Rodizio Style Wagyu Picanha

In this video we try a domestic Wagyu Picanha slowly spinned on a rodizio to get that amazing crust and delicious charcoal flavor. At the same time we are grilling some pineapple with brown sugar and cinnamon as a side dish, that will compliment the delicious flavor of the meat with a sweet and sour note. 

The Picanha is known as the top sirloin cap steak in the US, it is all the layers of muscles over the rump, this cut of meat is very tender given that cows do not use them much in their lifetime. This cut got pretty famous due to the amazing Brazilian steakhouses also known as Rodizios, maybe you’ve had a chance to try one. They grill different cuts of meat by rotating them on top of live fire, almost like a rotisserie, then the big skewers are taken off the fire and the waiters take it to you directly and cut a fresh new piece on your plate, it is just the perfect combination of crust and medium rare meat.  I believe this is one of the most amazing pieces of steak that you can have, as it has a layer of fat that just gives it that extreme and buttery flavor and it is one of those cuts that are easy to grill. 

So today, I decided to go the traditional way of grilling a Picanha. I am using a rotisserie like machine that can be an add on to any of my grills. So let’s light the charcoal up and get that Wagyu Picanha spinning. 

Video Recipe

Directions:

1. Get your fire going by lighting up your FOGO Premium Charcoal. 
2. In the meantime, slice your Wagyu Picanha into 2” strips
3. Next get pineapple spears and put them into a bowl. Add the sugar and the cinnamon and make sure to rub thoroughly to all the pineapple.
4. Now, its time to set the giant skewer up! Start with one piece of pineapple, and put the Wagyu Picanha in between (see video for reference on how to put it) and top it off with another pineapple. 
5. Sprinkle some salt on both sides of the Picanha and set up your skewer on the rotisserie, and let it spin! 
6. You will know when the meat is ready to be taken off the fire, by looking at its crust. The crust is perfectly done and brown. If you’re more into measuring, 130F internal temperature should give you a medium rare finish. 

I’m so excited, let’s give it a taste…

German from Meat n’ Bone joins us once again and we are both super excited to try this Wagyu Picanha that has been spinning and spinning in front of our hungry eyes.  So as we take it off the fire, we see this crispy and charbroiled crust on the meat and the pineapple juice just flowing everywhere. 

The way that you should be cutting the meat, is by thinly slicing the Picanha so the perfect slice will have a combination of that amazing crust and a bit of the medium rare meat. As you keep cutting the meat no more crust will be left, so you put it back on the rotisserie to get another layer of crispiness.

As I take the first bite I feel a burst of flavors in my mouth and wow it is just delicious. Because it is a domestic Wagyu cut, I can feel the fattiness and explosive flavor in its juices. At the same time I feel a bit of the sweetness and sourness from the pineapple juice, which balances perfectly with the fat. 

Grilled pineapple is an all time favorite of mine, and also my family’s. So there’s not really much I can say about it, except that I love it and you should definitely try it. 

If you haven’t had the chance to try Picanha yet, I urge you to give it a go! It’s an amazing cut of meat and it is not high maintenance, so it is very easy to grill whether it is on a rotisserie or just directly on your grill.

Let me know in the comments, have you ever tried Picanha and what is your favorite way of grilling it?