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picanha steaks on a cutting board with chimichurri

Picanha Steaks with Chipotle Chimichurri

Brazilian-style picanha steaks seared as a whole roast, then sliced and finished on the grill, topped with smoky chipotle chimichurri sauce.
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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Picanha Steaks:
  • 1 whole picanha 2-3 lb, fat cap on
  • 1-2 tbsp olive oil
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Optional: coarse black pepper and garlic powder
Chipotle Chimichurri:
  • 1 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp chipotle powder
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Remove picanha from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Trim any silver skin but leave the fat cap intact. Score the fat cap in a ½-inch crosshatch pattern, cutting through fat only. Coat with olive oil and season generously with salt, and optionally pepper and garlic powder.
  2. Make chimichurri by combining parsley, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, oregano, chipotle powder, cumin, and chili powder in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in olive oil. Let rest 10 minutes for flavors to develop.
  3. Preheat grill to 500°F or higher. Place picanha fat-cap down and sear 4-5 minutes until golden and rendered. Flip and sear meat side 3-4 minutes. Remove from grill and let cool 3 minutes if too hot to handle safely.
  4. Slice the roast with the grain into 1.5-inch thick steaks. Season the freshly cut surfaces lightly with salt. Reduce grill to medium-high heat (400-425°F).
  5. Place steaks on grill and flip every 2 minutes for even browning. Cook until internal temperature reaches 120°F, about 8-10 minutes total. Remove from grill and rest 10 minutes uncovered. Carryover cooking will bring temperature to 135°F for perfect medium-rare.
  6. Slice each steak against the grain into ½-inch thick pieces. Arrange on a platter and spoon chipotle chimichurri over the top. Serve immediately.

Notes

Never trim the fat cap completely, as it provides the signature flavor of picanha. The scoring pattern helps it render faster during cooking. Let the whole roast cool briefly after the initial sear if it's too hot to slice safely. The two-stage slicing technique (with the grain first, against the grain after cooking) is traditional Brazilian method and ensures maximum tenderness. Chimichurri can be made up to 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Leftover picanha can be refrigerated for 3 days and reheated gently to re-melt the fat.

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