Brazilian

Serving

Picanha na Brasa (Grilled Picanha Steak)

Name: Picanha na Brasa (Grilled Picanha Steak)
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients: 2 lbs picanha (beef sirloin cap), fat cap intact; 2 tbsp coarse sea salt; 1 tbsp vegetable oil, for the grates; 2 limes, cut into wedges, for serving

Brazil's steakhouse superstar: a thick cap of beef fat scored and seared over live fire until it crackles, then sliced thin and finished with flaky salt.

40 minutes

Serves 6

Dinner

14 min prep

22 min cook

No common allergens detected

Based on this recipe's ingredient list. Always verify with your own brands and labels.

Good to know

Crispy

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: crispy recipes

Instructions

7 steps

1
Trim the fat cap to about 1/4 inch thick and score it in a shallow crosshatch pattern.
2
Cut the picanha with the grain into 2-inch-thick steaks and curve each piece into a C-shape with the fat facing out.
3
Season the meat generously with coarse salt right before grilling.
4
Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to high heat and oil the grates.
5
Grill fat-side down first until the fat renders and crisps, 8-10 minutes, then sear each cut side 4-5 minutes for medium-rare.
6
Rest the steaks for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
7
Serve hot with lime wedges alongside farofa and vinagrete.

Picanha na Brasa (Grilled Picanha Steak) — plated and served — Serving moment. How Picanha na Brasa (Grilled Picanha Steak) looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

70/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 100

Kid-friendly 55

Weeknight-easy 54

Budget-friendly 72

Great leftovers 65

Pantry-friendly 58

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

Calories

0 g

Protein

2 g

Carbs

2 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Picanha is the cut Brazilian churrasco built its reputation on - the triangular sirloin cap prized in the south, especially the gaucho tradition of Rio Grande do Sul, where cattle ranching shaped a whole cuisine around fire and salt. Churrascarias export the cut worldwide, but in Brazilian back-yard cookouts it is still cooked exactly this way: fat cap left on to baste the meat as it renders over coals.

Listahan note

This version keeps the ingredient list to just salt, meat, and fire, staying true to how picanha is actually served at a Brazilian churrasco, and leans on the C-shaped cut to protect the leaner eye of meat from overcooking on the grill.

Technique cues

Scoring the fat cap in a crosshatch lets the fat render evenly and baste the meat without the crust turning rubbery - cut too deep and the fat is gone before the meat is even seared.
Curving each steak into a C-shape with the fat facing outward keeps the leaner eye of meat away from direct flame while the fat side does the slow work of crisping.
Salting only right before grilling, rather than in advance, suits this cut - picanha has less connective tissue than tougher churrasco cuts, so a long dry brine draws out juice without much collagen breakdown to offset it.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: While the grill heats, whisk together a quick vinagrete of diced tomato, onion, and vinegar so it is ready the moment the steak comes off the fire.
Make-ahead: The fat cap can be trimmed and scored a day ahead and kept refrigerated, but hold the salt until grilling time.
Leftover move: Slice cold leftover picanha thin and pile onto a French roll with vinagrete for a next-day steak sandwich.
Cleanup rhythm: Let the grill grates cool slightly, then scrape off rendered fat while still warm so it does not harden onto the metal.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

picanha (beef sirloin cap)

star protein

Purpose: the fat cap bastes the meat as it renders on the grill, and the triangular shape gives a crisp exterior with a tender, beefy center

Handling: trim the fat cap to about 1/4 inch and score it in a shallow crosshatch, then cut with the grain into thick steaks

Adaptation: top sirloin or flank steak works in a pinch, but trim less fat since neither carries as thick a cap - expect a leaner result

coarse sea salt

only seasoning

Purpose: large crystals sit on the surface and dissolve slowly, seasoning the crust without oversalting the interior

Handling: apply generously just before the meat hits the grill, not earlier

Adaptation: kosher salt works at the same volume, but avoid fine table salt, which oversalts fast and dissolves into the meat instead of staying on the crust

vegetable oil, for the grates

non-stick barrier

Purpose: prevents the seared crust from tearing away when the steaks are flipped

Handling: brush a folded oiled paper towel over hot grates just before the meat goes on

Adaptation: any neutral high-smoke-point oil, like canola or grapeseed, works the same way

limes, cut into wedges

bright finishing squeeze

Purpose: a squeeze of lime cuts through the richness of the fat cap right at the table

Handling: cut into wedges and serve alongside, not cooked into the meat

Adaptation: lemon wedges give a similar lift if limes are not on hand

Technique notes

Cut the steaks with the grain, not against it, before grilling - picanha is sliced against the grain only after it rests, so cutting it into steaks the wrong way at this stage would shred the fibers prematurely.
Grill fat-side down first for the full 8-10 minutes; flipping too early means the fat never fully renders and the exterior turns greasy instead of crisp.
Resting for 5 minutes matters more on picanha than on thinner cuts because the fat cap holds heat and keeps redistributing juices well after the meat leaves the grill.

Ingredient swaps

Gluten-free direction: This recipe is naturally gluten-free as written - just confirm any pre-made vinagrete or farofa served alongside doesn't include seasoned bread crumbs.
Dairy-free option: Already dairy-free; skip any butter-finished farofa on the side to keep it that way.
Lower-sodium direction: Cut the coarse salt by half and season only the exterior right before grilling, relying on the lime at the table to add brightness instead of more salt.
Weeknight shortcut: Ask the butcher to trim and score the fat cap in advance, which saves the fussiest step and gets the meat on the grill in minutes.

Serve alongside

Farofa (toasted cassava flour)
Vinagrete (Brazilian tomato-onion relish)
Pao de queijo
Grilled corn on the cob
Caipirinha with lime and cachaca
Chilled Brazilian lager like Brahma or Skol
Sparkling water with lime for a non-alcoholic option

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate sliced leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days
Reheat gently in a dry skillet over medium-low heat to avoid overcooking the already-cooked meat
Freeze cooked slices tightly wrapped for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating

Equipment

Charcoal or gas grill
Sharp boning or slicing knife
Metal or wooden skewers (for the traditional churrasco presentation)
Instant-read thermometer

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