Burgers are a staple of nearly every American grill, whether it’s home cooks, restaurants, caterers, or something special. What might be surprising, though, is that in the beef-loving Brazil, burgers didn’t actually hit the menus until 1952.
In 1952, the American tennis player Robert Falkeburg opened the first hamburger store in Copacabana. His store, Bob’s Burgers – no relation to the much more recent American cartoon – still operates throughout Brazil today. They’re one of many different chains, and thousands of stand-alone burger restaurants exist on all ends of the spectrum as well.
Immediate success with Brazilians and tourists alike led to both McDonald’s and Burger King stepping into the market, and both hamburgers specifically and fast food in general sweeping the nation. These days, it’s hard to imagine a modern city without hundreds of fast-food restaurants, but back in the 50s, it was a new idea, at least for Brazil.
And, much like how burgers run the gamut from a simple meat-cheese-bun burger from a fast food joint all the way to a huge and elaborate challenge burger, you can find pretty much everything across the spectrum in Brazil. The question is, is there anything unique and interesting about Brazilian burgers? We think so, though depending on how familiar you are with craft burgers, you might not think so.
For a fun little game, think about what a Brazilian burger would mean to you right now without having read any of the rest of this post. What do you come up with? If you’re thinking of Brazilian flavors and your mind goes to things like pineapple, tropical fruits, or coconut, though, you’re on the wrong track. Brazilian burgers are something altogether non-tropical. Read on to see what we mean!
Table of Contents
From Simple to Elaborate
If you know about Brazilian food culture, one thing you might know is that we tend to like our meats relatively unadulterated. The biggest example of this is, of course, churrasco; our Brazilian BBQ. Churrasco involves cooking various cuts of meat, including beef, on skewers over an open flame.
The key to churrasco is the seasoning. Or, rather, the lack thereof. Churrasco is most traditionally done with nothing but the meat, the heat, and some coarse salt to augment the natural flavors, help with the Maillard reaction, and build a delicious crust on the outside of the meat being roasted. There’s no barbecue sauce, no rubs, nothing.
Of course, modern churrasco does incorporate some of that. That’s why we offer spicy picanha on our churrasco menu, for example. Even so, relatively few people in Brazil actually enjoy spicy flavors, so most churrasco is offered without it.
The earliest, simplest Brazilian burgers are also simple. If you picture a basic McDonald’s burger, you’re more or less right on the money. Beef patties, buns, some lettuce and tomato, maybe a sauce; it’s as simple as can be.
These days, Americans will feel right at home with the menu at a typical Bob’s, McDonald’s, or any other fast food burger joint. From simple cheeseburgers to more elaborate bacon-cheddar sandwiches and even Brazilian specials with our favorite cuts like picanha and fraldinha instead of your usual ground chuck, there’s something for everyone.
Of course, let it never be said that Brazilians keep it simple. When you visit a more upscale restaurant, you can order something like the X-Tudo. These burgers are huge and elaborate, piled high, and impossible to eat like a sandwich.
A typical X-Tudo might have burger patties and buns, lettuce, tomato, onion, shoestring fries, deli ham, sausage links, bacon, a fried egg, and even corn piled on top of it. There are as many variations of this recipe as there are restaurants to make it, but they’re all over the top, whole meals on a bun.
What’s With the X?
Brazilian burgers are often called X-something. X-Tudo, X-Salada, X-Bacon; there are a lot of different variations.
What’s with the X?
If you’re American, you’re probably thinking of it as “ecks” in the cross-out, ex-something sense. In Brazil, that’s not what it means at all.
In Brazil, the letter X in Portuguese is pronounced in a lot of different ways depending on context. Sometimes, it’s just like the X in English; sometimes, it’s more like a long S or Z sound, but the one we’re most interested in is a pronunciation a lot like “chi” or “chis.”
So a burger, or burguer (pronounced something like boorjer), is a hamburger. And a X-burguer? Well, that’s a “chis-burger”.
Get it? X -> Chis -> Cheese! It’s almost like a pun because the letter sounds like the word “cheese” in English. Since burgers came from America to Brazil, the English association is to be expected.
One thing you might have heard is that X or Xis is the Portuguese word for cheese because of this. That’s actually not true at all. The Brazilian word for cheese is actually queijo, as in the Brazilian cheese bread, pao de queijo.
As for the other half of the equation, Tudo just means “everything” and is a burger with everything piled on it. One that has most of everything but leaves off the egg is likely a X-Salada, or “cheese salad,” with toppings largely in the veggie zone and with less emphasis on the burger itself.
There are also other variations; X-Calota is a huge-diameter burger nearly the size of a hubcap. X-Gigante is a giant burger piled high and multi-layered. There are as many variations as there are people to make them.
Putting Together a Brazilian Burger
If you want to put together a Brazilian burger of your own, a lot comes down to personal preference. What do you want out of your burger?
First of all, think about the bun. Most Brazilian burger joints make some kind of brioche bun, just like many American burger joints these days. Most of the rest use a traditional white bread burger bun, and the rest use some kind of alternative, like an Australian bun or a sesame bun. You might find more exotic variations as one-off menu items or seasonal versions that have food coloring added to dye them fanciful colors.
