Saucy Rossy BBQ
Beef

Reverse-Seared Picanha with Chimichurri

Budget-friendly picanha steaks cut from a whole Costco top sirloin, reverse seared over Kingsford charcoal and finished with a simple homemade chimichurri.

Time~1 hr Prep15 min Yield8 thick steaks CategoryBeef Watch8:29
Reverse-Seared Picanha with Chimichurri — watch on YouTube

Watch the full cook on YouTube

Method

  1. 1Slice the picanha with the grain into thick, inch-and-a-half steaks.Slicing with the grain looks wrong and is correct — picanha's fibres run the length of the cap, so portioning along them means each steak can then be carved across the grain on the board.
  2. 2Season simply with South Shore sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper.Coarse salt and pepper is the traditional treatment and the right one. The rendering fat cap supplies most of the flavour.
  3. 3Fire up the charcoal grill with Kingsford briquets in a two-zone setup.Score the fat cap in a crosshatch before it goes on, through the fat but not the meat, or it shrinks faster than the muscle and lifts the steak off the grate.
  4. 4Cook the steaks over indirect heat, slowly bringing the internal temperature up to 105°F.105°F off the indirect side is the right handoff — a hard sear on an inch-and-a-half steak adds roughly 25°F.
  5. 5Move the steaks directly over the coals for a hard sear and pull them at 130°F internal.Sear hard and pull at 130°F. Under the cap it is a lean sirloin muscle, so the fat does not make it forgiving of overcooking.
  6. 6Rest, slice against the grain, and top with homemade chimichurri.Rest 10 minutes, then carve across the grain — perpendicular to how you portioned it.

Watch it on YouTube

What each ingredient is doing

Picanha / top sirloin cap
The biceps femoris cap with its thick fat cap attached. Buying a whole top sirloin and cutting the cap off yourself along its natural fat seam is far cheaper than buying it portioned.
Sea salt and cracked pepper
The traditional Brazilian treatment. The rendering cap does the flavour work, so a heavy rub competes rather than helps.
Homemade chimichurri
Acidity against a fatty cut. Make it at least 20 minutes ahead so the garlic and dried oregano infuse the oil.
Charcoal briquettes
Steady for the indirect phase, then raked together for the sear. A two-zone setup is essential to the method.

Temperature guide

StageTempWhat it means
Off indirect105°F / 41°CThe handoff. A hard sear adds roughly 25°F on a thick steak.
Final130°F / 54°CMedium-rare. Under the cap it is lean sirloin.
Fat capRendered and crispScored, and given real time.
Rest10 minutesBefore carving across the grain.

Pitmaster tips

  • Cutting with the grain into steaks is deliberate and it looks wrong the first time. Picanha's fibres run the length of the cap, so slicing the whole piece into thick steaks along them means each finished steak can then be carved across the grain on the board.
  • Inch-and-a-half steaks are thick for a reason — a reverse sear needs enough mass to hold a temperature gradient. Thin steaks go from 105°F to overdone during the sear itself.
  • Score the fat cap in a crosshatch before seasoning, through the fat but not into the meat. Unscored, it shrinks faster than the muscle and lifts the steak off the grate.
  • 105°F off the indirect side is the right handoff. The sear adds roughly 25°F on a steak this thick, which is exactly the gap to 130°F.
  • Salt and pepper alone is the traditional treatment and it is the right call. Rendering fat cap supplies most of the flavour, and a heavy rub competes with the chimichurri.
  • Buying a whole top sirloin and cutting the cap yourself is a substantial saving over buying picanha portioned — the cap lifts off the sirloin along a natural fat seam with very little knife work.
  • Score the fat cap in a crosshatch before cooking. Unscored, it shrinks faster than the muscle and lifts the steak off the grate.
  • 105°F is the handoff, not the target. A hard sear on an inch-and-a-half steak adds roughly 25°F.
  • Salt and pepper alone is the right call. The rendering cap supplies most of the flavour and a heavy rub competes with the chimichurri.
  • Buy a whole top sirloin and cut the cap yourself. It lifts off along a natural fat seam and costs a fraction of buying it portioned.

