Picanha or sirloin cap is one of my favorite cuts of beef, and this preparation is one of my all-time favorite steak recipes. Sirloin cap is not a very popular cut in the USA, but once you try this recipe it will be one of your favorites.
Picanha can be cooked in a number of ways, but I find this 6-minute hot and fast method to be the easiest and quickest preparation, without sacrificing any delicious flavor.
Picanaha is a traditional Brazilian dish that is cooked on a skewer on a rotisserie over a charcoal grill. There is no question that this method will produce a delicious piece of meat, but not many people have a rotisserie or want to deal with the hassle of charcoal. My method below is much simpler and delivers a similar authentic taste to the traditional Brazilian picanha. Using a pellet grill to cook the picanha will give you the ability to cook the picanha hot and fast to render the fat, but also impart a delicious smokiness to the meat.
Picanha steak is also delicious when smoked. A smoked picanha steak is a bit more involved and requires smoking the entire sirloin cap roast. Read my article on how to smoke picanha if you would like to try a different, but equally delicious flavor profile for this cut of beef.
Ingredients
There is no marinade or fancy rub for this recipe. This cut of meat is so flavorful it needs nothing more than some salt and pepper. As always I recommend that you use coarse salt and fresh ground coarse pepper if possible.
3-5 pound Picanha Roast – also known as a Sirloin Cap
3 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
3 tablespoons fresh ground black pepper
How to Make the Best Grilled Picanha
Preheat your pellet grill
Preheat your pellet grill to 500 degrees F. Let it warm for at least 15 minutes to get the grill grates as hot as possible. I like to use a strong-flavored hardwood pellet like oak or mesquite when I am cooking picanha.
Combine the Seasoning
Mix equal parts coarse salt and fresh ground pepper together in a small bowl or shaker. If possible you should always use fresh ground pepper, and this recipe is no exception. Fresh ground pepper goes very well with the fattiness of this cut of beef.
I have a cheap coffee grinder that I only use to grind peppercorns. It only costs a few bucks and takes seconds.
Prep the Meat
Take your picanha out of the package and pat it dry. It’s best to do this as soon as you take the sirloin cap roast out of the refrigerator. Beef is much easier to trim and slice when it is cold. As it warms up the fat softens and it will become very slippery to handle.
You will notice a large fat cap on one side of the meat. This fat will feel hard, but it will render down when cooking on high heat. Depending on your taste you can use a sharp knife to trim this if you like, but it is not necessary. I like a bit of fat on my steak so I usually leave the entire cap or only trim a very small amount off so there is about 1/2 to 3/4 of fat cap left on the steak.
Turn the steak over and put the fat side down. Trim any excess silver skin or pieces of fat. I like to have this side pretty clean.
Identify which way the grain is going on the steak. Cut the roast into one-inch steaks with the grain. This is important. Cut the steak with the grain than when you are serving you will be slicing each steak against the grain. Depending on the size of your picanha you will be able to cut 6-10 steaks. You can also ask your local butcher to slice the roast for you; they are usually happy to help.
Season the Picanha Steaks
Lay out your steaks on a baking tray and generously season one side with salt and pepper. If you like you can try your favorite beef rub, but you should try only salt and pepper just once. Im not lying, this simple preparation will be one of the most flavorful steaks you have ever tried.
Grill the Picanha Steaks
Place each steak on the grill with the seasoned side on the hot grill and close the lid to lock in the heat and smoke. You want to cook these on high heat. The heat helps the fat render for a bigger beefy flavor. The cook time on high heat will be very quick, so don’t go anywhere.
Grill for 3 minutes on the first side. Since the grill is so hot you will get a great sear on the steak. When the first side is cooking season the uncooked side (the side that is facing up) with salt and pepper.
Flip the steaks and grill for another 3 minutes. Six minutes is all they will need on a hot grill. You should have some nice dark sear marks on the steaks as well. You will notice the steaks will shrink a bit when cooking. If it looks like the shrunk a lot, you overcooked the meat.
Check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer to ensure the steak is cooked to your desired doneness. Typically I like to serve picanha at medium rare which is 125-130 degrees.
The picanha will continue to cook when you take it off the pellet grill and the internal temperature will rise 3-5 degrees while it rests.
After your steak is cooked, take it off the grill and let it rest on a plate covered with tin foil. This lets the muscle fibers relax and the juices distribute evenly back throughout the entire cut of meat. It will be tough but you should wait 10 minutes before slicing into the picanha. The rest is very important, so don’t skip it. Enjoy one of the most tender, flavorful steaks on planet earth.
Where to buy Picanha?
Picanha may be difficult to find in your local grocery store. More than likely it will be labeled sirloin cap, sirloin cap roast, or top sirloin cap roast. If you cannot find the cut in your grocery store you will need to head to your local butcher. If you do not see it labeled in the case you will need to ask the butcher, and they will know what you are asking for. You should specify that you want the fat cap left on, as that is a big source of the delicious picanha flavor.
You can also order picanha online from Snake River Farms or other online vendors. These options may be a bit pricier as Snake River Farms only carries expensive grades of beef like wagyu beef.
How to pick the best Picanha
If you have a choice of many different roasts at your grocery store here are a few tips to pick out the best sirloin cap to give you the most delicious picanha steaks.
Ensure the fat cap is still attached. Sometimes during butchering, a part of all of the fat cap will be removed. Looks for a roast that has the entire fat cap intact.
Look for a thick roast. The thicker it is the bigger the steaks will be.
Look for a wide roast. The roast will be wide at one and then come to a point at the other end. The wider the roast, the bigger the steaks you will get
Watch out for cuts or slices on the underside of the steak. Sometimes during butchering the underside (without the fat cap) will inadvertently get sliced, this will ruin one or two of the steak that you cut.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s simple, don’t overcook it. Use kosher salt and pepper and grill them on a hot pellet grill. On a hot grill, the 1″ steaks will only need a few minutes on each side. There is no reason to flip the steak multiple times. Grill on one side for three minutes and then flip and grill for another 3 minutes.
As hot as possible. 450-500 degrees is hot enough to get a good sear and render the fat cap for a delicious juicy steak.
You want to use coarse and flaky salt. I recommend you use coarse kosher salt, coarse sea salt, or Maldon salt.
Yes, definitely. Leave the fat cap on the steak. The fat is a source of flavor and is a part of the delicious flavor of this particular cut.
In the US, picanha is also known as a sirloin cap or rump cap. In Brazil, it is known as picanha or couloutte.
Yes, when compared to other prized cuts of steak, like ribeye or filet mignon picanha is cheap. It is typically half the price of a ribeye. The average price for picanha is $6-8 per pound. Ribeye and filet mignon average $15-20 per pound.
Yes, picanha is a very tender cut of beef. It is equally as buttery as a ribeye steak.
Grilled Picanha
Equipment
- 1 Pellet Grill
Ingredients
- 1 Picanha roast (sirloin cap roast)
- 3 tbsp coarse salt
- 3 tbsp coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your pellet grill to 500 degrees F.
- Pat the sirloin roast dry and trim the fat cap to you liking
- Cut the roast into 1" thick steak (with the grain)
- Season the individual steaks with salt and pepper
- Place the steaks directly on the grill grates.
- Grill for 3 minutes then flip the steaks and grill for another 3 minutes
- Check the temperature of the steaks with an instant-read thermometer. If the steak is at 125-135 degrees they are done and can be taken off the grill.
- Let the steaks rest for 10 minutes before serving.