The truth is, the bun is by far the least important part of the burger. You won’t be picking it up to eat in most cases anyway, and there’s a non-zero chance that a melty cheese sauce, a moist burger patty, and assorted other kinds of liquid from the toppings will soak it through to the point of nonexistence anyway.
The star of the show is usually the meat. Usually, a good X-Burguer will have at least two meats on it, and some can have up to four! The must-have meat is, of course, the burger itself. Whether you’re using something like a tasty ground chuck or chunks of picanha or fraldinha, the beef is the key.
Occasionally, you’ll find a burger that doesn’t actually use burger but uses some kind of Brazilian sausage instead. These aren’t the norm, but they’re available enough that fans of Brazilian sausage can find them when they want them. For a classic X-Burguer, though, you need the burg.
Secondary meats are also very common. While here in America, it’s almost always a few slices of bacon, that’s not your only option in Brazil. For an X-Tudo, you might find sliced deli ham, prosciutto, or shredded pork. Some variations use shredded chicken or breaded chicken patties. In rare cases, you might even find breaded fish, though these tend to be their own sandwiches, not an add-on for a burger.
One unique thing you might find with Brazilian burgers is the addition of a textural element. This can come from several different add-ons. Sometimes, a burger is breaded with a coating similar to that of a bolovo. Sometimes, panko, tempura, or breadcrumbs are added to the beef or crusted around the outside. Sometimes, you can even find a sprinkling of our favorite farofa on top as well.
We also occasionally have vegetarian versions of burgers. Falafel, mushroom burgers, lentil burgers, and even burgers made of plants like chickpeas, eggplant, and soy can all be found here and there. Entirely mushroom “burgers” made of grilled portobello caps might be available, though more often, it’s a ground patty. Recent innovations in “impossible burgers” are also sporadically available, depending on the source.
Cheese is, obviously, a requirement for a X-Burguer. Usually, you’ll find cheddar topping the burg, but a variety of different cheeses can come along for the ride. Brazilian cheeses like Prato are common, and American cheese (both yellow and white) can be found as well. Some specialized burgers can have more exotic, stronger-flavored cheeses as well, like gorgonzola, catupiry, Emmental, or brie. We’ve even heard of burgers with cream cheese, cheese curds, and other cheeses, too.
Cheese is usually a topping, but you can also find it as a melty cheese sauce poured over the potatoes and other toppings. Sometimes, you can even find stuffed burgers, where the cheese is embedded in the burger. Again, the sky’s the limit for some of these elaborate burgers!
Sauces are also a must-have, of course. Condiments like BBQ sauce, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, and even sour cream are common on many of these burgers. You can also find spicy mustard, chimichurri, and a whole lot more. Specialty burgers can have crazy ingredients like truffle mayo, oyster sauce, or molasses. You wouldn’t put most of those on a normal burger, but if you’re getting a specialty preparation, it’s not uncommon.
Veg, as well, is a must-have. You have your basic lettuce, onion, and tomato on most burgers, and you can often find pickles, fries, shoestring potatoes, and fried onions as well. One topping that has recently been making waves is American coleslaw, which adds a sort of unique creaminess and crunch that a lot of people are finding they like.
What else is there? Anything you want, really. We’ve seen everything from caramelized onions to jalapenos, to fried bananas, to corn and peas, to corn chips or potato chips, to grilled avocado topping various burgers.
Don’t forget the fried egg! Common in both America and Brazil, a fried egg is a great way to add flavor, texture, protein, and more to any burger.
The Right Way to Make a Brazilian Burger
So, what’s the right way to make a Brazilian burger? The answer is whatever way you want. While we’ve talked a lot about all the different things that go on the “everything burger,” we call the X-Tudo, that’s really an extreme example. Most people getting a Brazilian burger are getting a much simpler, easier-to-handle burger with a bun, a burger patty, simple veg, cheese, and probably an egg. It’s not really all that different from a Royale burger in America when you get right down to it.
The truth is that Brazilian burgers are largely an American invention, and there’s a lot of cross-over between the two. Brazil brings a few unique flavors and options, like adding corn or farofa to the burger, but most of the time, you’re going to be just as familiar with it either way.
Now, hot dogs? Pizza? Those are another story.
Experience a Taste of Brazil
If a Brazilian burger appeals to you, by all means, make one or find your nearest Brazilian burger joint.
Sorry to say, here at Texas de Brazil, while we sell Brazilian burgers, our in-store menu doesn’t include an X-Tudo or any variation on a burger. We are, after all, a churrascaria, not a burger joint. We sell the burger because the meat is delicious, and delicious meat is what we’re all about.
As it turns out, though, it’s pretty hard to cook a burger on a skewer.
If you want to experience the finest cuts of meat Brazil has to offer or check out famous and popular Brazilian sides like feijoada black beans or Brazilian cheese bread, we’re more than happy to serve you. Just find your nearest Texas de Brazil location and stop by! We promise you’ll be satisfied.
