This authentic picanha roast recipe (sirloin cap) is cooked in the oven using just 3 simple ingredients. The result is a tender and juicy cut of beef with a crispy and golden brown cap of fat that melts in the mouth. Serve with these yuca fries! It’ll save you a trip (and money) to the best Brazilian steakhouses. Watch our quick VIDEO!
Let’s talk picanha! 🙂
You may be asking yourself: “But what is it?”
I promise you will love it, especially when you find out that it is the most popular cut of meat in Brazilian cuisine.
And yes, you can buy it in America, saving big bucks to your trips to Brazilian steakhouses.
Also known as top sirloin cap or rump cap, picanha is one of those tender cuts of beef that can be either roasted or grilled easily.
In other words, it’s the queen of cuts in Brazil, including in Rio, and the most commonly served in Brazilian churrascarias all over the world. I say the queen because picanha is feminine (a she) in Portuguese. 😉
And today is your day: This Brazilian is teaching you how to make the best picanha roast of your life… the same way we cook in Brazil!
Ready?
What is picanha?
Picanha (pronounced “pee-KAHN-ya”) is a popular Brazilian cut of beef taken from the top of the rump which is close to the tail. It has a triangular shape surrounded by a thick layer of fat called ‘fat cap’. Because the muscle is not overused, this cut is tender and contains an amazing flavor when cooked.
You might know picanha in English by other names such as top sirloin cap, rump cap, rump cover, sirloin cap, or culotte steak. But the term ‘picanha’ comes from the word “picana”, which was a pole used by ranchers in the southern parts of Portugal and Spain for herding cattle.
Brazilian steakhouses usually grill it on long skewers over open flames but you can cut the steak into portions for smaller skewers. Alternatively, you can cut picanha into thick slices, season with only coarse salt, and then grill with the fat layer facing up until most of it melts away, and the remaining fat becomes crispy. But traditionally coarse salt is the only ingredient used to cook picanha.
Brazilian home cooks also enjoy making roasted picanha in the oven using coarse salt and olive oil. Any additional ingredients such as spices and herbs are not often part of the recipe although you can add to yours. You can also make smoked picanha roast!
Of course, you can use other cooking methods to cook picanha such as sous vide, stovetop, the slow cooker or pressure cooker although they are not traditional methods for this cut in Brazil.
What to Look for When Buying Picanha
When buying picanha, there are 5 things to look for:
- Size – smaller cuts weighing around 1 kg to 1.5 kg (2.2 to 3.3 lbs) are the best. Why? Larger cuts might contain parts of tough cuts that run below the rump.
- Fat content – the cut comes surrounded by a good cap of fat (about 1.5cm or 6 inches) that should be firm and have a white/cream color. The fat makes the meat more flavorful and will keep it moist while cooking.
- Excess liquid – if there is too much liquid in the package that is a sign the picanha roast is old, has been kept at the incorrect temperature, or it was previously frozen.
- Color – as in every cut of beef, it must be bright red.
- Smell – not putrid odor.
If compared to ribeye, it is less expensive. If not offered at the meat aisle of your supermarket, ask for a top sirloin cap or rump cap to the butcher.
By the way, a good butcher will never confuse tri-tip or sirloin steaks with picanha.
You don’t need to buy the Japanese Wagyu picanha to eat tender and flavorful meat. But if you do, enjoy every piece be it will be more costly than a regular picanha.
Ingredients for Picanha Roast
- Picanha roast – look for the whole picanha also know as picanha roast, not picanha steaks. The cut must weight about 1 to 1.5 kg (2.2 to 3.3 lbs).
- Coarse salt – It will season the meat and penetrate its fibers and fat while cooking. It will most melt under the heat.
- Oilve oil – it will give the picanha a beautiful suntan and help the coarse salt to adhere to the surface of the meat.
You can add spices and herbs but it won’t be one of those authentic Brazilian recipes anymore.
How to make picanha roast (Sirloin Cap)
- To cook this picanha roast in the oven, let the meat rest at room temp for one hour so it will cook more evenly. Lightly trim off any visible skin or membrane from the bottom or sides.
- Preheat the oven to 390° F (220° C).
- Then, place the cut, fat side down, onto a rack of a roasting pan. SEE PIC. 1 Pat dry well with paper towel, brush with olive oil, and season generously with coarse salt. SEE PICS. 2, 3, & 4 Flip the meat and repeat the process.
- Pour just enough water in the bottom of the roasting pan to cover the bottom. SEE PIC. 5 It will prevent burning while the fat is dripping during the roasting process.
