Churrasco Gaucho — The Full Brazilian Mixed Grill

Begin by cleaning the 1.5 lbs of chicken hearts, removing any excess fat or arterial tubes. For the 2 lbs of flank steak (fraldinha), trim any heavy silver skin but leave the surface marble intact. Ensure the 2 lbs of linguiça links are separated but the casings remain fully intact to preserve juices. Keeping the meats cold during this preparation phase is critical for both food safety (staying below 40°F) and for achieving a cleaner sear later.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the 1.5 lbs of cleaned chicken hearts with 0.25 cup olive oil, 4 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tbsp coarse salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, and 1 tsp dried thyme. Toss thoroughly to ensure each heart is coated. Allow the hearts to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes; the oil helps the garlic and thyme aromatics penetrate the muscle fibers while the salt begins the seasoning process.

Thread the 2 lbs of linguiça on wide, flat skewers. For the 2 lbs of flank steak, apply the 3 tbsp coarse salt and 1 tbsp black pepper liberally to all sides, then fold the meat into a 'C-shape' and pierce through both ends to create a thick, juicy bundle on the skewer. Finally, thread 6 to 8 marinated chicken hearts per skewer, packed tightly together to prevent rotation. High-quality skewers are essential to support the weight and allow for even rotation during the sear.

Preheat your smoker to a target temperature of 500°F using oak pellets for a clean, traditional campfire smoke. If using a pellet grill, ensure your heat deflector is removed or set to 'direct flame' if applicable to mimic the Gaucho open-fire style. The high heat is necessary to render the fat in the sausage and create the signature bark on the flank steak without overcooking the center.

Place skewers over the direct heat zone. The linguiça will take approximately 20 minutes; rotate it every 4 minutes until the skins are crisp and taut. The fraldinha requires rotation every 5 minutes to develop a thick crust while keeping the interior medium-rare. Monitor the chicken hearts closely; they only need 3 to 4 minutes per side. The goal is a deep mahogany char on the outside of all proteins while maintaining different internal target temperatures.

Using a high-quality instant-read thermometer, check doneness across all three proteins. Pull the linguiça once it hits 160°F to ensure food safety for the pork blend. The fraldinha (flank steak) should be pulled at an internal temperature of 130°F—the carryover heat will bring it to a perfect 135°F medium-rare. The chicken hearts are best pulled when firm to the touch with a slight char, reaching an internal temp of 165°F. Move skewers to a cooler part of the grill if they finish early.

Transfer the finished skewers to a warm platter. For the flank steak specifically, the fibers must relax to reabsorb the internal juices; if you cut immediately, the juice will flood the cutting board and leave the meat dry. Let the sausage and steak rest for 10 minutes. The chicken hearts can be served almost immediately, but a 3-minute rest allows the garlic oil to settle.

Following Gaucho tradition, hold the fraldinha skewer vertically and use a very sharp knife to shave thin slices directly onto the guest's plate. Serve the linguiça links whole or sliced diagonally for maximum surface area. The chicken hearts are served directly from the skewer. Accompany the meal with farofa or chimichurri to cut through the richness of the rendered animal fats.