Ingredients
Beef
- 1whole picanha, rump cap, about 1.2 kg, fat cap intact
Seasoning
- coarse rock salt, sal grosso
Equipment
- long flat skewers
- hardwood charcoal
To serve
- farofa
- vinagrete
- pão de alho
- rice and beans
Optional
- chimichurri, though Brazilians generally do not
Directions
- Trim the fat cap down to about 1 cm if it is very thick, but no thinner. That fat renders down through the meat as it cooks and bastes it continuously, and a trimmed picanha is a dry one.
- Score the fat in a criss-cross diamond pattern, cutting through the fat but not into the meat. Scoring lets the fat render out and stops the cap contracting and curling the whole piece as it heats.
- Salt it generously all over, especially the fat, about 20 minutes before cooking.
- Cut the picanha into thick steaks about 3 to 4 cm wide, cutting with the grain rather than against it. Never cook over flames.
- Start with the fat side facing the coals for 5 to 8 minutes, letting it render and crisp. It drips, seasons the fire and starts the whole thing, and a picanha cooked meat-side first has soft fat and no crackle.
- Use a thermometer: 52°C (125°F) for rare, 57°C (135°F) for medium rare, which is where picanha is best. Do not take it past medium.
- Rest it 10 minutes off the heat before slicing. Serve with farofa, vinagrete and rice and beans, and eat the fat with the meat.
Technique
- Ask a butcher for the rump cap, coulotte or top sirloin cap, which are the same muscle.
- It can be roasted whole, fat side up, at 200°C for about 30 minutes with equally good results.
- The fat is eaten and not cut off at the table.
Substitutions
- Top sirloin cap or coulotte, which are the same cut under other names.
- A hot cast-iron pan if there is no fire, starting fat side down.
Variations
- Roasted whole in the oven.
- Cut into steaks and grilled flat rather than skewered.
- Picanha na chapa, sliced and finished on a hot plate.
History
Brazil’s prized cut, folded onto a skewer with the fat outward; rodizio steakhouses carried it around the world in the 20th century.
Frequently asked questions
What is Picanha?
Picanha is a main from Brazil: rump cap grilled with the fat cap on, sliced thick at churrascarias. Brazil’s prized cut, folded onto a skewer with the fat outward; rodizio steakhouses carried it around the world in the 20th century.
How long does Picanha take to make?
Picanha takes 15 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Picanha?
Yes, within limits. Top sirloin cap or coulotte, which are the same cut under other names. A hot cast-iron pan if there is no fire, starting fat side down.
What is the most important thing to get right in Picanha?
Score the fat in a criss-cross diamond pattern, cutting through the fat but not into the meat. Scoring lets the fat render out and stops the cap contracting and curling the whole piece as it heats.
