Picanha advice

[Mr.Fabulous]

Finally laid hands on some Picanha (thanks for the sale price, Costco!)

Now, how to cook it. I am assuming the method will be similar to tri-tip, but one thing I can’t get consensus on is what to do with the fat cap.

Some recipes say leave it, others say score it deep & season, a few insist that you must remove it or face disastrous results.

So I am reaching out to see if anyone has experience & advice to share.

Ty in advance.

 

[Shedd]

I also got it from Costco, was two in the package about 3.5 lbs. I scored the fat caps, covered with a kosher salt and pepper rub. I put mine in my Sous Vide for 128 degrees for 4 hours. Then I put one in an ice bath to cool it down then put in refrigerator a few days. I then dried it off added some rub, cooked on Traeger until temp hit 130. It was good, tender and decent. The other I took it right out from Sous Vide, dried it off, added more salt and pepper then seared in butter. It was great, tender and very flavorful. So easy to do. I will do it again but not using the Traeger.

 

[RayClem]

I also got it from Costco, was two in the package about 3.5 lbs. I scored the fat caps, covered with a kosher salt and pepper rub. I put mine in my Sous Vide for 128 degrees for 4 hours. Then I put one in an ice bath to cool it down then put in refrigerator a few days. I then dried it off added some rub, cooked on Traeger until temp hit 130. It was good, tender and decent. The other I took it right out from Sous Vide, dried it off, added more salt and pepper then seared in butter. It was great, tender and very flavorful. So easy to do. I will do it again but not using the Traeger.

I think you may have gotten your processes reversed. Since the meat was already cooked Sous Vide when you placed it on the Traeger, it would not absorb a lot of smoke. It was a wasted step, as you found out. Try smoking the meat first.

I have not done a Picanha, but this is what I do with some other cuts of beef like sirloin steak or top round roast. Place in on the Traeger at 225F and cook it until the internal temperature reaches your desired internal temperature. Then place it in Sous Vide set to that same internal temperature and allow it to cook for another 2-3 hours to tenderize the beef. Once out of the Sous Vide, dry it off and then sear it on a gas grill, flattop grill, or in a skillet.

 

[Mr.Fabulous]

My over-arching concern is what to do with the fat cap. It is disconcerting to read 3 recipes by well-known & respected pit bosses, & to have each one tell you to do something completely different to the cap. Jess Pryles swears by removal. Says you will f-it up royally if you don’t.

I just don’t want to have to go through the removal process if I really don’t need to

 

[MidwestSmoker]

Well, I have never cooked at a Picanha, but if I did I would keep the fat cap. You can always remove it when eating it, but don't want to lose the flavor you get from cooking with it.

 

[Mr.Fabulous]

There is evidently silver skin beneath the fat cap that causes the problems

 

[Murphy's Law]

I want to say the Bearded Butchers did a YouTube video with this cut. Try googling them and see what they did if you have some time.

I’ll see if I can find it when I can.

 

[Meatman]

I’ve enjoyed several Picanha’s. If the cap fats been excessive (rarely) I’ve simple trimmed the cap to within 1/8-1/4 and have never scored. FYI, I found a Guy Fieri recipe for Santa Maria Tri trip that was incredible. I marinated my Picanhas over night!
Absolutely delicious… bon appétit!

 

[MidwestSmoker]

There is evidently silver skin beneath the fat cap that causes the problems

In that case I suggest that you cut it in half, trim the fat in one piece but not in the other. See which one you prefer when cooked.

I looked at some Picanha cooking videos and it looks like the silver skin is on the non-fat cap side, just like in briskets. If that is the case, just trim the silver skin on that side and keep the fat cap on the other side.

 

[Shedd]

I never encountered any silver skin on the two I did. Both fat caps was already trimmed (I guess) they was about 1/4”. When I cook and eat a steak that has a big hunk of fat, I simply just cut it off like I did with the picanha. It basically was like eating a rare to m rare sirloin. Flavorful but nothing extraordinary to me anyway. I was just curious and happened to run across it at Costco.
Ray Clem, I didn’t do it backwards, Sous Vide can be done either way, smoke before or after. It’s all about temperature, beef can’t be smoked on a smoker at a rare temperature long enough to gain much if any smoke then get to 120-130 deg unless cold smoke. Like I’ve said on here before, I like smoke on pork and chicken, not a fan of it on beef. I mainly use SV for meats I don’t smoke. The only reason I didn’t give my 780 back to my friend that gave it to me is “IMO It’s not a smoker”. SV is awesome on boneless chicken breast, tough cuts of beef, veggies and I even do tender cuts as well. My main use is I smoke butts, ribs and bone in chicken when I have time. I divide into portions, vac seal and freeze. SV works its magic bringing the frozen to a taste of just cooked. However I see your point and I do appreciate your post and comments as well as everyone else’s too.

 

[Mr.Fabulous]

Watched multiple videos. Going to leave fat cap on but score it. If it doesn’t come out to my satisfaction, I still have another in the freezer to do differently. I’ll post a ‘post-mortem’ report once we have tried it tonight.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[RayClem]

I never encountered any silver skin on the two I did. Both fat caps was already trimmed (I guess) they was about 1/4”. When I cook and eat a steak that has a big hunk of fat, I simply just cut it off like I did with the picanha. It basically was like eating a rare to m rare sirloin. Flavorful but nothing extraordinary to me anyway. I was just curious and happened to run across it at Costco.
Ray Clem, I didn’t do it backwards, Sous Vide can be done either way, smoke before or after. It’s all about temperature, beef can’t be smoked on a smoker at a rare temperature long enough to gain much if any smoke then get to 120-130 deg unless cold smoke. Like I’ve said on here before, I like smoke on pork and chicken, not a fan of it on beef. I mainly use SV for meats I don’t smoke. The only reason I didn’t give my 780 back to my friend that gave it to me is “IMO It’s not a smoker”. SV is awesome on boneless chicken breast, tough cuts of beef, veggies and I even do tender cuts as well. My main use is I smoke butts, ribs and bone in chicken when I have time. I divide into portions, vac seal and freeze. SV works its magic bringing the frozen to a taste of just cooked. However I see your point and I do appreciate your post and comments as well as everyone else’s too.

If you don't like smoke on beef, then Sous Vide followed by searing is the way to go.