Picanha churrasco
Grilled beef rump cap
Churrasco de picanha: rock-salt grilled beef rump cap, gaúcho style
Picanha, the rump cap with its thick white fat layer, is the cut Brazilians prize most at a churrasco. The tradition comes from the gaúchos, the cattle herders of Rio Grande do Sul, and lives on in Sunday family barbecues in the south and in churrascarias across the country, where waiters carry the meat from table to table on long skewers. It is seasoned with nothing but coarse rock salt (sal grosso) and cooked over charcoal with the fat left on, so it bastes the meat. You can fold thick steaks into a C shape on skewers, as in the churrascarias, or grill them flat. Chef's tip: before slicing, knock the excess salt off with the back of a knife; the crust keeps just enough.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 ⅝ lb picanha (beef rump cap), fat cap onin one piece, out of the fridge 30 minutes
- lumpwood charcoalfor the barbecue
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Light the lumpwood charcoal and let it burn for 20–25 minutes, until the coals are covered in grey ash and you can hold your hand 10 cm above the grill for only 4–5 seconds: a medium-high heat.
25 minStep 2: Meanwhile, look at the picanha: the grain runs along its length. Cut the 2 ⅝ lb picanha (beef rump cap), fat cap on into 3–4 thick steaks, about 4 cm, cutting with the grain, so that later you can slice each one against it. Don't trim off the fat; lightly score it in a criss-cross pattern instead.
Step 3: For skewers, bend each steak into a C shape with the fat on the outside and push a long skewer through both ends. Or leave the steaks flat for the grill rack.
Step 4: Just before grilling, rub the 3 tbsp coarse rock salt (sal grosso) all over the meat, pressing it into the fat.
1 minStep 5: Grill fat side towards the heat for 6–8 minutes, until the fat is crisp and golden. Move it away from any big flare-ups; dripping fat can catch.
7 minStep 6: Turn and grill the meat sides for 5–7 minutes each, until well browned. Check with a thermometer in the centre: 145°F/145 °F for medium; rarer is a personal choice. The steaks will feel springy when pressed.
14 minStep 7: Lift onto a board and rest for 5–10 minutes, loosely covered with foil, so the juices settle.
8 minStep 8: Tap off the excess salt and slice thinly, about 1 cm, across the grain. Common mistake: slicing along the grain. Even perfectly grilled picanha turns chewy; check the direction of the fibres before you cut. Serve with farofa, vinagrete and rice; with cold beer if you like, or alcohol-free beer or guaraná.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 0 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does picanha churrasco take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
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