Brazilian BBQ Picanha (The PORN version)

This is a sequel of the last blog post Brazilian BBQ Picanha, where I showed a method to grill this awesome piece of meat. But here in this post, I use a whole picanha that I cut myself. That way I can know this is really a piece of picanha of good quality. So not much more to say than enjoy the photos and grill on!

A 1,2 kg picanha, a good size and of prime quality.

Taken out of the vacuum pack to "breathe" a couple of days

After four days in a box in the fridge.

Fat cap.

This is a right side picanha. Can be seen on the thickness of the fat cap.

This is the way to cut it for grilling on a skewer. NOT as steaks.

These would be tough as steaks, but perfect for this method.

2-3 cm / 1 inch thickness.

Cut with the fibers/grain.

Get it hot....

As much salt as possible. It will seal in the juices.

Done and excess salt beaten off.

Resting and sweating.

As the meat was cut with the grain before grilling, it is now cut against the grain when done.

And we get some super juicy mini steaks to snack on.

Last one out....

And snack on....

That's probably why they call it food porn....

I had picanha 4 of the last 6 days...... The only ones that were sad, were my three dogs because no leftovers! 

If you wanna grill whole steaks of this picanha, you have to cut the opposite way, across the grains before grilling the steaks.

Brazilian BBQ Picanha

Brazilian BBQ is normally more simple and kind of back to basics, compared to other styles BBQ. But that doesn't make it less yummy. The Brazilian BBQ pit is an open brick type. Yes it might have some limitations, but can still produce some really fine eating. Thats why Brazilians stick to their pit.

So today, I grilled some pieces of picanha (rump cap or culotte). It is considered to be the best cut in Brazil. But that also leads to a lot of cheating from greedy butchers and supermarkets. A picanha is supposed to weigh max 1.0 - 1.2 kg. If it is considerably bigger than that, it is most likely that it includes another, cheaper cut, called coxão duro in Brazil (silverside/outside flat?).

The meat I use here, I bought in a supermarket and was already cut into steaks. But looking at the fat cap and size, it might be that it is from the top end of the picanha cut or coxão duro. Anyway, the idea here is to show the method to grill it. Pay attention to the way the meat is cut. The steaks are cut with the grain. That would have made it tough to eat as a steak. But that is not the way they will be served here.

The thing about this way to grill, is the salt. The amount and the size of the salt. Must me coarse salt. Grain size bigger than kosher salt, more like sea salt. Cover the meat as good as possible. The more the better. Because the salt will seal in the juices in the meat during cooking. And it will not be too salty. Not sure the best way to get the salt to stick. These steaks were pretty dry on the outside but the salt still stuck more ore less ok. Maybe better to wet them a bit first?

Anyway. When you think it is done to your liking, shake off the salt. At that moment, you will see the juices start to flow. So the salt do have a mission. Well ok, just rest the meat a few minutes, cut and enjoy. Cheers!

Typical Brazilian BBQ pit.

Get a good fire going.

Picanha (or coxão duro?) cut in the supermarket

Put on as much salt as you can.

Place over high heat.

The ideal, is that the salt sticks and seals the meat.

Some salt fallen off

Seems done to me

Here is the salt shaken off, as it looked to be done.

Rest a bit

Even after a few minutes rest, it's juices are all over the place.

Now cut against the grains, making it even more tender. Looks good!