These skewered picanha steaks cook right over hot charcoal, with the fat cap slowly rendering and basting the beef until it’s tender and juicy.

Top it off with a smoky chimichurri made from fire-roasted garlic and grilled green onions, and you’ve got steakhouse-level flavor straight off your backyard grill.

If you want more of this super underrated cut, check out our smoked picanha recipe or these grilled rump cap steaks for a non-skewered option.

Why you’ll love this grilled picanha steak recipe

Picanha was the first “larger cut” of beef I ever cooked. Since then, it’s become one of my favorite cuts of beef. Here’s what makes this version a must-try:

• Skewered and grilled right over hot charcoal
• Signature fat cap bastes the meat as it cooks
• Picanha is a forgiving cut it just needs to be cooked evenly and given time to rest.

Because we’re keeping it traditional and grilling it with the fat cap on, I like to serve this with a chimichurri to help balance the richness of the meat.

Testing this Brazlian-style Picanha recipe

In an earlier version of this recipe, we used a rotisserie setup to slowly spin the skewered picanha over charcoal. It produced beautifully even results with the fat cap rendering gradually.

But not everyone has a rotisserie at home so to make this recipe more accessible, we reworked it using a traditional Brazilian-style skewer method over a two-zone charcoal fire. This gave us more direct control over the sear.

The updated method is easier for most backyard grillers, works on any charcoal setup, and still delivers tender, juicy picanha with that crave-worthy crust. We also upgraded the chimichurri by charring the aromatics over the coals for extra smoky depth.

Ingredients you’ll need

• Whole picanha – We used an American Wagyu picanha from Snake River Farms. You can also find Choice and Prime picanha at your local meat markets, wholesale stores like Costco, and online.
• Homemade steak rub – Our homemade steak rub for the picanha combines salt, ground pepper, garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika.
• Chimichurri – Olive oil, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, shallot, garlic, chili pepper, habanero, green onion, lime, parsley, and cilantro.

Equipment you’ll need

• Charcoal grill – I used my trusty Weber Kettle Grill, but any charcoal (or gas) grill works for this recipe. 
• Charcoal – You can use your preferred charcoal brand. I used Royal Oak Hardwood Charcoal. I do not recommend using match-light charcoal.
• Charcoal chimney or torch – I am a little old school, so I use a charcoal chimney to get my charcoal going. However, you can use a propane torch in the grill. 
• Meat thermometer – I recommend an instant-read thermometer for this recipe to use throughout the cook.
• BBQ skewers—To grill the picanha, you’ll need one long, thick skewer or two thin skewers. I recommend stainless steel.

How to grill Brazilian-style Picanha

1. Fire up the grill

I grilled the picanha over a Weber Kettle Charcoal grill. Any charcoal grill works as well as a pellet smoker or gas grill.

• If using a pellet smoker – you’ll just want to follow the reverse seared method – smoking it low and slow at 225°F until 110°F internal temperature then searing it off at 450°F until 130°F internal temperature.
• If you’re using a gas grill – you’ll want to cook around 350°F-375°F external temperature then continue to follow the recipe. 

Prepare your charcoal by lighting it and letting it burn until the coals begin to ash over and turn white.

Place the charcoal on one side of your grill.

Once the charcoal starts to turn white, I will place it on one side of my kettle grill to allow two heat zones – direct and indirect heat.

2. Prep the steak seasoning

Add the salt, ground pepper, granulated garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika to a small bowl or lidded jar and combine well.

3. Prep the chimichurri

Now this chimichurri is optional but I think it really elvates the picanha.

Cut the lime in half.

Grill the lime, green onion, and shallot just enough to produce a decent char.

Once cool, finely dice the onions and shallots.

Finely dice the habanero, chili pepper, garlic, cilantro, and parsley.

Add the juice of the lime, olive oil, red wine vinegar, chili peppers, cayenne, water, and the diced ingredients to a jar and combine well.

Add one small piece of charcoal from the grill. Break down a small piece of hardwood charcoal over an entire coal so that the smoke flavor infuses the chimichurri rather than taking over the flavor.

