Who cooks picanha roasts and steaks regularly?

[Mosca]

Tips? Advice? I’m going to look into these. I’ve had picanha at restaurants, but not in probably 5-6 years.

I watched a video (Guga, whom I trust) about turning a roast into steaks; he mentions cutting off the first steak, at the first vein, because it isn’t tender. Man, I don’t know if I can do that! But also, if I buy a picanha steak, how would I know if it wasn’t that particular one?

The video:

Yeah, I don’t agree with the title, either. Wagyu is a type of beef, and picanha is a cut. I guess a Wagyu picanha is the best? Idk. But the video is a good one.

[klflowers]

I did my first pichana recently. I SVd the entire roast then browned it in a CI skillet. It is my favorite cut of beef now by far. I posted about it - post 772

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/food-recipes-techniques-show-us-what-youre-cooking/show-tell/1614901-show-us-what-you-re-cooking-suwyc-volume-34-summer-2024

[Mosca]

Looks great!

[Jfrosty27]

I did one a couple years ago. I cut it into steaks and spun it on the Weber kettle rotisserie over charcoal Brazilian steakhouse style. It was terrific. Now I’m wondering why I haven’t done it again!?!?!?! Shame on me. 🙄

[hoovarmin]

It's probably my fault, but having done picanha 3 times now, it just isn't my favorite. I need to make my way over to klflowers place and get some lessons.

[barelfly]

I’ve cooked a few picanhas over the time I’ve been here. I wouldn’t say it’s a regular cut I cook, not the easiest to find and I don’t do the mail order stuff like I use to, which is mainly where I would get it.

But I’ve cooked them whole and steaked out. When I do steak them out, I cut as Guga mentions, finding those veins within the roast and that usually gives me 3-4 steaks. And I do eat that first cut, I don’t know if I truly found a difference, but I’m not going to not eat it.

I will say, I do prefer steaks with this cut because of the surface area you get to sear compared to a roast. I didn’t put them on skewers, just cooked them as I would a ribeye with a reverse sear.

But enjoy which ever way you go! It’s a nice cut to enjoy.

[JHB]

I do picanha whenever we can get it. Cook it whole hanging in the PBC or on the indirect side of a SnS. I cook at 225, but I’ve seen at lot of recommendations for higher temperatures. Pull the meat at 140 and serve it like a roast. The family loves it. I use a spice rub (Meat zChurch’s Holy Cow), but I think it would be fine with SPG.

[HawkerXP]

PBC / SnS!

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

I cook 5 or 6 a year, sometimes I smoke only (trim fat cap really thin), sometimes I reverse sear, and sometimes I skewer. It's great pretty much every way when the price is right. I don't cut anything off, it's all good eats to me, obviously the center cuts are the best.

[OC Sandy]

I'm a fan of picanha. Before I ever tried one I had seen a Guga video where he described the veins, the tough part, and general trimming and slicing for steaks. I have since made many picanha both as steaks and as the whole piece reverse seared. I like to skewer the steaks, sort of Brazilian steakhouse style, and cook them over charcoal. As for that tough part, I do cut it off. I'll still cook it but I don't serve it to anyone. I keep it for myself for munching on as leftovers. Waste not, want not. It's a tasty cut of meat, and when sliced against the grain for eating, it has a nice texture and good flavor.

[Johnny Booth]

I’ve cooked 3 in the last year. All medium rare. All Choice. All on PK at different temps. Rich beef flavor. I would put it 4th, after NY strip. (Ribs, brisket, chuck, then NYS, then picanha.) I will do it again for sure.

• Brazilian style, steaks cut with the grain, then curled onto skewers. Keep 1/2” of fat. Live wood coals and cfire. Most Fun.
• Roast, smoked and reverse seared, 1/8” of fat and move on and off flames during sear so fat does not flare up. Best Flavor.
• Steaks cut with the grain, fast sear. A little chewier, but still very tasty.

I never heard about the vein, or a tough part. I guess I have to go look that up. 👍😎🍻🎄

[DTro]

I do steaks every time I cook picanha, We’ve had them for dinner 10 or more times. I would miss all that delish charred surface area if I cooked it as a roast. Live wood fire is my favorite way to cook it but I sure won’t complain if I have to go charcoal. It’s an absolute favorite dinner here! Getting time to do some more.

Never have worried about a tough part either. But I haven’t seen the above video. I’m thinking not to watch it.

[DaveD]

I've done a handful of picanhas now, most as the whole cut but I also did steaks on a couple. I actually prefer doing it as the whole roast. Like tri tip, it's a great candidate for sous vide que owing to its irregular shape, you can ensure perfect doneness everywhere, and that's my preferred tactic.

[CaptainMike]

I have found cutting into 1 1/4" steaks, running a skewer through them, then roasting over an open fire to be my favorite method. Serve with chimichurri sauce and roasted root vegetables.

[Hulagn1971]

This is the way.

[jecucolo]

I just grilled a picanha just as Guga showed on this video. It was perfect. I even had to do them on an 18” kettle. Everyone loved them I cooked them to 145*. I purchased them at Costco. I will definitely be cooking them again!

[Huskee]

Got my first picanha in the mail today from CreekstoneFarms, they had a small sale. I'm thinking I'm going to do mine as a roast, prime rib style, with reverse sear to put some crust on it and char the fat. I'm tempted to SV first, but I haven't decided if I will...the question is do I want more tenderness or more flavor....

[Jerod Broussard]

The fat can be awful thick.

[Murdy]

Isn't a Picanha just a component of the top sirloin? Outside of guidance in how to cut it into a steak, wouldn't it be best treated like that (or a Butt?) if you cut it into steaks?

[johnec00]

The actual cut that has now been re-branded picanha is the top sirloin cap (also rump cap). Prior to the popularity of the "picanha" name, when I wanted one, I had to ask the meat cutter for a top sirloin cap. Asking for picanha resulted in a blank stare.