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My picanha steak recipe is inspired by the Brazilian steakhouse staple. It’s perfectly seasoned, juicy, tender, and cooks in just 20 minutes.
If you love juicy and flavorful beef recipes as we do, try my arrachera, skirt steak, sirloin tip roast, and filet mignon next.
Table of Contents
Unless you’re in Brazil, you likely haven’t seen picanha steak in your local supermarket. But if you can get your hands on one from a butcher or meat counter, you won’t be disappointed with the taste or the price tag.
Picanha steak is one of my family’s favorite cuts, and I reserve it for special occasions! Also called top sirloin cap, churrasco, or coulotte steak, picanha is a triangular cut from the rump with a thick fat cap. This fat melts on the grill, making the meat juicy and flavorful, even with just salt and pepper.
Why I love this recipe
- Best bang for your buck. Honestly, this cut of meat is one of the most affordable and needs very little hands-on time.
- Multiple cooking methods. I prefer the grill (see above) but I also tested this steak in the oven and the stovetop too.
- Very little prep work. Like Denver steak, the picanha cut doesn’t need much TLC before cooking. All you need to do is season it with salt and pepper, skewer it, and throw it on the grill.
Key Ingredients
- Picanha steak. Sometimes referred to as a picanha roast, this sirloin cap is usually between 6 to 14 ounces. For my recipe, you’ll want to cut the steak into three or four equal-sized portions so they’re easy to thread onto skewers. The steak should be firm, appear dry, and have a deep red color with an opaque fat cap and consistent marbling.
- Kosher salt and black pepper. Stick with kosher or flaky sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. If you want to infuse even more flavor, I sometimes season the beef with cumin, garlic powder, paprika, and chili powder as well.
- Oil. To prevent the steak from sticking to the grill grates.
- Butter. To help develop a tasty, caramelized crust on the exterior of the steaks.
How to make picanha steak
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 – Cut the steak against the grain into three or four smaller steaks.
Step 2 – Season. Pat the steaks dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
Step 3 – Skewer. Gently bend the steaks in half, making a C-shape, and thread them onto a long metal skewer or two smaller ones.
Step 4 – Grill. Place the skewered steaks on the hot grill, cover, and cook until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 130ºF (medium-rare).
Arman’s recipe tips
- Let the steaks rest on the kitchen counter for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. This gives them plenty of time to come down to room temperature and will help them cook more evenly.
- Do not cut off the layer of fat! This is what gives sirloin cap steak its rich, meaty flavor.
- Check the temperature. Picanha steak is best cooked between medium rare and medium. Remember that the internal temperature of the meat will continue to rise as it rests, so it’s best to take it off the grill when it’s 5 degrees away from your desired doneness. I used an instant-read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature (130-135F).
- Please allow the steaks to rest for around 10 minutes before slicing. The juices redistribute and yield an ultra-juicy piece of meat.
Storage instructions
To store. Store any leftover steak in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
To freeze. You can freeze the cooked and cooled steak in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating. The best way to reheat the leftovers is in the oven at 275ºF until warm.
Frequently asked questions
This cut can be harder to find in North America because the fat cap is often trimmed or removed to make more common cuts like the rump, round, and loin. Ask your butcher to leave the fat cap intact or check your local Latin market. If all else fails, I’ve ordered it online.
While tri-tip steak is cut from a different area (the tri-top comes from the bottom sirloin, and the picanha comes from the top round), it is an excellent substitute because of its similar fat cap and marbling.
More delicious steak recipes to try
Picanha Steak Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Instructions
- Bring your steak to room temperature. Divide them into 3 or 4 portions.
- Pat dry the steaks and season both sides with salt and pepper, rubbing them into the fat.
- On a large or two smaller metal skewers, curve the steaks into a C shape on top.
- Preheat the grill to high and bush oil and butter over it.
- Lay the skewered steak on the grill and cook the steaks, covered, for 18-20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. Once the meat reaches an internal temperature of 130F, remove it from the grill.
- Let the meat rest for several minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published March 2023, updated and republished January 2025
So this steak must look a bit red right?
Picanha steak? Is that some Spanish meat?
Its a type of cut of meat from a cow. Our local Costco sells Picanha steak.
What is picahna? What kind of meat/animal is that?
I have tried this twice, incredible!!!
As a Brazilian I can say the only seasoning you’ll need to make picanha is coarse sea salt. That’s it. The fat will take care of the rest. Absolutely delicious!