How to Cook Picanha
Referred to as Picanha in Brazil and Latin America, this roast is packed with flavor and has a texture similar to a sirloin. There are many ways to cook it, but cutting into individual steaks and grilling is the preferred method.
There are many ways to cook Picanha, these instructions will be focusing on the traditional Brazilian Skewer cooking method, which is similar to rotisserie style cooking. We will also cover how to cook your Picanha in the oven.
For the best flavor, grill using natural charcoal or a low-burning wood fire. Propane works fine too, but charcoal/wood will impart a little more flavor. Prep your grill by rubbing a little of the fat cap on the grates to keep your steaks from sticking.
Ingredients
- 1 Picanha Roast
- Rock salt (preferable) or kosher salt
- Stainless steel kabob skewers
- Prep time
- 5 minutes
- Cook time
- 40 minutes
Instructions
- Thaw: Place Picanha in the refrigerator a full 24 hours before you plan to cook, allowing it to thaw fully.
- Score Picanha fat cap. Take the fat cap on top and score the fat by slicing criss-cross cuts into it. Do your best to not cut into the meat. By scoring the fat, you can prevent your Picanha from shrinking, curling, and disfiguring while it grills. Scoring creates small channels for the fat cap to seep into the Picanha meat
- Preheat and set up the grill for indirect grilling. On gas grills, light half the burners. On charcoal grills, arrange lit coals on one side. Remove thawed Picanha Roast from packaging, pat dry with paper towels, and place on cutting board.
- To Grill using Skewer method #1 (bite-sized skewers). Cut the Picanha in serving size sections against the grain. Pinch each section into a semi-circle, fat side out, and thread them onto a long metal skewer. Pat down the meat with rock salt on all sides. Grill for at least a few minutes on each side until the meat has reached your desired cooking temperature. Let the meat rest before serving thin slices straight off the skewer.
- To Grill using Skewer method #2 (skewered steaks). Cut the Picanha into individual steaks about 1-1.5 inches thick, cutting with the grain of the steak. This way the final cut when you're slicing into the finished steak will be against the grain. Roll the steaks in rock salt. Place Picnaha skewers on the hottest part of the grill with the fat cap up, sear for 1-2 minutes, then flip and repeat, be sure to sear the sides of your steak for 1-2 minutes as well. After searing, move steaks to the indirect heat side of the grill and continue to cook. For rare (125 degrees F), cook for 8-11 minutes, flipping steaks over halfway. For medium-rare (135 degrees F) cook for 9-14 minutes, flipping halfway. Remove from grill, let rest 10 minutes. Cut against the grain and serve.
- To Cook in Oven. Preheat oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with foil, place a baking rack on a foil-lined baking sheet. Preheat a large cast-iron skillet or non-stick pan to medium-high. Remove roast from packaging and pat dry with paper towels. Lay the roast on a cutting board fat cap side up. Using a sharp knife cut the fat layer, without cutting to the meat, in a crosshatch pattern. Season roast generously with salt. Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil to pan, then add the roast, fat cap down to the pan. Sear for 3-5 minutes per side, until a brown crust begins to form. Place roast on the prepared rack on baking sheet. Place in oven on center rack. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes for Rare (125-135°F), 1 hour 15 minutes for Med Rare (135-140°F). Cook longer to your doneness preference. Remove from oven, let rest 10 minutes. Carve against the grain and serve.
