Top sirloin cap (picanha) is also sold as coulotte or rump cap. Ask the butcher for top sirloin cap, and leave the fat cap on. Many Costco, Sam’s, Walmart, and Brazilian or Latin shops now label it picanha. Those warehouse packs are easy to find. They are not as high quality as a butcher piece or a named shipper. If you cannot get the cap, a thick top sirloin steak with a fat edge is the fallback. It is not as good.
This is the seasoning only. Full cook: How to grill picanha on a kettle grill.
Picanha seasoned with sal grosso only. This is the seasoning. It is not an overnight marinade. Salt, 10 to 15 g per kilo (about 1 tablespoon/ 15 g per kg), goes on just before the fire. Knock the extra off after.
The night before
Dry the whole cap, fat on, in the fridge. Salt goes on at the fire — no oil, wine, beer, garlic, or mustard on this card.
Brushing
The fat cap is the basting. Extra butter on the grate burns, and the cap already oils the meat as it renders.
Embers, not flames. Fat cap first. Pull 125 to 130°F (52 to 54°C) for medium rare, checked with an instant-read thermometer. Rest on a cutting board. Knock the salt off. Slice against the grain.
Safety instructions
Rare beef at 125 to 130°F (52 to 54°C) is below the USDA 145°F (63°C) finish. Buy whole muscle from a butcher or a named packer, and sear the outside. Higher-risk people should wait for 145°F (63°C). Ground beef stays 160°F (71°C).
On the skewer, start about 20 cm (8 in) from the embers to take color, then raise to about 40 cm (16 in). Steaks on a grate sit about 20 cm (8 in). See how far picanha sits from the charcoal.
Next cooks
Region: Across Brazil.
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