The Must Try Foods While In Brazil
Brazil, yes the same country that just played host to the Summer Olympics is a great country, but it is definitely not a country that a lot of people would consider having some great food. However, after you read this article your perception of the Brazilian food is going to change and you will quickly realize that you may have fallen into your comfort zone of having the same food all the time and not really wanted to step out of that zone to explore the different foods that are available to you. We are planning on breaking that mold and proving to you that the foods that you are eating all the time, while good, are not the only foods in the world. Not only that this will give you a great guide on some of the foods you MUST try while you are touring [popup_product]Brazil[/popup_product].
How Did I Narrow Down My List?
Well, I did gain some weight during this experiment to help find the best foods for you to try and help you in getting to know about the best foods that you MUST try. However, the eating was great and I have to tell you that I did experience some foods that made me really wonder what I was doing. Thankfully, with the grace of God I was able to avoid getting sick all the time from some of the foods that left me scratching my head about what I was eating. This in turn makes it easier for me to let you know about these foods and know they are going to warm your taste buds to a level that you could only imagine that you would be able to reach beforehand.
6. Brigadeiros
Okay, my sweet tooth definitely got a hold of me here as I have selected the 6th must try food in Brazil to be one of the tasty ones that is served at a lot of children’s parties across the country. This is mainly because of the simplicity of the recipe, but also the great taste the food has for you to enjoy. Simply put this is a chocolate truffle that is made in a way you normally would not get to experience. So this is definitely something that we are going to want you to try.
All the Brigadeiro has is condensed milk, cocoa powder, butter, and chocolate sprinkles. All of these are combined by simmering the cocoa powder in the milk and then whisking them together to create an irresistible delicacy. Once this has simmered for some time, it is mixed with butter and then rolled into the balls that you see. When they are in the shape of the balls they are covered with the chocolate sprinkles to make anyone with a sweet tooth happy and a diabetic cry because they cannot eat the food.
5. Feijoada
Feijoada may not seem like it would be that appetizing based off of the name of the dish. However, you need to realize this is a very popular dish throughout Brazil and easily is one of those dishes that once you have it once you will want to get the recipe for so you can make it at home. The only downside is a lot of the cooks that make this dish do not want to give out the recipe they use or they have made it so much the recipe comes from memory and you get what some people refer to as the grandmother cooking of a pinch or dash of an ingredient. So that can make it hard to make at home, but while in Brazil you have to try this dish.
Simply put this dish is a bean soup or stew that has been put on steroids as it is going to take the black beans, that is a common item in the [popup_product]Brazilian cooking[/popup_product] and combine it with the pork and the beef. Both of these when combined together definitely will make it easier for you to get the food and taste quality that you would want to have with the food. Overall, this is a very tasty dish and in most of Brazil it is considered the national dish because it is such a common dish.
4. Moqueca
I remember a long time ago hearing a band that had a song about rolly polley fish heads. Well, if you have the Moqueca, you are going to think of that song as this is a fish stew that has been brought to a level that you never imagined. The stew, if you do not like fish may not seem like it would be the stew that you would want to eat right away. However, I have to say that I did not really care for the sound of fish stew either, but have found the dish is one of those that is simply put opinion changing and something you will love.
The way of preparing the stew is going to vary because you will find it is a salt water fish stew. However, in addition to using the salt water fish stew base, it is going to take and give you the extra taste because it combines in several different herbs and spices that you are going to like as well. The main spices the stew uses is garlic and coriander. With the Moqueca, it also takes and puts in some of the tomatoes and onions you are going to see as a change of pace to a lot of the stews that you would have been eating.
3. Picanha
In America you have the rump roast and that is a nice cut of meat. However, in Brazil we tend to use more of the entire rump of the cow and have the cap as well as the rump roast. What makes ours so different from yours is we have our butchers leave the fat cap on the rump. This way we are able to get the full flavor of the meat and the fat that comes from the cows. Sometimes this could be a bad thing, though, as the rumps may not be flavorful if the cows diet was not natural.
The recipes that you will find and the typical preparations for this type of steak is usually fairly simple. However, the flavor profile of the meat is going to blow you away because it is going to have the fat cap and that is where the meats own flavor comes from. This way you can finally get the food you want to have and know you are not intaking a ton of horrible foods that are going to make you sick while you are eating. When you are eating Picanha in Brazil, you will want to try to find a restaurant that makes it in the traditional style to get the most out of the food you are going to eat.
2. Acai
Almost everyone in the world has heard of this superfood now. However, what you may not realize is the Acai originated in Brazil and because of the surfing world quickly grew in popularity. What else you may not realize is the juice that you get is so versatile that you can do multiple things with it. This is what has landed Acai in the second spot of our must try foods in Brazil. Yes, I know it is a juice so you may not think about it as a food, but you should realize we view it as a food and with the berry form that makes it a food.
What we really like is just how versatile this is and how you can use it in almost anything. So that has really helped to get the fruit out in front of people and throw in the fact that it is healthy for you and it is easy to see what makes this berry and juice such a great item. What is even better is a lot of the trendy restaurants in Brazil, especially in the tourist areas, have really started to exploit this berries flavor profile and are offering a variety of dishes with a simple berry as the main star.
1. Barbecued Meats
I do not care who you are or where you are from one of the main dishes that Brazil has managed to get right is the barbecued meats. These are meats that you are going to love because they have a great flavor to them, but they are also such a simple dish that you can make them at your own home as well. The difference is a lot of times we have tendency to use a higher quality cut of meat and we like the fat on the meats as well. We have found that the fats are where the flavors come from if you want the natural taste of the meat.
Normally when we are preparing the foods we will already have the fire going to get it good and hot. Just like everyone else when we smell good food we do not want to wait all day for it to get ready. However, all that we usually put on the meat is nothing more than a simple salt rub that makes it easier for you to get the meat that you want and know you are not spoiling the natural flavor of the meat with something that you normally would not be eating. Then we put it over the fire until the meat is cooked and it is ready to be eaten.
Surely That’s Not All The Must Try Foods In Brazil
No, this is not all the foods that you have to try when you are in Brazil, but we have a limited amount of space to work with in an article of this scope. So we have to stop at some point and unfortunately the rest of the dishes did not make our cut. The country of Brazil has plenty of other foods that you have to try and what we have provided you with is just a sample, our sampling, of what we feel are the must try foods. Even if you take more than a single trip, which we know you will, we are going to welcome you back with open arms so you can have a great trip and enjoy the time that you have in Brazil.
Want more information about Brazil? Check out our Brazil Travel page.
Would you like to explore South America more? Find it on our South America travel page.