If it goes wrong

It overshot medium-rare
Came off the indirect side too hot. 105°F is the right handoff on an inch-and-a-half steak given how much a hard sear adds.
The fat cap is chewy
It did not render. Score it in a crosshatch and give it real time fat-side down — fat takes longer than most people expect.
The steaks curled
The cap was unscored. It contracts faster than the muscle and pulls the steak out of shape.
Half the slices are chewy
Carved in the same direction the cap was portioned. Slice each steak across its own grain on the board.
My butcher does not sell picanha
Buy a whole top sirloin and cut the cap off yourself — it lifts away along a natural fat seam with very little knife work.

Ways to change it up

Brazilian skewers
Bend each steak into a C around a skewer with the fat outward and turn over the fire, so the rendering cap bastes the meat below.
Whole roast
Cook the entire cap as one piece, reverse-seared, then carve. The easiest way to keep it evenly medium-rare.
Pan seared
Fat-cap down in a cold pan brought up gradually so it renders, then sear the faces in the rendered fat.
Different sauce
Salsa verde or a garlic butter. What picanha wants is acidity or sharpness against the fat.
Coarse salt only
The churrascaria approach — heavy coarse salt, brushed off before serving.

What to serve it with

  • Chimichurri, generously.
  • Farofa or rice, if going Brazilian.
  • Grilled vegetables or a simple salad.
  • Flaky salt at the table.
  • A malbec or a cold lager.

Storage & reheating

Cooked picanha keeps 3–4 days refrigerated. Store the steaks whole with the fat cap on rather than sliced — the cap protects the lean muscle underneath from drying in the fridge. Warm briefly before serving leftovers, since the rendered fat sets hard when chilled and is unpleasant cold.

Raw picanha freezes for 6–12 months wrapped airtight. If you have broken down a whole top sirloin, freeze the cap whole rather than pre-cut into steaks — it keeps better as one piece and you can portion it after thawing. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

FAQ

Why cut picanha with the grain instead of against it?

Because the against-the-grain cut happens later, on the board. Portioning with the grain gives you steaks whose fibres all run in one direction, so each can then be carved across them after cooking. Cutting the whole cap against the grain first leaves you with steaks that cannot be sliced properly.

What is a reverse sear and why use it on picanha?

You cook the steak gently over indirect heat until it is close to target, then sear hard at the end. On a thick cut like a picanha steak it gives an evenly pink interior instead of a grey band under the crust, and the slow phase also gives the fat cap time to start rendering before it hits high heat.

Can I get picanha from a regular supermarket?

Often not labelled as such, but you can cut it yourself. Buy a whole top sirloin and the cap lifts off along a natural fat seam with very little knife work. That is what this recipe does, and it costs a fraction of buying it pre-cut from a specialty butcher.

What temperature should picanha be pulled at?

Off the indirect heat at about 105°F, then seared to a final 130°F for medium-rare. The gap matters — a hard sear on an inch-and-a-half steak adds roughly 25°F, so going in at 130°F means coming out well past it.

Why cut picanha with the grain instead of against it?

Because the against-the-grain cut happens later, on the board. Portioning with the grain gives you steaks whose fibres all run in one direction, so each can then be carved across them after cooking. Cutting the whole cap against the grain first leaves you with steaks that cannot be sliced properly.

Should I trim the fat cap off picanha?

No — score it, do not remove it. The fat cap is the defining feature of the cut and the source of most of its flavour; as it renders it bastes the lean muscle underneath. Scoring in a crosshatch helps it render evenly and crisp instead of shrinking and curling the meat.

Know your cook

More information, cause recipe back stories are stupid

No 500-word life story — just the good-to-know stuff on what’s actually in this cook. Here’s the rundown on every real ingredient, health and nutrition wise.

Beef
Beef is a complete protein and one of the best food sources of highly absorbable heme iron, zinc, and vitamin B12 — key for energy, immunity, and healthy blood. Fattier BBQ cuts are calorie-dense, so lean trimming and sensible portions keep it balanced.
Salt
Salt is essential for seasoning and, in brines and cures, for texture and safety — but sodium adds up fast in BBQ. Season with intention and balance salty cooks with fresh sides.

General nutrition info only, not medical or dietary advice — portions, brands and add-ons change the numbers.

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