Smoked Picanha Recipe on the Traeger (Reverse Sear)

I went to the store for a tri tip and couldn’t find one. What I came home with was a 3 lb “top sirloin steak” with a thick layer of fat on one side. That’s a picanha, and honestly, it might be the better cook. If you’ve ever been to a Brazilian steakhouse, it’s the one they bring around on the sword that everybody waits for. It’s beefy, it’s tender, and that fat cap bastes the meat the whole time it cooks.

I cook it the same way I’d cook a thick steak. It gets a low smoke at 225°F on my Traeger Timberline XL until it’s just under medium-rare. Then I pull it, crank the grill, and give it a hard sear, fat side first. The honest hard part is the sear. That fat cap will flare up, so you have to stay right there with it. Stick with me and I’ll show you how to handle it, plus how to make sure you’re actually buying a picanha.

Here’s what I’ll cover:

• What picanha is and how to find it at the store (it’s not always labeled “picanha”)
• How to trim and score the fat cap
• How long to smoke picanha (with a time and temp chart)
• The picanha internal temp to pull at for rare, medium-rare and medium
• How to reverse sear picanha without burning the fat cap
• How to cut picanha against the grain
• My best tips and answers to the most common picanha questions

Let’s get started!

What Is Picanha?

Picanha is the cap muscle on top of the top sirloin, with a thick layer of fat left on one side. In the US you’ll see it sold as top sirloin cap, sirloin cap, coulotte or rump cap. Sometimes it’s just labeled “top sirloin steak,” which is what happened to me. A whole picanha usually runs 2-3 lbs and is shaped like a half moon or a rounded triangle.

It’s the cut Brazil is famous for. At a churrascaria, it’s folded into a C shape on a skewer, salted with coarse salt, and grilled over charcoal so the fat cap drips onto the meat.

How to tell if it’s actually picanha: Look for a fat cap at least 1/4 inch thick covering one whole side. A real picanha also tapers at the edges and weighs 3 lbs or less. If what you bought is a thick, lean, boneless steak with no fat cap, it’s a top sirloin butt steak, not a picanha. That still works with this recipe. Just skip the fat cap steps and plan on a little less time.

Picanha vs Tri Tip

Both are sirloin cuts, both are about the same size, and both are great reverse seared. Here’s the difference:

	Picanha (Top Sirloin Cap)	Tri Tip (Bottom Sirloin)
Fat	Thick fat cap on one side	Lean, little to no fat cap
Grain	Runs one direction	Changes direction halfway through
Flavor	Rich and beefy, basted by the fat cap	Beefy and lean
Slicing	Slice straight across the grain	Cut in half first, then slice each half
Price	Usually a little more per pound	Usually a little less

If you want a marinated version of a sirloin cut, my tri tip marinade works great on picanha too.

How Long to Smoke Picanha

Short answer: plan on about 1 3/4 to 2 1/2 hours total for a 3 lb picanha. Mine hit 120°F after 1 hr 15 min at 225°F, the Timberline XL got up to 500°F in about 7 minutes, the sear took about 6, and then it rested 10 minutes. That’s about 1 hr 40 min start to finish, plus the dry brine. A thicker picanha can take up to 2 hours on the smoke, so cook to internal temperature, not the clock.

Smoker Temp	Time to 120°F (3 lb picanha)	Notes
180°F	2 – 2 1/2 hours	Most smoke, slowest cook
225°F (this recipe)	75 – 120 minutes	Best balance of smoke and time
250°F	60 – 90 minutes	Still great, a little less smoke
275°F	45 – 75 minutes	Faster, less even edge to edge

Picanha Internal Temp Chart

With a reverse sear, you pull the picanha off the smoker before it hits your target temp. The sear and the rest carry it the rest of the way.

Doneness	Pull From Smoker	After Sear	Final Temp After Rest
Rare	110°F	120°F	120-125°F
Medium-Rare (my pick)	120°F	130°F	130-135°F
Medium	125-130°F	135-140°F	140-145°F
Medium-Well	140°F	145-150°F	150-155°F

What temp is picanha done? I shoot for 130-135°F after the rest, which is medium-rare. Picanha has more fat than tri tip, so it’s a little more forgiving, but I still wouldn’t take it past medium.

Why You Should Make This Smoked Picanha

• Steakhouse picanha in your backyard: You get the same cut they carve tableside at a Brazilian steakhouse, plus real smoke flavor, for the price of a couple of steaks.
• The fat cap does the work: As it renders, it bastes the meat. That keeps it juicy and gives you crispy, salty edges after the sear.
• The reverse sear is hard to mess up: Cooking low first means it cooks evenly from edge to edge. The sear at the end is just for the crust.
• Feeds a crowd: A 3 lb picanha feeds 6 people, and you’re only watching one piece of meat.

