Picanha is a beautiful steak/roast that can be prepared in various ways. Below you’ll find a handy guideline. Scroll through and choose your preferred cooking method!

Preparing Picanha Low and Slow (searing & slow roasting)

Plan ahead: thaw the meat a few days in advance (or a few hours in cold water) and remove it from the refrigerator 5 hours before cooking to bring it to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 120°C for perfect slow cooking and heat the pan or grill to maximum temperature.
Sear the meat until brown on all sides in a large pan with butter or on the grill, ensuring the fat cap becomes nicely crunchy.
Transfer the meat to the preheated oven, place the steak in an oven dish, and pour in the cooking juices.
Time: Use the schedule below for planning; the times are indicative.
Check the core temperature of the meat using the temperatures in the table.
Rest: Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing or serving.
Season: Add salt and pepper or your choice of rub after searing or before serving.

Core Temperatures

Rare: 52°C
Medium Rare: 54°C
Medium: 57°C
Medium Well/Well Done: 62°C

Total cooking time is approximately 1.5 hours.

Reversed Sear Picanha (slow cook & sear)

Plan ahead: thaw the meat a few days in advance (or a few hours in cold water) and remove it from the refrigerator 5 hours before cooking to bring it to room temperature.
Preheat the oven or BBQ to 60°C.
Cook the meat until the core temperature is 2°C below the desired final temperature. The final 2°C will be achieved during searing.
Sear the meat on all sides until brown and crunchy, reaching the desired core temperature.
Check the core temperature of the meat using the temperatures in the table.
Rest: Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing or serving.
Season: Add salt and pepper or your choice of rub after searing or before serving.

Core Temperatures

Rare: 52°C (beef, veal)
Medium Rare: 54°C (beef, veal)
Medium: 57°C (beef, lamb, veal)
Medium Well/Well Done: 62°C (lamb)

Total cooking time is approximately 2 hours.

Picanha Sous Vide Preparation

Plan ahead: thaw the meat a few days in advance (or a few hours in cold water) and remove it from the refrigerator 5 hours before cooking to bring it to room temperature.
Preheat the water bath to ensure the correct cooking times. Use a sealed vacuum bag (you can pre-season the steaks and reseal them, but the original packaging is usually fine for sous vide cooking).
Time: Set the sous vide stick according to the schedule below. If the meat is frozen, add 1 hour to the cooking time.
Sear the steak in a pan or on the BBQ until golden brown. A torch can also be used. The temperature will not increase further during this step.
Rest: Allow the steak to rest for 10 minutes before slicing or serving.
Season: Add salt and pepper or your choice of rub halfway through or after cooking.

Sous Vide Settings for Picanha

Rare: 52°C for 3 hours
Medium Rare: 54°C for 3 hours
Medium: 56°C for 3 hours