Picanha a la Duijvelslekker
Picanha with chimichurri, grilled little gem and sweet potato mash
For those who really want to go all out, this is quite an extensive recipe. But you can of course make it as simple or as elaborate as you like. If you only want to prepare the picanha, be my guest!
Most pitmasters agree: picanha has everything you need for a great BBQ dish. The characteristic fat cap, beautiful marbling, fine texture and rich flavor make picanha the ultimate BBQ steak. This cut comes from the top of the rump, near the tail, meaning it is a muscle that is hardly used, nice and tender meat. In the Netherlands it is also known as rump cap, but let’s be honest, picanha sounds a lot better. A Brazilian classic should sound Brazilian, right? In Brazil, picanha is often served on a churrasco skewer and is the grand finale in many churrascarias. But trust us, you do not need to travel to South America for a great picanha. You can easily make it yourself with this amazing recipe from @duijvelslekker, including traditional chimichurri, sweet potato mash, little gem lettuce and grilled onion.
One final note: picanha is incredible meat, but it is best enjoyed from a high quality breed. A picanha from a dairy cow is not comparable to one from a well marbled breed like Black Angus or Wagyu. And trust us, you want that marbling for a juicy and flavorful result.
Chimichurri
An absolute classic with grilled meat, especially picanha. Prepare this first and store it in the refrigerator. It is also convenient to prepare the marinade and vinaigrette for the little gem in advance. Finely chop all ingredients, place them in a bowl, add olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper and mix well. Let it marinate for at least 3 hours so the flavors can fully develop.
Marinated little gem with fresh vinaigrette
A delicious BBQ salad. It takes a bit of work, but it is definitely worth it. Mix all ingredients for the marinade and cut the little gem in half. Place them in the marinade. Grill the marinated little gem on the BBQ until slightly warm with nice grill marks. Add a bit more marinade and finish with the vinaigrette.
Vinaigrette
Add mustard, egg yolk, tarragon vinegar, salt and pepper to a mixing bowl. Mix and slowly add the oil until you get a smooth, emulsified dressing. Thin it out with a splash of water.
Finish the little gem with grated Parmesan cheese.
Sweet potato mash
Sweet potato mash is always a great idea. Fresh, slightly different and perfect for summer. Wash the sweet potatoes and pat them dry. Wrap each potato in aluminum foil with olive oil, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Place them between the hot coals until soft. Open the foil, scoop out the flesh and place it in a saucepan. Add cumin, salt, pepper and butter and mix until smooth.
Preparing picanha
Make sure the fat cap is no thicker than 0.5 cm. Trim excess fat if necessary. Score the fat in a crosshatch pattern, cutting only into the fat, not the meat. Remove any silver skin from the underside. Season with a beef rub or salt and pepper, making sure it also gets into the cuts in the fat. Let the meat rest for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the BBQ for indirect cooking at 135 degrees. Add 3 chunks of oak wood and place the picanha on the BBQ. Cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 48 degrees. Remove from the BBQ and let it rest under aluminum foil while preparing the BBQ for direct grilling.
Grill the picanha over direct heat, fat side down, until it reaches an internal temperature of 52 degrees. Let it rest again for 5 minutes under foil and then slice thinly against the grain.
Grilled onion
Peel the white onions and cut them into slices of about 1.5 cm. Brush with olive oil and grill over direct heat. Once softened but not too dark, remove them from the BBQ, season with salt and pepper and separate into rings.
As mentioned, this recipe includes quite a few components and steps. Everything is perfectly balanced together, but you can also prepare parts of it separately. The sweet potato mash is a fantastic side dish and the grilled little gem is definitely worth trying as well. Either way, enjoy it, it is guaranteed to be a success!
ENJOY
