Rotisserie Picanha

If you have ever been to one of those Brazilian Steakhouses where they cook the meat on skewers and serve it tableside, you are going to love todays cook!  If you have never been to one, today is your lucky day!  The main meat that is served is what they call picanha.  Picanha is a sirloin cap steak with the fat cap still attached and just may be one of the tastiest steaks that you will ever have.  It is super simple to prepare, and the flavor is out of this world.   The way that they cook it, is on a rotating skewer over hot coals. 

Picanha also goes by many other names, sirloin cap, culotte steak, rump steak or, as I like to call it , delicious!  The cut comes from the rump of the cow, right at the top end.  The way to prep picanha is fairly simple.  It involves cutting the roast into steaks, folding them over and skewering them.  The seasoning is so simple that it almost makes me feel guilty.  Nothing but coarse sea salt sprinkled on heavily and that is it.  When cooked over hot coals, the flavor that it produces will rival any other steak out there.  Watch the video, see how cool the new BGE rotisserie is and plan on making picanha for your family, they will be begging for more.

Directions:

1. Fill the bottom of the kick ash basket with about 4” of charcoal.  Once lit, push the coals to the rear of the grill.
2. While the grill is heating, slice your picanha into steaks, making sure to slice them across the grain.  Cut your steaks approximately the same width as your 3 middle fingers.
3. Fold the steaks into horseshoe shaped pieces and run the rotisserie skewer through the meat from the side, piercing the fat cap first, then the meat, then back out through the other side of the fat cap.  Repeat with the rest of the steaks and center them on the skewer.
4. Once the fire is burning well, place the skewer with the meat into the rotisserie and let it spin.  Cook for approximately 5 minutes or until the outside has developed a deep colored crust.  Remove the skewer, loosen the forks on the skewer and slide them out of the way.  Using your slicer knife, slice down the face of the steaks in as thin of slices as you can manage.  Turn the skewer and repeat the slicing for the other side.  You can continue slicing until it is all done, or you can cut one or two layers, apply more salt and return it to the rotisserie to get more crust on the meat.  It is up to you, but that crust is incredibly flavorful.