3 Ways to Prepare Picanha at Home

Whether you’re a professional chef, expert home cook, or amateur, nothing beats the joy of discovering new and exciting food preparation techniques and recipes from various regions across the globe.

Picanha is just one of these delightful finds. It is the top sirloin cap and Brazilian steak specialty of a churrascaria, or Brazilian steakhouse. You should serve this dish sliced straight off a skewer or grilled.

What Is Picanha?

This inexpensive cut of meat, also known as culottes or rump cap in the US, is not that common in supermarkets. But if you’re lucky enough to find a butcher who has it, you’re in for a real treat.

Traditionally, Brazilians grill picanha on long skewers. Still, for the amateur or home cook, it is a lot easier to cut the steak into portions for grilling on smaller bamboo skewers.

Read on to learn how to prepare the famous Brazilian picanha in the comfort of your home.

What to Look for When Choosing Your Picanha

When choosing your picanha, always go for a smaller cut to ensure optimal cooking. Your piece should weigh 2-2½ lbs at the most to concentrate that beefy flavor.

You’ll need an expert butcher to cut it for you, but most butchers will also advise you on how to cook picanha at home. The picanha cut is triangular and weighs not more than 2½ lbs, with a pronounced layer of fat on one side, which adds more flavor to the meat.

Preparing Picanha Brazil

Ingredients

  • 2-2½ lbs. of picanha (sirloin cap)
  • 1/8 cup kosher salt (approximately one tsp. per pound meat)
  • 1/4 cup fresh-cracked black pepper (approximately ½ tsp. per pound meat)

Prep

  • If your steak was refrigerated, bring it up to room temperature about one hour before the cooking time
  • Score through the fat layer with a sharp knife, just like you would on pork belly or ham, and pat the meat dry using  kitchen paper
  • Rub rock salt or sea salt and black pepper (if desired) into the meat and fat layer
  • For extra spice, you could also use a specialty rub of your choice, but the traditional Brazilian steak recipe does not require more than salt and pepper, as this cut is full of flavor 
  • Slice the meat lengthwise into three equal pieces
  • Roll each steak like a jelly-roll and secure the rolled-up steak onto a metal skewer
  • Rest the meat for approximately 15-20 minutes at room temperature before cooking

Picanha in Brazil is traditionally flame-grilled. However, we’ve explored three ways to prepare picanha steak at home that are just as delicious.

1.       How to Grill Top Sirloin on a Barbecue Grill

  • Preheat your grill for ten minutes to 120˚F
  • Rub some fat from the picanha onto the grill to make it non-stick
  • Place your meat onto the grill fat side down and cook for five minutes each side
  • When the internal temperature of the meat reaches 128-130 ˚F on an instant thermometer (medium-rare), remove the picanha meat from the heat and rest it for five minutes before carving and serving

2.       Smoked Picanha

  • Preheat your smoker to 225˚F
  • Place the seasoned picanha into the smoker fat side up
  • Combine apple cider vinegar and water in a spray bottle and smoke the picanha, spritzing the meat every 20 minutes for five times
  • Smoke the sirloin cap for approximately 2-3 hours until it reaches an internal temperature of 128-130˚F
  • Wrap the meat tightly in butcher paper or aluminum foil and rest for 30-45 minutes
  • Carve against the grain and serve

3.       Picanha Roast

  • Preheat a fan oven to 250˚F
  • In a mixing bowl, prepare your dry rub of choice and mix well. Popular spices for this cut of meat include cayenne, paprika, mustard, chili powder, dry thyme, and rosemary, which you’ll add to salt and freshly- ground pepper
  • Form into a wet rub by adding olive oil
  • Spread the wet rub over the meat, and, if you have the time, refrigerate it for 1-2 hours
  • Add the picanha to a cast iron pan fat side down and cook for 20 minutes on medium heat
  • Flip it over and cook for a further two minutes
  • Transfer into a roasting pan with a rack and anoint the meat with the sauce from the frying pan
  • Roast for one hour
  • When done, rest the meat for 15-20 minutes

Key Takeaways

  • When ready, the beef should be tender and deliciously juicy
  • Remember to rest the meat for five minutes on the skewer before carving to allow the juices to redistribute
  • Always slice against the grain for a tender cut and serve

Picanha is a famous steak cut in Brazil that is delicious and easy to prepare at home. You’ll wow family and friends with this quick picanha recipe that guarantees a luxurious steak experience for summer barbecues or casual dinners.

Place your order for picanha meat and other premium meat cuts today. Also, click here for more delicious signature recipes from Porter & York.