Go Back
–+ servings
Stacked picanha steak sliders on toasted King's Hawaiian rolls with melted provolone, sautéed peppers and onions on a wood cutting board

Picanha Steak Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls

A whole picanha with a scored fat cap, seared fat side down in cast iron and finished on the smoker, then sliced thin against the grain and stacked on King’s Hawaiian rolls with sautéed peppers and onions, chipotle mayo and provolone. The whole tray gets toasted until the cheese melts.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Rest Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 24 sliders
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American, BBQ, Brazilian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Picanha
  • 2.5 lbs picanha (sirloin cap) About 2.5 lbs, fat cap intact. Also sold as coulotte.
  • Salt, pepper, and garlic, or your favorite steak seasoning Enough to season the whole picanha generously.
  • Oil For searing. You will need less than you think once the fat cap renders.
For the Peppers and Onions
  • 1 green bell pepper thinly sliced
  • 1 sweet onion peeled and thinly sliced
  • Oil As needed for sautéing.
For the Sliders
  • 1 package King’s Hawaiian rolls Keep them connected.
  • Provolone cheese Enough for a generous layer under the top buns.
  • Chipotle mayo Or your favorite sauce.
  • Oil spray For the tops of the rolls.
  • Italian seasoning Optional, on the tops before toasting.

Equipment

  • Cast Iron Skillet Any heavy bottomed pan works.
  • Smoker or grill An oven at the same temperature works too.
  • Instant-Read Thermometer
  • Sharp Slicing Knife For scoring the fat cap and slicing thin against the grain.
  • Baking dish or grill safe tray For building and toasting the sliders.
  • Skillet For the peppers and onions.

Method
 

Cook the Picanha
  1. Score the fat cap in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut through the fat into the meat. Season the entire picanha generously with salt, pepper and garlic, or your favorite steak seasoning.
  2. Heat a cast iron skillet or heavy bottomed pan over medium high heat. Place the picanha fat cap side down first and let that fat render and develop a golden brown crust, about 4 to 5 minutes. Then sear the other side.
  3. Transfer the picanha to your smoker or grill running at 250°F. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 130°F for a medium rare finish.
  4. Remove the picanha and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Once rested, slice it thinly against the grain. Thin slices work best for sliders.
Sauté the Peppers and Onions
  1. While the picanha is cooking, heat a little oil in a skillet and sauté the sliced sweet onion and green bell pepper until they are softened and nicely browned.
Build and Toast
  1. Slice the entire package of King’s Hawaiian rolls in half horizontally, keeping the rolls connected. Place the bottom half into a baking dish or grill safe tray.
  2. Layer on the thinly sliced picanha, then the sautéed onions and peppers, then the chipotle mayo, then a generous layer of provolone. The cheese goes on last so it melts down over everything and seals it to the roll.
  3. Place the tops of the rolls back on, lightly spray with oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning if you like.
  4. Place the sliders on the grill or in an oven and cook until the bread is toasted and crispy on the outside and the provolone is completely melted. Pull them apart and serve hot.

Notes

Doneness: Miguel cooks this to 130°F for a medium rare finish. The USDA recommends 145°F for whole muscle beef, which picanha is. Cook to the temperature you are comfortable with, and know that going higher will cost you some of the pink.
Fat cap down first: That rendered fat becomes the oil you sear the rest of the meat in. Flipping early leaves you with an unrendered cap that eats chewy on the sandwich.
Cheese goes on last: Provolone melting from above forms a lid over the peppers and onions and seals the filling to the roll, so the sliders come off the tray whole.
Make ahead: The picanha can be cooked ahead and sliced cold, which actually gives cleaner thin slices. Build and toast right before serving.
Timing: Prep and cook times are estimates. Neither the memo nor the source recipe specified a smoker duration. Go by internal temperature.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!