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Picanha is the king of the Brazilian churrasco: the triangle-shaped top sirloin cap with its thick blanket of fat left on. Gaúcho cooks season it with nothing but coarse salt and let the fire do the rest. Every slice is beefy, juicy and rimmed with crisp, melting fat, which makes it one of the easiest and most rewarding keto meals you can cook.
Per serving: 488 calories · 0.4 g net carbs · 36 g protein · 38 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
- 1 whole picanha (top sirloin cap) about 2 1/2 pounds, fat cap on
- 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic smashed, for the butter (optional)
- 2 tablespoons butter for basting the slices (optional)
Instructions
- Take the picanha out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Pat it dry. With a sharp knife, score the fat cap in a shallow crosshatch, cutting through the fat but not into the meat.
- Cut the picanha with the grain into 3 or 4 thick steaks, each about 2 inches wide. Bend each piece into a C shape with the fat on the outside and thread it onto a long metal skewer. If you are not using skewers, leave them as thick steaks.
- Rub the coarse salt all over the meat and fat, pressing it in. Add pepper if you like, although the classic version uses salt only.
- Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for medium-high heat with a cooler zone. Grill the skewers fat side down first until the fat is golden and crisp, about 8 minutes, moving them to the cooler zone if flare-ups get too strong.
- Turn and grill the meat sides for 15 to 20 minutes more, turning every few minutes, until the thickest part reaches 125 to 130°F (52 to 54°C) for medium-rare.
- Rest the meat for 5 minutes. Tap off any excess salt, then carve thin slices against the grain, just as the passadores do at a churrascaria. Melt the butter with the garlic and brush it over the slices if you like.
Notes
Nutrition
About This Dish
In the United States, picanha is often sold as top sirloin cap, rump cap or coulotte, and many butchers split it up or trim off the fat. Brazilians insist on leaving the fat cap on until after cooking, because it bastes the meat as it grills. The origin of the word picanha is uncertain; one popular theory links it to the picana, a pole used by cattle herders in Portugal and Spain. In rodízio-style churrascarias, waiters walk from table to table with skewers of meat and carve slices directly onto your plate. Picanha is usually the cut diners wait for most.
Pairs Well With
- Brazilian Farofa de Ovo e Bacon, Keto Toasted Farofa with Egg and Bacon
- Brazilian Couve à Mineira, Minas-Style Garlicky Collard Greens
This recipe is from The Ultimate Brazilian Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 4: Churrasco & Beef (Ruins of São Miguel das Missões). See all Brazilian recipes