Wood-Fired Picanha

Picanha is the cut that runs Brazilian steakhouses. It's the top sirloin cap, a triangular muscle with a thick fat cap on one side. In Brazil, they season it with coarse salt, skewer it into a C-shape so the fat renders into the meat while it grills, and slice it thin tableside. It's the simplest, most satisfying way to cook beef I know.

You won't find picanha labeled at most American grocery stores. Ask your butcher for the sirloin cap, or coulotte. It's usually 2.5 to 3 pounds with the fat cap intact. Don't let them trim it. The fat cap is the whole point.

Ingredients

The Meat

• 1 whole picanha (sirloin cap), 2.5 to 3 lbs, fat cap on
• Coarse salt (rock salt or coarse kosher)

To Serve

• Chimichurri (recipe below)
• Farofa (toasted cassava flour) — optional
• White rice
• Black beans

Chimichurri

• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh oregano, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flake
• Salt

The Cook

Prep

Slice the picanha against the grain into 3 thick steaks, about 1.5 inches each. You're cutting with the curve of the meat. Each piece should have fat cap on one side, meat on the other.

Skewer each steak by piercing through both ends and bending the meat into a C or half-moon shape, fat cap on the outside. This concentrates the meat for even cooking and lets the fat render down over the surface as it grills.

Season generously with coarse salt on all sides. That's it. No pepper, no garlic, no rub. Just salt. The Brazilians figured this out a long time ago.

Make the Chimichurri

Combine everything in a bowl. Stir. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Chimichurri needs time for the vinegar to soften the onion and the flavors to come together. Make it first.

Build the Fire

This is a hot, active fire. I want flames here. Burn your wood down partway so you have a bed of coals, but keep a log or two still burning with active flame. The fat cap needs aggressive heat to render and crisp. You're going for 450-500F at grate level.

Lump charcoal works if you don't cook over wood, but the smoke from a hardwood fire adds something real to the picanha.

Grill

Place the skewered picanha fat-side down first. Grill for 5-6 minutes until the fat cap is rendered and crispy. Rotate to the meat sides, 3-4 minutes each. You're looking for a good char on the outside, medium-rare inside. Internal temp of 130F.

Pull the skewers off the grill. Slice thin against the grain, right off the skewer onto a cutting board. The first slices from the outside will be more done. The center slices will be pink. This is intentional. Different doneness for different people at the table.

Second Round

Here's the Brazilian move: after you slice the outer layer, re-season the exposed meat with more coarse salt, put the skewers back on the fire, and cook another round. You keep going until the meat is used up. This is how churrascarias work. It's theater and it's efficient.

Serve

Pile the sliced picanha on a board. Spoon chimichurri over the top. Serve with white rice, black beans, and farofa if you have it. This is backyard party food. Put everything out and let people build their own plates.