Grass-Fed Beef · Brazilian
Brazilian Picanha Churrasco
Picanha is the star of every Brazilian churrascaria: the sirloin cap, cut into thick slabs, curved onto skewers with its fat cap and grilled with nothing but coarse salt. Grass-fed picanha has a firm texture and intense flavor, and its fat cap bastes the meat as it renders over the coals.
- Prep15 min
- Cook35 min
- Total50 min
- Servings6
Ingredients
- 1 organic grass-fed picanha (about 1.2–1.5 kg), fat cap on $695
- Coarse sea salt (sal grosso)
- 2 links organic chorizo for the grill (optional) $315
- Vinagrete: 2 tomatoes, 1 small onion and 1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 3 tbsp white vinegar, 4 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, salt
- Farofa, white rice and black beans to serve
Instructions
- Make the vinagrete by mixing the diced vegetables with vinegar, oil, parsley and salt; chill.
- Light a charcoal grill and let it burn to medium-hot embers.
- Score the fat cap in a shallow crosshatch without cutting into the meat. Slice the picanha with the grain into 3–4 steaks about 4 cm thick.
- Curve each steak into a 'C' with the fat on the outside and thread onto long skewers (or grill them flat).
- Rub generously with coarse salt and grill fat side toward the coals first for 8–10 minutes to render, then turn to brown the meat, 15–20 minutes total, to 52–54 °C for medium-rare.
- Grill the chorizo alongside if using.
- Rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain and serve with vinagrete, farofa, rice and beans.
Tips
- Never trim the fat cap—it is the soul of picanha.
- Tap off excess salt before slicing; coarse salt seasons without over-salting.
