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Picanha Steak: How to Cut, Season and Grill It
Picanha steak is the star of the Brazilian steakhouse: a tender, beefy cut with a thick cap of fat that bastes the meat as it grills. At home it’s surprisingly simple. Cut the whole picanha into thick steaks with the grain, season them with nothing but coarse salt, grill them fat-side out until the fat is crisp and golden, then slice thin against the grain. This picanha recipe shows you how to buy, cut, season and grill it, with an oven option and a quick chimichurri to serve alongside.
Below you’ll find what picanha is, the ingredients, how to cut it, step-by-step grilling instructions, a doneness chart, tips, variations and storage. The printable recipe card is at the bottom.
What Is Picanha Steak?
Picanha (pee-KAHN-yah) is the Brazilian name for the top sirloin cap, a triangle-shaped muscle that sits on top of the top sirloin, near the rump. In US stores and butcher shops you may see it labeled sirloin cap, coulotte, rump cap or “culotte steak.” What makes it special is the fat cap, a layer about ¼ to ½ inch thick on one side. Brazilian cooks leave it on, because it renders, crisps and keeps the lean meat juicy.
- Size: a whole picanha usually weighs 2 to 3 lb (900 g to 1.4 kg). One feeds about 6 people.
- What to look for: an even, white fat cap of about ½ inch, and good marbling in the meat. Ask the butcher not to trim the fat.
- Where to buy: butcher shops, Latin American markets, warehouse clubs and some supermarkets. If you only see “top sirloin,” ask for the cap.
Why You’ll Love This Picanha Recipe
- Steakhouse flavor, one ingredient. Coarse salt and good beef are all you need; the fat does the rest.
- Feeds a crowd. One whole picanha makes a weekend cookout for 6.
- Tender and affordable. It’s usually cheaper than ribeye or strip, with a rich, beefy flavor.
Ingredients for Picanha
- Whole picanha (top sirloin cap), 2½ lb (1.1 kg), with the fat cap on.
- Coarse salt, about 2½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (1 teaspoon per pound) or coarse sea salt. In Brazil, rock salt (sal grosso) is traditional.
- Black pepper, optional (traditionally left out).
Quick chimichurri (optional)
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, 3 garlic cloves (minced), 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, ½ cup olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt.
Equipment You Need
- A gas or charcoal grill set up with a hot side and a cooler side. (No grill? See the oven method below.)
- A sharp boning or chef’s knife and a large cutting board.
- Metal skewers, optional, for the traditional C-shaped steaks.
- An instant-read thermometer.
- Long tongs.
How to Cut a Picanha Steak
A picanha steak is cut twice: once before grilling and once before serving, in two different directions.
- Find the grain. Look at the meat side: the muscle fibers run in lines along the length of the triangle.
- Cut into steaks with the grain. Slice the picanha into 3 or 4 steaks about 1½ to 2 inches (4 to 5 cm) thick, cutting parallel to the fibers. Each steak has a strip of fat along one edge.
- Score the fat. Lightly cut a shallow crosshatch into the fat cap, about ¼ inch deep, without cutting into the meat. This helps the fat render and the salt get in.
- After grilling, slice against the grain. Turn each steak and slice it thin, across the fibers, so every bite is tender.
How to Make Picanha (Step by Step)
1. Salt ahead
Pat the steaks dry and rub the salt all over, especially on the fat. If you have time, set them on a rack in the fridge, uncovered, for 1 hour or up to overnight; the salt seasons the meat more deeply. Otherwise, salt them right before grilling.
2. Set up the grill
Heat the grill for two-zone cooking: high heat on one side (about 450°F to 500°F) and low or no heat on the other. On a charcoal grill, pile the coals on one side.
3. Shape (optional)
For the classic churrasco look, bend each steak into a C shape with the fat on the outside and push a skewer through to hold it. Or simply grill the steaks flat.
4. Render the fat
Place the steaks fat side down over the cooler side, or at the edge of the hot side, for 4 to 6 minutes, until the fat starts turning golden. Watch for flare-ups; move the meat away from big flames.
5. Sear
Move the steaks to the hot side and sear each meat side for 2 to 3 minutes, until well browned.
6. Finish on the cooler side
Move them back to the cooler side, close the lid, and cook until the thickest part is about 5°F below your target (see the chart), usually 6 to 12 minutes more. Turn them once.
7. Rest and slice
Rest the steaks on a board for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice them thin against the grain, sprinkle with a little more salt, and serve with chimichurri.
