How to Cook Perfect Picanha Roast at Home

Want to make a beautiful roast for Sunday supper, a holiday centerpiece or just because? Learn how to make a Picanha Roast that starts on the stovetop and finishes in the oven. This mostly hands-off method yields an incredibly flavorful roast. Paired with the right sides, it brings Brazilian churrasco vibes to your table.

No grill? No problem. If you do have a grill, try a grilled picanha instead.

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Why I love this Picanha Roast recipe

Oi, Gente!

This recipe adapts well to many occasions. Change the side dishes (see suggestions below) and you can capture churrasco vibes without a grill, host a relaxed Sunday supper, or impress your family with a stunning holiday roast.

This is the roast recipe you’ll come back to again and again. It’s simple, yet makes an impressive centerpiece. I explain the why behind the steps so you can replicate reliable results in your own kitchen.

Many steps are “set it and forget it” — just watch the meat and the fat do their work.

The single most important thing to remember: the picanha fat cap is GOLD.

We’ll manage temperatures and timing to render that fat properly, use it for flavor, and achieve the desired doneness. Details about resting, searing and oven timing follow below.

Beijinhos xoxo

Ingredients:

You need picanha to make a picanha roast

Picanha is the Portuguese name for culotte, a cut from the top sirloin (sirloin cap). A good picanha has a pronounced fat cap — don’t trim it off. That fat is responsible for flavor, juiciness and mouthfeel.

Finding a whole sirloin cap can be hit-or-miss at some grocery stores. You can ask your butcher for the whole piece, check Brazilian or Latin markets, or buy it online from specialty purveyors. A typical size is 2.5–3.5 lbs (1.2–1.6 kg). Larger pieces may include other muscles and will cook differently.

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Picanha steak (coulotte) — look for a quality piece with a good fat cap.

Coarse salt — sal grosso or another coarse sea salt.

Meat thermometer — essential for accurate doneness.

How to make this picanha roast

Bring to room temperature. Remove the picanha from the refrigerator 30–60 minutes before cooking. A cold center will not cook evenly, especially with a thick fat cap.

Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 395°F (200°C) so it’s hot when the roast goes in.

Pat dry. Remove the roast from its packaging and pat it dry with paper towels to avoid steaming when it hits the pan.

Start in a cold skillet, fat side down. The fat cap is the key to this roast. Place the picanha fat-side down on a cold cast-iron or heavy skillet off the heat. We want to render the fat slowly so it melts and flavors the meat rather than burning.

Season only the meat side. Sprinkle coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper on the meat side and press the salt so it adheres.

Render the fat. Place the skillet over medium heat and let the fat slowly render. After about 6–10 minutes you’ll see liquid fat accumulate. When enough fat has melted, add the bay leaf, smashed garlic, thyme and rosemary to the fat and begin spoon-basting the meat so the aromatics flavor the roast. Increase heat briefly to medium-high toward the end to crisp the fat cap.

Sear the other sides. Flip the roast and sear each remaining side in the rendered fat about 3 minutes per side so the exterior is nicely browned and has absorbed flavor.

Transfer to a baking dish. Move the picanha fat-side up into a roasting pan or an ovenproof dish. Discard excess rendered fat — too much fat in the oven can smoke. Leaving the roast fat-side up helps even cooking.

Season the fat cap. Season the fat cap with salt and pepper, then place the roast in the preheated oven.

Bake to temperature. Use an instant-read thermometer to check doneness. About 10 minutes in the oven usually brings a 3 lb picanha to roughly 119–120°F internal (rare). Bake longer for medium-rare or medium. See the temperature notes below for guidance.

Let it rest. Remove the roast from the oven when it is about 5°F below your target temperature. Transfer to a cutting board and rest undisturbed for about 10 minutes. Resting allows carryover cooking and lets the juices redistribute so slices stay juicy.

Slice and serve. Slice across the grain into 1/4″–1/2″ slices, depending on preference. Thinner slices are common when serving rare meat.

What you need to know about cooking temperatures

Meat continues to rise in temperature as it rests — typically 5–7°F. Pull the roast from the oven about 5°F below your desired final temperature to avoid overcooking.

How to serve

This roast pairs beautifully with Brazilian white rice, black beans and a simple vegetable like broccolini or fried sweet plantains. In summer, serve with cilantro chimichurri or molho à campanha. For special occasions, compound herb butter, collard greens with bacon, mashed potatoes or festive rice variations work well. And of course, farofa is a classic accompaniment.

Mix and match sides to suit the occasion — the picanha’s rich flavor complements many preparations.

How to store and reheat leftovers

Store leftover slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Reheat gently in the oven or air fryer to preserve texture and flavor.

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