Ingredients for Smoked Picanha

Meat

• 1 picanha (top sirloin cap), about 3 lbs: Look for a fat cap at least 1/4 inch thick covering one side. If it’s labeled “top sirloin steak,” “sirloin cap” or “coulotte,” check for that fat cap.

Dry Brine

• 1 tsp Morton coarse kosher salt (or 1 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal): It seasons the meat all the way through and dries the surface for a better crust. I used Morton coarse. Diamond Crystal is lighter by volume, so use about 1/2 tsp per pound with it.

Rubs & Seasonings

• 2 tbsp Rock’s Bourbon Brisket Rub: Bourbon barrel-aged salt, black pepper and garlic. Simple seasoning is the move with picanha, and this gives you salt, pepper and garlic in one shake. Don’t have it? Coarse salt and cracked black pepper is the traditional Brazilian way and it’s hard to beat.

Wood Pellets

• Traeger Signature pellets: That’s what I used. It’s a blend of hickory, maple and cherry, so beef gets a solid smoke without it taking over. Straight oak or hickory works great too if you want a bolder, more Santa Maria-style smoke.

Equipment

• Traeger Timberline XL (or any pellet grill that can hit 500°F)
• Meater Pro wireless thermometer or an instant-read thermometer
• Wire rack and sheet pan for the dry brine
• Sharp boning or trimming knife for the fat cap
• Long slicing knife (I use my Messermeister)
• Large cutting board (my RoseWood Block American Flag XL)

Step 1: Trim and Score the Fat Cap (10 Minutes)

• Pat the picanha dry with paper towels.
• Flip it fat side up. If the fat cap is thicker than 1/2 inch, trim it down to about 1/2 inch. Don’t take it all off. The fat cap is the whole point of this cut.
• Trim off any silver skin or hard, gray fat on the meat side.
• Score the fat cap in a crosshatch pattern, with cuts about 1 inch apart. Cut through the fat but not into the meat. Scoring helps the fat render, lets the seasoning in, and keeps the cap from curling up on the grill.
• While you’re at it, look at the meat side and find which way the grain runs. On a picanha it runs in one direction. You’ll slice across it at the end.

Step 2: Dry Brine (1-24 Hours)

• Sprinkle the kosher salt over every side, working some down into the score marks.
• Set it fat side up on a wire rack over a sheet pan and put it in the fridge uncovered.
• Overnight is best, but even 1 hour helps. If you’re cooking today, salt it as soon as you get home.

Step 3: Fire Up the Traeger to 225°F (15 Minutes)

• Fill the hopper with Traeger Signature pellets (or oak or hickory).
• Set the Traeger Timberline XL to 225°F and turn on Super Smoke. Super Smoke only works at lower temps, and this first stage is where you want all the smoke you can get.
• Preheat with the lid closed for about 15 minutes.

Step 4: Season the Picanha (5 Minutes)

• Pull the picanha out of the fridge.
• Season the meat side and the edges with a medium coat of Rock’s Bourbon Brisket Rub (or coarse salt and pepper).
• Go a little lighter on the fat cap. Most of that seasoning will render off with the fat anyway, and the dry brine already took care of the salt.

Step 5: Smoke Low at 225°F (75-120 Minutes)

• Place the picanha on the grill fat side up. As the fat renders, it drips down through the meat instead of into your grill.
• Insert your probe from the side into the thickest part, so the tip ends up in the center of the meat, not in the fat.
• Close the lid and let it smoke.
• Pull it at 120°F internal for medium-rare. My 3 lb picanha took 1 hr 15 min. A thicker one can take up to 2 hours.

Step 6: Crank the Traeger to 500°F (About 15 Minutes)

• As soon as it hits 120°F, pull the picanha and set it on a sheet pan. Don’t tent it.
• Crank the Traeger to 500°F. It took about 6-7 minutes on my Timberline XL.
• The picanha will only climb a couple of degrees while it sits, so don’t stress about it.

Step 7: Reverse Sear, Fat Side First (5-7 Minutes)

• Once the grill is at 500°F, put the picanha on fat side down.
• Sear for 2-3 minutes, until the fat cap is golden and crispy.
• This is where people mess up. The rendering fat will flare up. Keep the lid open, stay right there, and if the flames get big, slide the picanha to a cooler part of the grate for a few seconds.
• Flip and sear each meat side for 1-2 minutes, until you’ve got a good crust.
• Pull it at 130°F internal for medium-rare.

Step 8: Rest (10 Minutes)

• Let it rest for 10 minutes on the cutting board, uncovered. It’ll climb another 3-5 degrees and finish around 133-135°F. Mine rose to 138°F because I take it a little higher for my kids.
• Resting lets the juices settle back into the meat instead of running all over your cutting board.

