Picanha

Picanha (Brazilian Grilled Rump Cap) with Farofa

The crown cut of the Brazilian churrasco: a fat-capped rump cap salted with rock salt and grilled on skewers over coals so the fat renders and crisps while the beef stays juicy and rosy. Served with toasted manioc flour (farofa) and garlic.

Prep

20 min

Cook

20 min

Total

40 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •900 g (2 lb) whole picanha (rump cap) with fat cap intact, look for the distinctive fat cap; ask the butcher to leave it on
• •30 g (¼ cup) coarse rock salt (sal grosso), Brazilian sea salt or kosher coarse salt; do not use fine table salt
• •30 g (2 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• •4 cloves garlic, finely grated
• •1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• •200 g (2 cups) toasted manioc flour (farofa), substitution: fine dry breadcrumbs toasted in butter, though manioc flour is traditional
• •30 g (2 Tbsp) unsalted butter for the farofa
• •1 small onion, finely chopped
• •2 cloves garlic, minced (for farofa)
• •1 pinch fine salt (for farofa only)
• •2 Tbsp chopped parsley or scallion greens (optional)

Steps

1. 1 Prepare the fire: light a charcoal grill and wait until the coals are covered in white ash and give off steady radiant heat (about 15–20 minutes). You want medium-high heat, roughly 200–230°C / 400–450°F at grate level.
2. 2 Trim the picanha: keep the fat cap fully intact (about 1 cm / ½ inch thick). If it is uneven, score the fat lightly in a shallow crosshatch with a sharp knife — do not cut into the meat. Trim only loose silver skin from the lean side.
3. 3 Cut into skewer pieces: with the fat cap up, slice the whole picanha across the grain into 3–4 thick steaks, each about 2.5–3 cm (1–1¼ inch) thick. In Brazil these pieces are skewered in a C-shape, fat side out, on long metal skewers; thread 2–3 pieces per skewer, pressing them together so the fat surrounds the lean meat. If you do not have long skewers, grill the pieces directly on the grate, fat side up.
4. 4 Salt the meat: just before grilling, sprinkle the coarse rock salt generously over the entire surface, pressing it in lightly. Traditional churrasco uses only salt — no marinade — and the meat is salted right before it hits the fire so the salt stays on the surface and forms a crust.
5. 5 Make the garlic butter: mash the grated garlic into the softened butter with the black pepper. Set aside.
6. 6 Grill the skewers: place the skewers (fat side out) over the hottest part of the coals. Sear for about 2 minutes per side to render and crisp the fat. Then move to a slightly cooler zone and cook to your preferred doneness. For the traditional Brazilian cut (mal passado, rosy inside): pull at an internal temperature of 50–52°C / 122–125°F for rare, or 54–57°C / 130–135°F for medium-rare. Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the lean meat, not through the fat.
7. 7 Total grill time is roughly 8–12 minutes for thick pieces at medium-rare. The fat cap should be deeply golden and crisp, and juices should rise on the surface.
8. 8 Rest the meat: transfer skewers to a board, brush the lean side with the garlic butter, and let rest 5–8 minutes, loosely tented. The internal temperature will climb 2–3°C / 3–5°F during resting, so pull early. Slice across the grain into 1 cm (½ inch) slices, keeping a strip of crispy fat on each piece.
9. 9 Make the farofa while the meat rests: melt 30 g butter in a dry skillet over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion until translucent (3–4 minutes), add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Add the manioc flour and stir constantly for 3–4 minutes until the flour turns golden, smells toasty, and crisps up. Season with a small pinch of fine salt (the meat is already salty) and toss in parsley or scallion if using.
10. 10 Serve immediately: pile the sliced picanha on a board with the farofa alongside, and offer extra garlic butter. Optional traditional accompaniments: lime wedges, vinaigrette (tomato-onion-cilantro), and white rice.