PICANHA (BEEF RUMP CAP) ON THE WEBER ROTISSERIE
The Dish:
Who doesn’t love a good steak? There’s many arguments for what makes the best cut and how it should be cooked but Picanha (pee-carn-ya), the hero of Brazilian Churrasco BBQ, takes some serious beating if you ask me! With a thick, flavoursome fat cap the naturally “gamey” taste of the rump is taken to another level when heavily salted and cooked basted in its own juices on the rotisserie.
Traditionally, the meat is sliced and eaten as is, served with side such as garlic bread, baked potatoes and vegetables. I am including a recipe for a basic chimichurri, which I think compliments the meat well, but this is an Argentinian sauce and not considered a “traditional” side – but I definitely recommend giving it a crack!
The Cooker:
For this cook, I’ll be using the Weber Charcoal Kettle and Rotisserie. In my opinion, you can’t beat lump charcoal for taking meat to the next level – but if you have a gas BBQ with a rotisserie you will still get a great result.
The Weber rotisserie is best used set up for indirect medium-high heat (either one or two baskets) with the lid on. This keeps the heat, smoke and flavour inside the cooker and helps infuse the meat with that classic charcoal cooker flavour.
With no wires to get tangled in the rotisserie and accurate ambient and internal temperatures the MEATER+ truly comes into its own with this cook (if you have a wired thermometer talk to us about using a collar to protect the wires).
If you don’t have a rotisserie, you can use the reverse sear method (which will be discussed in another instalment) to get a similar result – just be sure to make your first cut (into steaks) with the grain as compared to against, as mentioned below.
Ingredients:
- 1 X Beef Whole Rump Cap (generally 600g – 1.5kg)
- You favourite savoury Beef Rub (I’m using Kosmo’s Q SPG)
- Salt Flakes
- For the chimichurri:
- A bunch of flat leaf parsley
- Two of your preferred chillies
- 4 cloves of garlic
- ½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Method:
- Turn the rump cap fat side down and trim all the silver skin from the bottom
- Turn the meat over, and score the fat diagonally in both directions – fat contracts during cooking, this will allow it to do so without affecting the meat
- Slice the meat, across the grain, into two to three thick steaks (roughly 5-7cm thickness each). Leave off the last few cms of the meat at the narrow end – it’s a different muscle and does not cook up as well.
- Season the meat sides lightly with your rub, then apply the salt flakes all over – be particularly generous on the fat.
- Fold the meat into “C” shapes, and thread in the skewers with as much of the fat facing out as possible.
- Insert your thermometer into the thickest section of meat and set for your preferred doneness. Insert the rotisserie skewer into the motor, turn it in and close the lid. If you don’t have a thermometer, depending on thickness you will generally hit medium rare at the centre in around 25mins. If the fat has not fully rendered when your internal temperature is reached, leave the rotisserie stationary for a couple of minutes with the fat pointing down before removing from the heat.
- To prepare the chimichurri, pluck the leaves from the parsley and add to a food processor with around half the oil. Keep adding oil and mixing until you are happy with the consistency and salt to taste.
- If you prefer well done steak, slice the steak while still on the skewers, then apply more seasoning and place back on the heat for a couple of minutes. You can continue this until the meat is fully carved.
- Serve with your favourite sides and chimichurri.
Notes:
- As always, the better the cut of meat, the better the result. To demonstrate this cook I have selected a cheap, supermarket cut which was still very tasty and didn’t break the bank – but I strongly recommend the best quality you can afford.
- Always aim for your final cut against the grain. When on the rotisserie slice vertically along the skewer. If you are reverse searing, cut the steaks with the grain initially, and then slice in the opposite direction. This will ensure the most tender final bite.
- Rump cap, by beef standards, is a very intense cut as far as flavour is concerned. As a result, you may find you prefer it a little more well done than usual – in my experience most people prefer it medium (65-70c) or higher.
- The chimichurri will last in a sealed container for a couple of weeks in the fridge.
This recipe was put together by DGR BBQ. Melbourne based and a friend of BBQs & Outdoor, be sure to follow DGR BBQ on Instagram @dgr_bbq, for more Aussie Barbecue Inspo!
