Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Beef

Picanha cooked over charcoal in the Charlie Oven

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

BBQ Picanha

Picanha's generous fat cap is a big part of its appeal. Chris Taylor's masterclass recipe roasts the Brazilian rump cut briefly in Charlie before slicing it into steaks for a hot grill. Two cooking stages, with plenty of flavour from the fat and charcoal.

Chris TaylorFire cook and author
Roast
Prep1 hour plus resting
Cook10 minutes
Serves4 to 6
DifficultyMedium
Oven temperature200°C (390°F) to roast, then 300°C (570°F) to sear the steaks
RackGrill rack about 15cm above the charcoal
CharcoalHalf a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal

Charlie Oven — https://charlieoven.com/en-us/blogs/charcoal-recipes/bbq-picanha

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Ingredients

Equipment

Method

Setting up Charlie
  1. Light a medium bed of quality lumpwood charcoal and close the door. There is no need to wait for it to burn down.
  2. Place a shelf about 15cm above the charcoal. Close the door and bring the oven to approximately 200°C (390°F) for the initial roast.
  3. After the initial roast and resting period, add more charcoal and bring the oven up to 300°C (570°F) for grilling the steaks over high heat.
  1. Using a medium-heat charcoal bed, bring the Charlie Oven to about 200°C (390°F). Place a shelf about 15cm above the charcoal.
  2. Keep the Picanha joint fridge-cold and liberally season with Maldon salt. Place the whole joint over the charcoal, close the door, and roast for 5 minutes.
  3. The aim is to get colour on the crust and render the fat down. Keeping the meat cold ensures the fat cooks through when grilling the steaks later. Remove and leave to cool for about an hour.
  4. Bring the oven up to 300°C (570°F). Slice the Picanha across the grain into steaks.
  5. Salt the steaks all over and grill over high heat, moving them around and to a cool zone if flames get too high. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 47 to 50°C (115 to 120°F), then rest for the same time you cooked them.
  6. Slice each steak and serve. Enjoy with your favourite steak sauces.

Tips

  • Keep the Picanha fridge-cold before roasting: this ensures the fat renders fully while the inside stays rare during the initial cook.
  • Always slice against the grain for the most tender steaks.
  • Use a meat thermometer to hit 47 to 50°C (115 to 120°F) for a medium-rare. Rest for the same time you cooked to allow the juices to redistribute.
  • If flames flare up from the fat dripping, move the steaks to a cooler zone rather than removing them from the oven.

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The cook

Chris Taylor

Fire cook and author

Chris "Chops" Taylor worked as a home economist on MasterChef before turning to fire cooking, and has co-written Fire Feasts and Backyard Baking with DJ BBQ. He co-founded Whittle and Flame charcoal and has taught steak and fire cooking masterclasses on Charlie.

More recipes by Chris Taylor

Frequently asked questions

  • Why keep picanha fridge-cold before roasting?

    Cooking it straight from the fridge lets the fat cap render and colour during the 5 minute roast at 200°C (390°F) while the inside stays rare. That leaves room for the steaks to cook through on the second, hotter grill.

  • What internal temperature should picanha steaks reach?

    Cook the steaks until they reach 47 to 50°C (115 to 120°F) for medium-rare, checking with a meat thermometer. Then rest them for the same length of time you cooked them before slicing and serving.

  • What should I do if the fat causes flare-ups?

    Move the steaks to a cooler part of the grill rather than taking them out of Charlie. Keep moving them around over the 300°C (570°F) heat so they colour without catching in the flames.

  • Which way should I slice picanha into steaks?

    Slice the roasted joint across the grain into steaks before grilling, then slice each steak again to serve. Cutting against the grain keeps the meat tender. Serve with your favourite steak sauces.