Step 9: How to Cut Picanha (5 Minutes)

• Turn the picanha fat side up and find the grain on the meat. It runs in one direction.
• Slice against the grain into 1/4 inch slices, keeping a strip of fat cap on every slice.
• Want to do it the Brazilian steakhouse way? Cut the picanha with the grain into thick steaks about 1 1/2 inches wide. Then turn each steak and slice it against the grain.
• Pour any juices from the cutting board back over the top, and ENJOY!

Smoked Picanha Key Steps

• Trim the fat cap to 1/2 inch and score it in a crosshatch, without cutting into the meat.
• Dry brine with kosher salt, uncovered in the fridge, for 1-24 hours.
• Preheat the Traeger to 225°F with Super Smoke on.
• Season with Rock’s Bourbon Brisket Rub or coarse salt and pepper.
• Smoke fat side up at 225°F to 120°F internal, about 75-120 minutes (mine took 1 hr 15 min).
• Pull it, then crank the grill to 500°F.
• Sear fat side down for 2-3 minutes, then 1-2 minutes per meat side, to 130°F.
• Rest 10 minutes, uncovered.
• Slice against the grain, keeping some fat cap on every slice.

This Is Where People Mess Up

• Trimming off the fat cap: It’s tempting, but the fat cap is what makes picanha picanha. Trim it to about 1/2 inch, score it, and leave it on.
• Walking away during the sear: The fat cap flares up fast at 500°F. Stay at the grill, keep the lid open, and move it to a cooler spot if the flames get big.
• Scoring too deep: If you cut into the meat when you score the fat, the juices leak out during the cook. Cut just through the fat.
• Slicing with the grain: Picanha is tender, but it still gets chewy if you slice with the grain. Find the grain before you season, so you know which way to cut at the end.
• Buying the wrong cut: A “top sirloin steak” with no fat cap is a top sirloin butt, not a picanha. It still works, but check for that fat cap if you want the real thing.

Common Questions

What is picanha called in the US?
It’s usually sold as top sirloin cap, sirloin cap, coulotte or rump cap. Some stores just label it “top sirloin steak” or “top sirloin roast.” Look for a thick fat cap on one side.

Is picanha the same as top sirloin?
Picanha is part of the top sirloin. It’s the cap muscle on top. A regular top sirloin steak is cut from the larger muscle underneath and doesn’t have the thick fat cap.

How long does it take to smoke picanha at 225°F?
A 3 lb picanha takes about 75-120 minutes at 225°F to reach 120°F internal. Mine took 1 hr 15 min. Add about 15 minutes for the grill to heat up and the sear, plus a 10 minute rest, for about 1 3/4 to 2 1/2 hours total.

What temperature should I pull picanha?
For medium-rare, pull it off the smoker at 120°F, sear it to 130°F, and rest it to 130-135°F.

Do you smoke picanha fat side up or down?
Fat side up while it smokes, so the rendering fat bastes the meat. Then sear it fat side down first to crisp up the cap.

Should you trim the fat cap on picanha?
Trim it to about 1/2 inch if it’s thicker than that, but don’t take it off. The fat cap is the best part of this cut.

How do you cut picanha?
Slice it against the grain into 1/4 inch slices, with a piece of the fat cap on each one. For steakhouse-style, cut it into thick steaks with the grain first, then slice each steak against the grain.

What’s the difference between picanha and tri tip?
Picanha is the top sirloin cap and has a thick fat cap. Tri tip is from the bottom sirloin and is leaner. Tri tip’s grain changes direction, so you cut it in half before slicing. Picanha’s grain runs one direction.

What do you serve with picanha?
Chimichurri is the classic. It also goes great with roasted potatoes, cream corn casserole, rice and beans, or a big salad.

More Traeger Cooks to Try

• Boom Boom Tri Tip Marinade: another sirloin cut, marinated and smoked low and slow.
• Cream Corn Casserole on the Traeger: my go-to side for steak night.
• Brisket Smoked and Reheated the Next Day: when you’re ready for the big beef cook.
• Meater Pro Plus Wireless Thermometer Review: the probe that makes it easy to pull at exactly 120°F.

Final Thoughts

I went looking for a tri tip and came home with a picanha, and I’m not mad about it. A little smoke, a hard sear on that fat cap, and a sharp knife across the grain gets you steakhouse picanha in a couple of hours. Just remember the big three: leave the fat cap on, stay with it during the sear, and slice against the grain.

Ready to try it? Check the meat case for a top sirloin cap, fill the hopper with Traeger Signature pellets, and let me know how yours turns out!