Picanha: the Brazilian Way to BBQ

What’s the formula for the perfect Picanha?

Some could say that a balanced seasoning blend it’s the secret. We from CooKing say, that meat and cooking method makes the difference. A well-prepared Picanha is one of the most rewarding meals, both for the stomach and for the spirit of those who want to take the challenge of bringing to the table a sirloin cap worthy of the Brazilian tradition. This highly prized cut of meat, which is getting every day more appreciated between the EU-Churrasco lovers, has as its protagonist the external fat. One of the parameters to define the success of a Picanha is in fact the crunchiness of the adipose layer when the cooking is done. We at CooKing have already unsheathed the swords... the ones for the grill of course!

What we used:

Weber Q1400 with rostisserie, but basically a grill and a Rostisserie is all what you need for.

Trimm out the excess fat, in order to give a nice and smooth shape to the Sirloin cap.

Cut the sirloin cap perpendicularly to the meat fibers in 6 to 10 cm thick slices.

Fold the slices with care, leaving the fat outside and piercing them into the skewer or sword.

Season the meat with Maldon salt flakes, or alternatively, with coarse Kosher salt.

Stabilize the grilling device between 180°C and 200°C and place the skewer or the sword on the rotating support between 30 and 40 cm from the heat source.

Wait for the formation of a crispy and flavored Bark, then remove the skewer/sword from the heat source and bring the skewer/sword to the table.

Cut in thin slices until you can see the raw or undercooked part, then bring the skewer/sword back to the grilling device and repeat steps 5, 6, 7 and 8.