Picanha: Brazil's Favourite Steak, Done Right

Ask a Brazilian for the best steak and the answer is usually one word: picanha. It's the rump cap — a triangular cut crowned with a thick layer of fat that bastes the meat as it cooks. Minimal seasoning, maximum flavour.

The fat cap is everything

Never trim the fat — it's the whole point. Score it in a crosshatch so it renders and crisps. The only seasoning a purist needs is coarse rock salt.

The churrasco method is to cut the picanha into thick steaks, bend each into a C-shape onto a skewer, and grill fat-side first so the rendering fat seasons everything below.

Ingredients

• 1 whole picanha (rump cap), ~1.2 kg, fat cap on
• Coarse rock salt
• Optional: skewers for the churrasco method

Method

1. Score the fat. Trim any silverskin, then score the fat cap in a crosshatch. Do not remove the fat.
2. Salt. Season generously with coarse rock salt on all sides.
3. Grill fat-side first. Over high heat, render the fat cap until golden and crisp, then cook each side to a medium-rare 52–54°C internal.
4. Rest. Rest 5–10 minutes so the juices settle.
5. Slice against the grain. Slice into thin strips against the grain, keeping a ribbon of crisp fat on each piece.

Master it in ZEST

In ZEST, Picanha is quick and satisfying — you plate the cut and its crisp fat cap, learning how the anatomy of the steak drives the way you cook it.

Cook the world, one puzzle at a time

ZEST turns world-class recipes into calm, beautiful logic puzzles. A one-time purchase on iPhone & iPad — no ads, no subscription.