Put the lid on the jar and let it sit while you grill the picanha.

Remove the piece of charcoal before mixing and serving the chimichurri.

4. Prep the picanha

Prepare the top sirloin cap by trimming off any hanging pieces of membrane or fat on both sides. Do not trim down the picanha fat cap; just trim off any irregular pieces.

Sometimes, membranes on the meat side of the picanha will need to be trimmed if present. It will compromise the texture of the steak if you leave it on.

Cut the picanha into multiple steaks about two inches thick. I like to cut the picanha into three even steaks and keep the corner piece for a quick pitmaster’s snack.

Use the olive oil as a binder and rub it all over the steaks, then season them on all sides with the homemade seasoning.

Place the picanha steaks on one thicker skewer or two parallel, skinnier skewers.

Make sure the fat caps are all facing the same direction.

5. Smoke

Place the picanha directly over the coals and grill for two minutes on each side.

Place on the opposite side of the charcoal and cook an additional 8-10 minutes on each side or until 115°F internal temperature. This will allow time for the fat to render and for the picanha to cook to an even internal temperature.

Sear directly over coals for an additional minute on each side or until 130°F internal temperature. Make sure to sear the fat cap well.

Do not walk away during this process; flare-ups from the fat dripping down to the coals may occur.

6. Rest and slice

It’s best to let the picanha rest for 5-10 minutes.

Slice the picanha off the skewer downwards and cut it into thin slices. Make sure to get a little piece of the fat cap in each slice.

Serve the picanha with the smoked chimichurri.

What to serve with grilled Picanha

Picanha might be the ultimate cut for grilling over live fire. With minimal prep and maximum flavor, it reminds us that great barbecue doesn’t have to be complicated.

When paired with our smoky chimichurri, serve with some grilled corn, pasta salad, or crusty baguette slices alongside.

If you tried this recipe, leave a rating and a comment below to let us know how it turned out.

Print

Grilled Brazilian-Style Picanha Steak

This juicy, tender Brazilian-style picanha steak is seasoned simply, then cooked over hot coals, and finished with a smoky chimichurri sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine South American

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Resting Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 653kcal

Author Rosalie Bradford

Ingredients

• 4 lb Whole beef top sirloin cap (picanha)
• ¼ cup olive oil

Steak seasoning

• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp granulated garlic
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika

Chimichurri

• 1 lime halved
• 3 green onion stalks
• 2 shallots
• 1 chili pepper minced
• 1 habanero minced, (optional for heat)
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional for heat)
• 1 bunch Italian parsley finely chopped
• 1 bunch cilantro finely chopped
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp water
• pinch salt and pepper

Instructions

• Prepare your charcoal by lighting and reducing it down to a whiter coal. Place the charcoal on one side of your grill.
• Trim off any hanging pieces of membrane or fat from both sides of the meat. Cut the picanha into multiple steaks. I like to cut the picanha into three even steaks and keep the corner piece for a quick pitmaster's snack!
• Rub the steaks all over with olive oil and season all over with the steak seasoning.
• Place the picanha streaks on one thick skewer or two thin skewers. Make sure the fat caps are all facing the same direction.
• Place the picanha directly over the coals and grill for two minutes on each side.
• Then, place on the opposite side of the charcoal and cook an additional 8-10 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature is 115°F.
• Finally, sear them directly over coals for an additional one minute on each side or until the internal temperature is 130°F. Make sure to sear the fat cap well.
• Remove from the grill and rest for 5-10 minutes.

Steak seasoning

• Combine the salt, pepper, granulated garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika in a small bowl or lidded jar.

Chimichurri

• Grill the green onions, lime, and shallots, just enough to produce a decent char. When cool enough, mince the onions finely.
• Add the juice of the lime, and all the remaining ingredients to a jar and combine. Then add one small piece of charcoal from the grill. Close the jar and let it sit while you grill the picanha. Remove the piece of charcoal before mixing and serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 653kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 69g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 178mg | Sodium: 962mg | Potassium: 1269mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1256IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 6mg