Brazilian Picanha (Picanha) — Coarse-Salted Churrasco Steak

• 1.4 kgbeef picanha with 1 cm fat cap (rump cap or top sirloin cap, silver skin removed from the meat side)
• 24 gcoarse rock salt (Brazilian sal grosso style)
• 1 tspneutral oil (for lightly oiling the grill grate only)
• 12 chunkhardwood charcoal (enough to create a hot two-zone fire)

Instructions

1. 1

   Pat the picanha completely dry with paper towels and place it fat-side up on a cutting board. Trim away any silver skin from the meat side, but keep the fat cap intact because it bastes the beef and gives picanha its classic churrasco flavor.

2. 2

   Score the fat cap in a shallow crosshatch pattern, cutting only about 3 mm deep and not into the lean meat. Cut the picanha across the grain into 3 thick crescent-shaped steaks of roughly equal size, each about 4 cm thick.

3. 3

   Bend each steak into a C shape with the fat cap on the outside, then thread the steaks onto metal skewers if using the traditional churrasco presentation. If you are grilling without skewers, keep the steaks flat and plan to turn them with tongs instead of piercing the meat.

4. 4

   Sprinkle the coarse rock salt evenly over all sides of the beef and let it stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Do not use a wet marinade, because classic Brazilian picanha relies on beef, fat, fire, and coarse salt rather than acidic seasoning.

5. 5

   Light the hardwood charcoal and build a two-zone fire with one very hot side and one cooler side. When the coals are glowing and lightly ashed, oil the grate with 1 tsp neutral oil and position it about 12 cm above the heat.

6. 6

   Brush off excess loose salt from the picanha so the finished meat is savory rather than crusted with undissolved salt. Place the skewered or flat steaks fat-side toward the hotter part of the fire and grill for 5 minutes, allowing the fat to render and brown.

7. 7

   Turn the steaks and grill the lean sides for 4 to 5 minutes per side, moving them between hot and cooler zones to avoid flare-ups. Continue cooking until the thickest part reaches 54°C for medium-rare or 58°C for medium, which usually takes 18 to 25 minutes total depending on the fire.

8. 8

   Transfer the picanha to a warm board and rest it for 8 minutes before carving. Resting lets the juices redistribute and prevents the first slices from flooding the board.

9. 9

   Slice the picanha thinly across the grain, keeping a strip of browned fat on each slice. Serve immediately while the meat is hot, juicy, and lightly smoky, with farofa, vinaigrette salsa, and rice or beans alongside.