Picanha Steak with Farofa
The crown jewel of Brazilian churrasco: thick-cut sirloin cap steak grilled over high heat with a generous fat cap, served alongside buttery toasted cassava-flour farofa.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs picanha (beef sirloin cap / rump cap), fat cap intact, cut into 3/4-in steaks
- 2 tsp coarse kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 1.5 cups cassava flour (farinha de mandioca)
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt (for farofa)
Instructions
-
1
At least 30 minutes before grilling, generously season 2 lbs cut into 3/4-in steaks picanha (beef sirloin cap / rump cap), fat cap intact on both sides with 2 tsp coarse kosher salt and 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper. Let rest at room temperature.
-
2
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to high heat (450-500°F).
-
3
Make the farofa: melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 finely diced yellow onion and cook until golden, about 6 minutes. Add 2 cloves minced garlic cloves and cook 1 minute. Add 1.5 cups cassava flour (farinha de mandioca) and toast, stirring constantly, until golden and nutty, 4-5 minutes. Season with 1/2 tsp salt (for farofa), stir in 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, and keep warm.
-
4
Score the fat cap of the picanha (beef sirloin cap / rump cap), fat cap intact steaks in a crosshatch pattern without cutting into the meat. Grill fat-side down first for 2 minutes to render the fat and prevent flare-ups, then flip and grill to desired doneness: about 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare (internal temperature 130-135°F / 54-57°C) or 6-7 minutes per side for medium (145°F / 63°C).
-
5
Transfer steaks to a cutting board and rest, loosely tented with foil, for 5-7 minutes.
-
6
Slice the picanha (beef sirloin cap / rump cap), fat cap intact against the grain and serve alongside the warm farofa.