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Brazilian

Grilled picanha

Non-vegetarian

Picanha na brasa

The prized fat-capped rump cap of Brazilian churrasco, sliced into thick C-shaped steaks, seasoned only with coarse salt and grilled over hot coals until the fat crisps.

Grilled picanha is a Brazilian main course, ready in about 45 minutes and made with beef sirloin steak. It serves 6 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
10 min
Cook
25 min
Rest
10 min
Total
45 min
Serves
6
Level
Easy
Calories
262

Ingredients

6 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Light the grill and let the coals burn down to a strong, even glow. Take the meat out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead.

    Food cooking over a grill
    How it looks · Photo: Malte Luk on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Cut the picanha with the grain into 3–4 thick steaks (opens in a new tab) (about 4 cm). Bend each into a C with the fat on the outside and thread onto a skewer (opens in a new tab), or leave them flat.

  3. Step 3

    Roll the meat in coarse salt just before grilling.

    • 1 min

  4. Step 4

    Grill fat-side towards the heat first until the fat renders and crisps, then turn to sear all sides, about 20–25 minutes in total for medium-rare (54–57 °C inside).

    Food safety: Fat drips cause flare-ups; keep a cooler zone to move the meat to.

  5. Step 5

    Rest 10 minutes, knock off excess salt, and slice thinly across the grain. Serve with lime (opens in a new tab) wedges.

    • 3 min
    A finished dish being plated
    How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Brazil · Well documentedThe cut and its preparation are central to Brazilian churrasco; similar cuts are grilled across the Southern Cone.Also popular in PortugalMore food from Brazil
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Main courses · Grills & kebabs
Cooking method
Grilled, Barbecued
Taste
savoury, smoky, salty
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration
Cook more with
Beef sirloin steak
Techniques
Grilling · Searing · Charcoal grilling

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

262 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 202 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 71%
  • Carbohydrate 0%
  • Fat 29%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy262 kcal130 kcal
Protein44.2 g21.9 g
Carbohydrate0 g0 g
Net carbohydrate0 g0 g
Sugars0 g0 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre0 g0 g
Fat8.2 g4 g
Saturated fat3 g1.5 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol120 mg59 mg
Sodium889 mg440 mg
Salt equivalent2.2 g1.1 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
698 mg
Calcium
50 mg
Iron
3.2 mg
Magnesium
46 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
0 µg
Vitamin C
0 mg
Vitamin D
0.2 µg
Vitamin B12
2.2 µg
Folate (DFE)
26 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: lime.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Never trim off the fat cap — it bastes the meat and is the point of the cut.

Common mistakes

  • Slicing with the grain; picanha must be carved across it to be tender.

Serve with

  • Serve with farofa, rice, feijão and a tomato-onion vinagrete.

Food safety

  • Whole beef steaks are safe served medium-rare once the outside is well seared; for well done aim for 71 °C.
  • Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Storage

  • Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days.

Reheating

  • Slice thinly and warm briefly in a hot pan, or eat cold in sandwiches.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 2, 4

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