Picanha Doneness Temperature Chart
| Doneness | Take off the heat at | After resting |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 115°F to 120°F (46°C to 49°C) | about 125°F (52°C) |
| Medium-rare | 125°F to 130°F (52°C to 54°C) | about 135°F (57°C) |
| Medium | 135°F to 140°F (57°C to 60°C) | about 145°F (63°C) |
| Medium-well | 145°F to 150°F (63°C to 66°C) | about 155°F (68°C) |
Picanha steak is at its best at medium-rare to medium. The USDA recommends cooking whole beef steaks and roasts to at least 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest, per the FoodSafety.gov safe minimum temperature chart. Rare and medium-rare are below that guideline, so cook to at least medium for anyone pregnant, very young, older or with a weakened immune system.
Oven Method (No Grill)
Heat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Salt the whole picanha, score the fat, and set it fat side up on a rack over a sheet pan. Roast until the center reaches about 115°F to 120°F (46°C to 49°C), about 60 to 80 minutes. Then sear it in a very hot cast iron skillet, starting fat side down for 3 to 4 minutes to crisp the fat, then 1 to 2 minutes per side. This “reverse sear” gives an even pink center. Rest, then slice thin against the grain.
Tips for the Best Picanha
- Keep the fat cap. Trim it to about ½ inch if it’s thicker, but don’t remove it. It’s the whole point.
- Coarse salt only. Fine table salt makes it too salty very quickly. Use kosher or coarse sea salt.
- Manage flare-ups. Rendering fat drips and flames up. Keep a cooler zone ready and don’t walk away.
- Use a thermometer. Thick picanha steaks can look done outside long before the center is ready.
- Slice thin and against the grain. This is the difference between tender and chewy picanha.
Easy Variations and Substitutions
- Garlic picanha: rub the steaks with 3 cloves of grated garlic mixed with a tablespoon of olive oil before grilling.
- Spice rub: season with our homemade steak seasoning instead of plain salt.
- Whole on the grill: cook the picanha whole over indirect heat until 115°F to 120°F, then sear it over direct heat, fat side first.
- In a cast iron pan: sear individual picanha steaks the way we do in our cast iron skillet steak, starting fat side down.
- Other cuts: if you can’t find picanha, try bavette steak or Denver steak, both great on the grill.
What to Serve With Picanha
- Chimichurri or a fresh tomato-onion salsa (vinagrete)
- White rice and black beans
- Farofa (toasted cassava flour) or garlic bread
- Grilled vegetables, potato salad or a green salad
- Grilled pineapple dusted with cinnamon
Planning a full cookout? Add our smoked chicken breast or browse all our steak recipes.
How to Store, Freeze and Reheat
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze cooked picanha, wrapped well, for 2 to 3 months for best quality.
- Reheat slices gently: warm them in a 250°F (120°C) oven, then sear quickly in a hot skillet. Or eat them cold in sandwiches and salads.
- Raw picanha keeps 3 to 5 days in the fridge or 4 to 12 months frozen.
These times follow the FoodSafety.gov cold food storage chart.
Picanha FAQs
What is picanha called in the US?
Top sirloin cap. You may also see it labeled sirloin cap, coulotte, culotte or rump cap.
Should I cut picanha with or against the grain?
Both, at different times: cut it into steaks with the grain before cooking, then slice the cooked steaks thin against the grain to serve.
Do you remove the fat from picanha?
No. Leave about ½ inch of fat on and score it. It renders as it cooks and keeps the meat juicy.
How long do you grill picanha?
About 15 to 20 minutes for 1½- to 2-inch steaks: 4 to 6 minutes rendering the fat, 2 to 3 minutes searing each side, then 6 to 12 minutes on the cooler side. Go by temperature.
Is picanha a tender cut?
Yes, when it’s cooked to medium-rare or medium and sliced thin against the grain.
Picanha Recipe Card
Calories are an estimate per serving (1/6 of a 2½ lb picanha, about 6½ oz raw) based on USDA FoodData Central values for top sirloin cap steak (lean and fat). Picanha’s thicker fat cap adds more if you eat all of it. Chimichurri is not included.
Grilled Picanha Steak
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cut the picanha with the grain into 3 or 4 steaks, 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. Score the fat in a shallow crosshatch without cutting the meat.
- Pat dry and rub all over with the salt. Refrigerate uncovered on a rack for 1 hour or up to overnight if you have time.
- Heat the grill for two-zone cooking: one side high (450°F to 500°F), one side low or off. Mix the chimichurri ingredients and set aside.
- Optional: bend each steak into a C shape with the fat outside and skewer it. Grill fat side down at the edge of the heat for 4 to 6 minutes, until golden, moving away from flare-ups.
- Sear each meat side over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then move to the cooler side, close the lid and cook to 125°F to 130°F for medium-rare (6 to 12 minutes), turning once.
- Rest 5 to 10 minutes, slice thin against the grain, sprinkle with a little salt, and serve with chimichurri.
