Picanha Steak Recipe
Picanha Steak Recipe
Introduction
When it comes to making a delicious steak, almost nothing beats a perfectly cooked Picanha. Picanha, Brazil's national steak, has the perfect balance of tenderness and richness and is quickly becoming a favourite for all who try it! This blog shows you how to cut your Picanha into steaks the right way, then how to use the Slow 'N Sear® Kettle Grill and EasySpin Grate to make the perfect steaks every time in this perfect Picanha steak recipe!
Ingredients
1.) 1 Whole Picanha
2.) Rock Salt or Kosher Salt
3.) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Prep
To begin, look for a whole Picanha with a nice thick fat cap covering the top. When you've found the ideal Picanha, it's time to cut it into steaks. To do this, cut the Picanha with the grain beginning from the second vein. Anything above the second vein is less tender but still delicious, but try to cut your best steaks from the centre of the Picanha. We cut ours to be about 1.5 (38.1 mm) inches long, which was the distance between veins one and two. After you've cut your Picanha steaks, it's time to get them ready to cook. This is best done the night before by dry brining them in kosher salt. To do this, apply kosher salt to the outside of the steak - if you've never done this before, a good rule of thumb is to use 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound, then adjust up or down depending on your preference. Place your salted steaks in the fridge uncovered overnight to allow the salt to absorb into the steaks and tack up the surface of the steaks, which will help during the final sear.
Cook
After your Picanha steaks have been dry-brined overnight, preheat your grill to 225°-250°F. To accomplish this, place 23-25 fully lit briquettes into the Slow 'N Sear® basket with the top vent about 1/3 open, the bottom vent closed, and the smoke hole about half-open (adjust as needed).
When your grill is ready, place the Picanha on the opposite side of the coals, insert your remote thermometer, and close the lid to begin slowly cooking. Once your steaks have reached an internal temperature of around 80°F, open the grill and flip them to promote even cooking, then close the lid and continue to cook the steaks until they reach an internal temperature of 115°.
While you're waiting for your steaks to reach 115°F, start lighting a full chimney of briquettes. (We recommend starting your coals when your steaks reach 90°F.)
Remove your Picanha steaks from the grill, as well as your easy spin grate, when they reach 115°F. Then, using a paper towel, dry off any moisture that may have accumulated on the outside of the steaks. Once the steaks are dry, brush them with extra virgin olive oil on both sides. That is all we intend to do for Picanha.
Fill the Slow 'N Sear® with fully lit briquettes, then add your cooled EasySpin Grate and place your steaks directly over the hot coals. We'll be using the cold grate technique, which means searing the steaks twice for 1 minute on each side, spinning the grate to a new cool section with each flip. After searing your steaks twice on both sides, remove them from the heat and set them aside for 5-10 minutes to allow the meat to relax before cutting into them and enjoying that perfectly cooked Picanha.
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