- With the fat of the beef picanha facing side up, roast the picanha for about 60-70 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the center (thickest part of the meat) reaches an internal temp of 130°-140° F (54°- 60° C). SEE PIC. 6
- Let the picanha roast rest for 15-20 minutes. Tap the top with the flat part of a knife blade to remove excess salt. SEE PIC. 7 Last, slice it against the grain and serve with lime wedges or your favorite sauce such as chimichurri sauce. SEE PIC. 8
NOTE: After roasting the picanha roast, you can still brown and crisp up the fat cap even more by broiling it for 5-8 minutes. Make sure to position the top of the picanha about 8-10 inches away from the oven broiler. If you intend to remove the fat right before eating, don’t bother to broil it.
WATCH OUR QUICK VIDEO!
Score or not score the fat cap of the picanha
As you can see in our video, I did NOT score the fat cap of my beef picanha roast. Why? Because most Brazilians enjoy the fat cap thick and soft that melts in the mouth when cooked.
If you score the fat cap, yes the meat itself will be more flavorful because the fat will melt while cooking and reach the meat under it. But it will also produce a thin fat cap, resulting in a leaner dish.
It really depends on your preference. There isn’t a wrong way!
Sear or not sear the picanha roast
I did NOT sear mine before roasting. Why? Because I didn’t need to! The main purpose of searing is to give the meat a beautiful brown exterior.
I brushed my picanha roast with olive oil which will give the meat a nice ‘suntan’ when roasting while helping the salt to stick to the surface.
But if you would like the fat cap to be crispier, then go ahead and sear it before roasting. For this, score the fat cap slightly and then rub it in with coarse salt (no oil needed). Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat and sear the fat side down for a couple of minutes. Then, flip the meat and sear the underside for 1 minute more. Transfer to the oven and follow our recipe to roast it.
How to cut picanha into steaks for grilling
- You can grill the picanha instead of roasting.
- To start, score the fat and cut the whole picanha cut into steaks first.
- Place the fat side down and cut with the grain or in the same direction of the fibers instead of against the grain. Yes, this is what you should do when the meat is still raw but NOT after cooking.
- The steaks will be long and once bent or folded to a C shape, you can insert them onto skewers to grill.
How to cook picanha steaks
You can either cook the steaks on the stovetop or grill them.
STOVETOP: Place steaks seasoned with coarse salt in a cast-iron skillet on high heat, fat side down, to render the fat and crisp up once seared.
Then, flip and sear on both sides until a golden crust forms. Next, turn the heat to medium and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until medium-rare.
GRILLING: Clean and preheat your outdoor grill. Rub the grill with fat (either from the meat or olive oil) so the meat won’t stick. Position the picanha steaks in a circular motion on the outer edges of the grill to be further from the blazing heat; otherwise, they won’t cook evenly.
Close the hood and cook the steaks at 250°F (120°C) for about 6 minutes. Then flip and transfer them to the center of the grill and sear on both sides.
Make sure to check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. It must register 54°-60 °C (130°-140° F) for medium-rare.
Traditional Brazilian grilled picanha steak
The traditional Brazilian churrasco or barbecue prepares picanha by slicing the whole picanha into about 4 thick steaks, placing it onto long metal skewers in a C shape, seasoning with coarse salt, and grilling over open flames in a rotisserie or on a charcoal grill or churrasqueira.
The picanha steak is then served and carved according to order. Some people prefer rare or medium-rare pieces (the center) while others medium-well to well-done (the tips).
The reason why picanha is seasoned only with coarse salt, instead of a bunch of spices and herbs, is because Brazilians enjoy to taste the beef itself with no masquerade flavors. The picanha cut has already a great beef flavor and is tender. It is one of those things that ‘simple is really better’.
However, many Brazilian steakhouses in the United States season their picanha with garlic, spices, and/or herbs to please their American clients.
For those from Rio Grande do Sul, the Mecca of Brazilian barbecue, over seasoning picanha can be classified as a great offense – just like cutting cooked pasta is for Italians.
What to serve with picanha roast (Sirloin Cap)
Some favorite Brazilian sides to serve with are:
- Farofa
- Brazilian cheese bread
- Pan fried collard greens
- Creamy polenta
- White rice
- Black beans
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months. It is one of those easy freezer recipes!
Thaw in the fridge and reheat well.
To reheat, place the steak(s) in a deep microwave-safe dish and preferably pour over a little bit of water or a steak sauce. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and microwave it on medium heat for 30-second periods, turning the steak in between. Just reheat them until hot. Don’t go overboard!
Have in mind the picanha won’t be medium-rare anymore.
Other Beef recipes:
- Beef Brisket
- Corned Beef
- Beef Oxtail
- Beef Stroganoff
- Brazilian Beef Stew
- Skirt Steak
PIN & ENJOY!
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Post first published on March 23, 2012.
