Fogo de Chao Picanha

Picanha may be new to you, but one bite of this tender and flavorful steak, and you might say bye-bye to filet mignon forever! The best part is you can easily grill this Brazilian specialty at home!

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What makes Fogo de Chao Picanha so delicious?

Picanha is the darling of any Brazilian steakhouse, and the way they prepare it at Fogo de Chao will have you skipping that tomahawk steak at your favorite steakhouse. There’s almost no seasoning, and it isn’t marinated. Still, it is incredibly tender and beefy, thanks to the fat cap and the way it’s cooked. 

Why you should create this Brazilian steakhouse picanha at home

Everyone should know how to make a superb steak, and this recipe is simple yet delicious.  Eating at a Brazilian steakhouse is fun but pricey. With this recipe, you can recreate a little bit of the Brazilian steakhouse at home. 

What is the picanha meat cut? 

You’ve probably never seen piranha steak at your local supermarket, so the question is, where to buy picanha steak? If you go to a specialty butcher, you can ask for it, but even most butchers don’t routinely sell the cut. If you have looked around but can’t find it, you can always buy it online. Wild Fork Foods offers a decent price.

Fogo de Chao Picanha ingredients

For this picanha steak dish, you’ll need:

• Pichana cut about three to four pounds
• Kosher salt 

Although it isn’t an ingredient, if you want to cook picanha steak traditionally, you’ll need Brazilian-style skewers. These skewers are thick and flat to keep the meat from curling. Although Brazilian skewers give you the most authentic look and flavor, if you don’t want to buy them, you can use two standard parallel bamboo skewers inserted into the meat about an inch apart. 

How to cook picanha steak

To prepare picanha meat:

1. Remove any silverskin from the picanha cut.
2. Use a sharp, thin knife to slice the meat into two-inch steaks.  There are varying opinions about whether it is best to cut with or against the grain of the meat for picanha. Most cooks think it is best to cut with the grain when preparing this type of steak, so the diner will make the final slice against the grain, but the decision is up to you. 
3. If you want, you can trim the fat cap. Make sure to leave at least a quarter-inch of fat. The fat will render during grilling and flavor the meat. 
4. Salt both sides of the meat generously with kosher salt. 
5. Curl the picanha steak cut into a C-shape with the fat cap on the outside. 
6. Thread the skewer through the center of the meat. Three or more pieces should fit on each skewer. 

To cook picanha on skewers: 

1. Preheat the grill on one side to 475 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Preheat the other side to around 350 degrees.
2. Place the skewers on the hot side of the grill and cook for about five minutes per side. Be careful to avoid flare-ups. 
3. Move the skewers over to the cool side to finish cooking. 
4. Rest the meat for five minutes before serving.
5. Remove the meat from the skewers to serve individual steaks. 

Alternate way of cooking

Want a simpler way of cooking picanha that doesn’t involve threading the meat on skewers? You can cook in a cast iron pan.

1. Slice the picanha cut about an inch and a half thick. Trim the fat cap to about a quarter of an inch.
2. Allow the meat to come up to room temperature.
3. Pat the beef dry and season well with kosher salt on both sides. 
4. Heat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat.
5. Sear the meat on one side for about four minutes. Flip the meat and cook for three to four minutes until you reach your desired temperature. 
6. Hold the meat with tongs to sear the fat cap for about a minute.
7. Allow the meat to rest for a few minutes before serving. 

What to serve it with 

Enjoy your Brazilian-style picanha steak with your favorite steak sides like:

• Cilantro Lime Rice. This simple, bright Cilantro Lime Rice recipe from Chipotle will bring a lot of flavor with minimal effort. 
• Creamed Spinach. While Creamed Spinach may not traditionally go with picanha steak, it is a classic steakhouse recipe that brings richness to the meal.
• Corn Salsa. You can’t beat the fresh and bold taste of Corn Salsa when made with corn straight off the cob. But it’s even good when using frozen corn!

What is the best way to reheat this?

To avoid drying out the steak while warming it up, start it on a baking tray in a 250°F oven for about 20 minutes. Then, sear the warmed-through steak in a hot pan for about a minute per side. 

How long does it last?

The steak will last about three days in an airtight container in the fridge.

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Fogo de Chao Picanha

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