David Theiss shares a recipe for churrasco Picanha.
Here’s a treat you might want to try if you love to barbecue! The Picanha (pronounced pi-kan-yah) is the prize steak of Brazilian steakhouses. This hard-to-find cut goes by many names like Sirloin Cap, Rump Cap, or Coulotte Steak and has recently become popular in the USA.
You can’t typically find them at a grocery store — but your local butcher will have them. This beef steak is the top of the rump, fortified with all the flavor of sirloin steaks and has great marbling and a fat cap that assures deep rich flavor. It’s impressive in flavor but is relatively cheaper than other cuts of steak. This economical cut is helpful in these times of price increases in the meat industry. In the last month we saw astronomical price increases that almost met last year’s prices. For now prices have stabilized but are still 40-50% higher than normal. We are hoping for a downward trend in a month or so. In the meantime, give this delicious and economical steak a try!
Traditional Brazilian barbecues, known as “churrasco '' prepare the Picanha by slicing, skewering, then barbecuing. First, have your local butcher cut the Picanha into steaks about 1 inch thick. Next you will fold your steaks into “C” shapes and skewer the bottom through the top. You can put several steaks on one skewer if you have enough room. When cooking in this style, the fat capl is left intact. It may be thicker than you would normally see, but it adds to the flavor.
At a traditional Braziallian Barbecue, the seasoned skewers are cooked over a charcoal cooker, known as churrasqueira, for about 15-20 minutes and turned two or three times to ensure even cooking and then carved to order. Here I offer a great recipe to try at home with your grill!
Picanha
6 Picanha 1-inch thick
Olive oil
Coarse sea salt
Ground pepper
Lime juice
Preheat the grill then season your steaks. For traditional Picanha, season with a generous amount of coarse salt and olive oil, ground pepper and fresh lime juice. Once the grill is hot, sear the Picanha, turn in about three minutes, and sear the other side. I like grill marks so turn over and a ¼ turn to the right and continue cooking for about 5 to 9 minutes. Turning 4 times altogether, Picanha is best served medium, so internal temp should be no more than 130 degrees. Pull and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing thin and serving. Seasoning after it is cooked and sliced is also proper, so have the salt and pepper on the table.
Share with friends and enjoy!
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