Picanha on a Kamado Grill: The ultimate low 'n slow guide

Picanha, also known as a rump cap, is a super tasty cut of beef with rich flavour - and we’re going to push that even further by infusing it with the smoky goodness of charcoal. Picanha is often grilled over high heat in traditional Brazilian barbecue or cut into steaks and skewered for rotisserie. However, we’ve opted to smoke it whole and then reverse sear it for a perfectly medium-rare interior with a tasty seared crust.

1. Understanding Picanha

Picanha, also known as the rump cap, is distinguished by its triangular shape and generous fat cap. This fat layer is essential, as it imparts flavour and juiciness during cooking.

2. Preparing the Picanha

Trimming: Using a sharp boning knife, trim any silver skin off the under side of the picanha. Shape it by trimming off any thin edges around the sides. Flip the picanha over and trim some of the fat cap, leaving about 5mm of fat across the whole surface.
Seasoning: Season the below side generously with coarse salt, or in our case, we like to use Rum and Que Intensify. Use enough seasoning to coat the meat with a consistent layer all over. Leave the Picanha for around 10 minutes and then flip and season the other side.

3. Setting Up Your Kamado Grill for Low 'n Slow

Fuel: Because you want to cook the picanha relatively quickly (compared to a larger cut like a brisket), use lump charcoal as your fuel. Use a chimney starter and fire starters to light your charcoal.
Setup: Set up two zones on your Kamado – one for indirect cooking and one for direct. For the indirect side, you want to cover the deflector with foil to make it easier to clean afterwards. Put the hot charcoal in the bottom of the barbecue, with more lumps on the side which will have the direct cooking. Add your wood chunks at this stage and then, using heat protecting gloves, place the deflector plate on the side with less charcoal. Place one half grill on the charcoal side so it sits just higher than the deflector, and then the other grill on the highest spot above the deflector.

Wood Chunks: For a smoky flavour, add a couple of wood chunks to the charcoal. Pecan pairs well with beef.

Temperature: Close the lid and open the vents to allow your barbecue to come up to heat. Preheat your Kamado to a low temperature, around 240°F (115°C) to 260°F (127°C).

4. The Low 'n slow cook

Cooking: Place the picanha on the highest grill, fat side up, away from direct heat.
Monitoring: Install a meat thermometer probe into the thicker end and use the reader to monitor the internal temperature. For rare, aim for an internal temperature of around 120°F (49°C) - 125°F (52°C). This may take around 1 hour.

5. Setting Up for the Reverse Sear

Use gloves: To avoid clumsy tongs, we suggest you purchase some cotton gardening gloves from a hardware store. Put these on and then add a pair of black nitrile gloves. This will allow you to handle the meat for short periods of time without burning yourself.
Increasing Grill Temperature: Open the lid of the barbecue and allow more airflow to the coals which will increase the temperature. It may help to blow on the coals, but be careful of flying ash.

6. The Reverse Sear

Searing: Once the grill is hot, remove the thermometer probe from the picanha and place it on the lower grill plate. Sear it all over so that you get a consistent char across all surfaces. Keep turning it with your gloved hands. Be careful when you put the fat side down as it can cause flames.
Final Internal Temperature: The final internal temperature should be around 130°F (54°C) to 135°F (57°C) for medium-rare.

7. Resting and Serving

Resting: Remove the picanha from the heat and allow it to rest for about 20-30 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a moist result.
Slicing: Slice the picanha in thick 4cm steaks along the grain, and then turn each steak the other way and cut thinly against the grain for serving. This will make it tender and juicy.
Serving: Place the sliced picanha on a serving platter and drizzle over some chimichurri.