Taking a quick poll. Serving a Wild Fork 2.6 # "prime" picanha tomorrow for 4 adults. Im still torn between cooking whole after a salt brine, OR cutting into steaks first! Either method will be reverse seared. The only method that i won't do is skewered and rotisseried. What is the concensus out there??
I know either way will be delicious!
HotSun no flare up issues. The camera may not catch depth well, but the lowest hunk of meat was somewhere 10-ish inches above the coals, so any flare up would have no chance to damage.
I preferred salt brined up to 48 hours before cooking. And whole. Reversed seared, with a good amount of smoke. I just served this last night and it’s a family favorite. Let us know what you decide.
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I’m no help, because picanha is good either way! For four adults, you can make it go further cooking whole and slicing thinner pieces like Uncle Bob posts above. 2.6lb roast is still plenty for the group…but leftovers ha! And salt brine regardless of which way you cook is my thought.
I'm cooking one today. Whole salt brined about 4 hours then on the santa maria reverse seared just salt and pepper. My daughter and her partner are coming over.
+1 to ofelles , and in our house we use just salt (my DW is Brazilian). The picanha is generally flavorful enough without the need for anything else to help carry it.
I have only smoked Picanha twice, both times as a roast and loved it both times. Though I made mistakes to be corrected next time on both counts, guests were very pleased with the results!
Whichever way you choose, I'm sure it will come out well.
Steve bradley for my first Picanha roast I did following that I changed later:
Fat cap was very thick ( 3/4 inch to 1 inch thick) I would now trim that to 1/4 in IF it was
I scored the fat cap but did not put the rub down into the scores (rookie mistake!)
I cut with the grain instead of against (Roasts are to be cut against the grain. I believe steaks are to be cut with the grain so the diner cuts it against the grain when eating, though check that with someone who knows better than me
KimO I cut the Picanha steaks with the grain. This way the last cut, on your plate, is against the grain. Reverse sear the steaks. I sometimes trim the fat cap a bit and render tallow with it. Once I am ready to sear the steaks I brush them with a little tallow.
KimO I cut mine so they are no less than one inch thick. Depending on the size of the picanha, I usually end up with two to three steaks 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick and one smaller end piece.
Just this morning my local butcher recommended smoking a picanha fat side up at 250F until it reaches about 200F internal. I am looking forward to seeing what you decide.
I heard "like a brisket". I have no experience at all with this cut. The disbelief in the comments combined with the photos makes me think either he's off or I misheard him.
I think it could also come down to if guests prefer the cut served at the same temp as you do, steaks allow for more custom cooking of doneness
i generally choose steaks, as I prefer the Maillard over more of my cut. But, I have SV’d a picanha as a roast, and seared it right on the wood splits fire.
ha! And salt brine regardless of which way you cook is my thought. 
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