani indigenous barbecue – with the meat roasted in a whole dig on the ground.

Among foreign influences, German cousine is mostly restricted to the colonies in countryside of the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. Paraná, in addition to Italian influences, also has a significant presence of indigenous cuisine, especially with ingredients based on roots and grains. Lovers of European culture can also enjoy the chocolates, cheeses and wines of the Rio Grande and Santa Catarina mountain regions.

Photo: Arquivo/Gov. do Paraná

Santa Catarina's cuisine also has traits brought on by Polish, Ukrainian, Austrian, Hungarian and Dutch immigrants. In the communities where these peoples originally settled, one can easily try typical dishes such as potato soup with milk, potato and curd cheese pastries and the traditional colonial breakfast. On the coast (especially in state capital Florianópolis), there are several restaurants specialised in seafood, one of the legacies left by the Portuguese discoverers and Azorean settlers. Oysters, sea bass or shrimp dishes are the favourites in the region.

Typical dishes

The main ingredients used in southern states are beef and sheep meat, corn flour and yerba mate. Among the most appreciated dishes are the barreado (a clay pot beef stew), barbecue, galeto, capeletti soup, arroz carreteiro ("campfire rice") and the Santa Catarina soup.

Churrascos are a great draw for foreign and Brazilian tourism due the traditional technique for preparation of the meat. Gauchos are also well known for the traditional chimarrão infusion, a symbol of hospitality made with yerba mate prepared in a gourd.

Photo: Arquivo/Gov. Rio Grande do Sul

It is believed that the habit of drinking chimarrão has its origin in the culture of the Guarani Indians. One of the most traditional ways of drinking the herb is as a group, with the gourd going from hand to hand.

In Paraná, the most well-known dish inside and outside the state is the barreado, an iconic dish that has its origins on the Azorean islands. Preparing a barreado requires cooking the meat for many hours in a clay pot sealed with flour. It was prepared by caboclos (Brazilians of indigenous and European ancestry) and fishermen during carnival festivities, either to offer to traditional cattle drivers (called tropeiros) passing by the area or to members of the community who were volunteering to build public spaces. 

Capeletti soup is a typical dish of Italian-immigration regions in southern Brazil, whose main ingredient is a folded and stuffed pasta dough that gives the dish its name. Cities like Nova Petrópolis, Gramado and Canela (all in the Serra Gaúcha mountain chain) have restaurants that offer diverse options of the soup.