Picanha Steak is a staple in Brazilian steakhouses. Also known as sirloin cap, it’s tender, juicy, flavorful and makes an impressive company meal. Serve it up with a side of Chimichurri to take your steak night to the next level.
Steak nights are always special, whether you fire up the grill for a Flank Steak or Churrasco, or you whip out the cast iron for a restaurant quality Ribeye. But grilled picanha is almost next-level, not just for its great taste but also its cool looking presentation.
What is Picanha?
Picanha is a prized cut of beef that’s incredibly popular in Brazil, especially in churrascarias (Brazilian steakhouses). This triangular-shaped cut comes from the rump cap or sirloin cap of the cow, and is highly regarded for its juicy, beefy flavor and tender texture.
One of the defining characteristics of picanha is its fat cap, which enhances the meat’s flavor and juiciness as it cooks. Traditional Brazilian steakhouses skewer thick slices of picanha into a “C” shape and cook them over an open flame or rotisserie, seasoning simply with coarse salt to let the beef shine. The result? A beautifully charred exterior with a perfectly pink, buttery interior.
We were able to find it at a nearby supermarket labeled as “top sirloin cap”. If you’re not lucky enough to find it that easily, check your local butcher shops. They may need to cut it specially for you, but it’s well worth the search!
Ingredients Needed
- Picanha steak – The star. Look for a cut with a nice thick fat cap, and don’t even think of cutting it off.
- Coarse salt – I like to keep the seasoning simple here. Go with a nice flaky Kosher or sea salt.
- Chimichurri – While not technically part of the recipe, you’ll definitely want this on the side for that authentic Brazilian steakhouse experience. Grocery stores typically sell bottled chimichurri sauce, but I recommend homemade for freshness.
How to Cook Picanha Steak
First, I place the steak on a cutting board and slice into 1 inch thick slices. You can go a little thicker, but that will increase the cooking time.
Next, I roll each strip into a C shape with the fat cap on the outside edge and skewer with two metal skewers. They usually use a single flat skewer at churrascarias, but I don’t have any and find two regular skewers to work well. Then, I generously season the steaks with coarse salt.
Once the grill is nice and hot, about 450°F, I place the skewered meat on the grill and cook for 5 minutes with the grill lid closed. Then I flip the steaks and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until the internal temperate reads 130°F as measured with an instant read thermometer for medium rare, which is the doneness I recommend for this cut. For more done steak, flip and continue cooking to 140°F for medium or 150°F for medium well.
Note that due to the grease dripping from the fat cap, picanha is prone to grill flare ups. Stay nearby and move the steak to a different part of the grill if needed.
When they are done cooking, I remove steaks to a platter and rest them for 10 minutes before serving.
Jason’s Tips
- Rest before cooking: As with any steak, you should remove the picanha from the fridge 30 minutes before you begin cooking it to allow it to come to room temperature. This results in more even cooking.
- Keep the seasoning simple: Traditional Brazilian picanha is seasoned only with coarse salt. The salt enhances the beef’s natural flavor without distracting from it.
- Watch for flareups: I said it before, but it’s worth reiterating, picanha can cause flare ups due to the fat (anyone who’s grilled skin-on chicken knows all about this). Keep an eye on things and move the steak to another part of the grill if needed. And keep some grilling utensils and oven mitts handy so you don’t burn yourself.
- Use metal skewers: Flareups and wooden skewers are not a good combination. Always use metal skewers for grilled picanha.
- Slice thinly to serve: Brazilian steakhouses slice picanha thinly off the skewer, so every piece has a mix of tender meat and flavorful fat.
Give this famous Brazilian steak a try, I bet it will become one of your favorites. It certainly is one of mine.
If you cook it, please leave a star rating and comment, we love to hear from you. And be sure to stay in the loop by subscribing to our newsletter or following us on Pinterest.
More great Latin beef dishes:
Chile Colorado
Bistec Encebollado
Pastel de Choclo
Ropa Viejo
Carne Guisada
Palomilla Steak
Birria Tacos
Lomo Saltado
Brazilian Picanha Steak Recipe
Picanha Steak is a staple in Brazilian steakhouses. This grilled picanha recipe is tender, juicy, flavorful and super impressive.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds picanha steak
- Kosher salt or sea salt
- Chimichurri, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat grill over high heat to around 450°F.
- Place the steak on a cutting board and slice into 1 inch thick slices. Roll each strip into a C shape with the fat cap on the outside edge and skewer with either two regular metal skewers or on flat metal skewer. Depending on the thickness of the meat, you should get two or three pieces per skewer. Generously season steaks with coarse salt.
- Place the skewered meat on the grill. Cook for 5 minutes with the grill lid closed. Flip the steaks and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until the internal temperate reads 130°F as measured with an instant read thermometer for medium rare. For more done steak, flip and continue cooking to 140°F for medium or 150°F for medium well. Note that due to the grease dripping from the fat cap, picanha is prone to grill flare ups. Stay nearby and move the steak to a different part of the grill if needed.
- Remove steak to a platter and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Rest before cooking: As with any steak, you should remove the picanha from the fridge 30 minutes before you begin cooking it to allow it to come to room temperature. This results in more even cooking.
- Keep the seasoning simple: Traditional Brazilian picanha is seasoned only with coarse salt. The salt enhances the beef’s natural flavor without distracting from it.
- Watch for flareups: I said it before, but it’s worth reiterating, picanha can cause flare ups due to the fat (anyone who’s grilled skin-on chicken knows all about this). Keep an eye on things and move the steak to another part of the grill if needed. And keep some grilling utensils and oven mitts handy so you don’t burn yourself.
- Use metal skewers: Flareups and wooden skewers are not a good combination. Always use metal skewers for grilled picanha.
- Slice thinly to serve: Brazilian steakhouses slice picanha thinly off the skewer, so every piece has a mix of tender meat and flavorful fat.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 549Total Fat 34gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 2gUnsaturated Fat 18gCholesterol 191mgSodium 351mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 59g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.
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