the classic recipe
Picanha (Brazilian rump cap) with coarse salt
Picanha is the heart of the Brazilian churrasco. The craft lies in three things: the whole cut with the fat cap intact (which slowly melts and bastes the meat from above), the right doneness — pink inside, golden crust outside — and the salt: raw, mineral, coarse-grained. Served in wide slices, faintly pink, with farofa on one side and vinagrete on the other. No sauce needed, no marinade, no trickery. Pure beef.
yields 6 servings·331 kcal per serving·cuisine Brazilian
The traditional recipe
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F).
In a bowl, combine 1 kg coarse salt, 4 egg whites and 60 g all-purpose flour with a spatula until the mixture resembles wet coarse sand.
Spread one-third of the salt mixture across the bottom of a large baking dish, forming a bed the size of the picanha. Lay fresh thyme sprigs over the salt bed.
Pat the picanha (1.2 kg) dry with paper towels. Place it fat-side up on the salt bed.
Cover the entire picanha with the remaining salt mixture, pressing firmly with your hands to form a solid, even crust.
Place in the oven, reducing temperature to 200°C (390°F). Roast for 40–45 minutes for medium-rare; 55–60 minutes for medium; up to 1h10–1h20 for well-done.
Remove from the oven and let the piece rest inside the crust for 5 to 10 minutes — residual heat redistributes the juices.
Using the flat side of a large knife, tap firmly around the crust to break it open. Remove all the salt crust before serving.
Slice the picanha into thick slices, always cutting against the grain. Serve immediately.
Who this dish is for
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