Before you cook
Background Recipe story & origin
Picanha is Brazil's most prized beef cut, the top sirloin cap with its fat cap intact. At churrascarias, it's skewered in a horseshoe shape (to keep the fat on), grilled over coals, then sliced tableside. The fat bastes the meat as it cooks. Garlic rice (arroz com alho) is the traditional accompaniment—simple rice sautéed with plenty of garlic.
Before you start Equipment you'll need
- grill or cast iron — Provides high heat for searing picanha and creating deep brown crust while maintaining even temperature
Safety Safety & allergen notes
- Fat cap flares up; manage heat.
- Rice must rest covered after cooking.
Non-negotiables Rules for success
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Keep the fat cap.
Fat cap is essential; it bastes and flavors the meat
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Score the fat cap.
Scoring prevents curling and helps render
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Grill fat-side down first.
Renders the fat and creates crust
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Make garlicky rice.
Garlic rice is the traditional Brazilian steakhouse side
Prep Get set first
About 10 min of prep
- Temper picanha 1 hour
- Score fat cap
- Mince garlic
- Have rice ready to start
This recipe takes about 50 minutes total.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Start garlic rice
Sauté onion and half the garlic in oil and butter until fragrant. Add rice, toast 2 minutes. Add 4 cups water and salt. Simmer covered 18 minutes. Rest covered 5 minutes.
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Prep and grill picanha
Score fat cap in crosshatch. Season generously with coarse salt. Grill fat-side down over high heat (400-450°F surface) 5 minutes until fat renders and crisps. Flip and grill 5-8 minutes more for medium-rare.
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Add the fresh herbs
Rest picanha 8 minutes. Stir remaining garlic and parsley into rice. Slice picanha thin against the grain. Serve over rice.
Chef's notes
SHOPPING: Picanha (top sirloin cap) with fat cap intact. Ask butcher for it specifically.