Picanha is a prized cut of beef in Brazilian BBQ—tender, flavorful, and known for its thick fat cap that turns golden and crisp when cooked right. While traditionally cooked over open fire on skewers Rodizio-style, this recipe shows you how to master smoked or grilled picanha on a standard backyard BBQ or pellet smoker—no rotisserie required.
Perfect Picanha Recipe
The picanha, also known as the top sirloin cap, is a triangular cut of beef with a signature fat cap that locks in flavor and moisture. Brazilian steakhouses serve it skewered and slow-roasted over coals, but you can absolutely recreate that juicy, smoky flavor at home—without the fancy rotisserie setup.
By using a combination of low-and-slow cooking and a final hot sear, you’ll end up with beautifully tender meat and a crispy fat cap that delivers rich, buttery flavor in every bite.
How to Make Perfect Picanha
Preparation
Preheat your smoker or grill to 350°F. While it heats up, prepare the picanha by scoring the fat cap. Use a sharp knife to make shallow cuts about 2 mm deep across the fat, first in one direction and then in the other, creating a crosshatch pattern. This helps render the fat and adds visual appeal.Once scored, lightly coat the entire roast with duck fat spray to help the seasoning stick and enhance crust development. Then generously apply Motley Que Beef Fixx followed by a layer of White Lightning rub. Let it sit at room temperature while your grill comes up to temp.
Cooking
Place the picanha on the smoker or grill with the fat side facing the heat. On most pellet grills like a Traeger or Pit Boss, this means fat side down. Cook at 350°F until the roast reaches an internal temperature of 130–135°F, depending on how you like your beef. For this recipe, we pulled ours at 132°F for a perfect medium-rare center.
Resting
After removing the picanha from the grill, wrap it loosely in foil and let it rest for 15 minutes. This rest allows the juices to redistribute and the internal temperature to stabilize. Once rested, lightly spray the outside with duck fat and sprinkle a bit more White Lightning on the fat cap to build extra flavor before searing.
Searing the Fat
Now it’s time to crisp up that fat. Open your sear station or crank your grill to its highest heat. Place the picanha fat side down directly over the hottest part of the grill. After about 45 seconds, rotate the roast 90 degrees to cross-sear the fat.
Flip it over to fat side up and let it sit for about a minute. Then flip one final time back to fat side down, and let it sear for another minute or less, just until the fat cap is crispy and golden.
Slicing
To serve, identify the direction of the meat grain and be sure to slice against the grain for maximum tenderness. We recommend slicing the picanha with the fat cap facing up, so your knife cuts through the crispy fat first before gliding through the meat.
Slice into thin pieces, about ½-inch thick, and serve immediately. Picanha is best enjoyed hot and fresh with minimal seasoning—just let the meat shine.
Best Beer To Pair With Picanha
Pilsner
Crisp and refreshing to balance the richness of the fat cap.
Amber Lager
Toasty malt flavor complements the char on the crust.
Brazilian-style Pale Ale
Light bitterness and citrus to cut through the buttery texture.
Perfect Picanha
Ingredients
- 1 each Picanha Roast
- ¼ cup Motley Que Beef Fixx
- ¼ cup Boar’s Night Out White Lightning
- 1 can Cornhusker Kitchen Duck Fat Spray
Instructions
- Preheat smoker or grill to 350°F
- Score fat cap with a knife (crosshatch pattern)
- Spray with duck fat, season with Beef Fixx + White Lightning
- Cook fat side toward heat to 130–135°F internal
- Rest for 15 minutes wrapped in foil
- Respray with duck fat, add a light dusting of White Lightning
- Sear fat cap over high heat until crispy
- Slice against the grain, serve hot