The 2-Step Method To Get The Best Flavor In Picanha Steak

Just as you're becoming a steak expert and learning how to perfect the ultimate techniques for cooking juicy, smoky, and charred ribeye, filet mignon, porterhouse, t-bone, or flat iron cuts, suddenly there's one with a bit of mystique. It's a traditionally high-marbled Brazilian steak called picanha. You may know it as a sirlion cap, culotte, rump cover, or rump cap steak. Though generally not a mainstream supermarket cut of beef, it's worth seeking out, either in dedicated meat markets or by direct ordering from cattle farm retailers. Several online stores even offer restaurant-quality picanha steaks through Amazon for relatively quick delivery. Regardless of where you snag these coveted steaks, you'll definitely want some tips on getting the most flavor out of them. 

That's why we reached out to an expert on the topic, Chef K.C. Gulbro, Owner of both FoxFire and Copper Fox, and Chef Ambassador for Certified Angus Beef. Though the so-called fat cap covering one side of the steak does a natural job of basting picanha steaks while they cook, enhancing their juiciness, there's another intriguing way to bump up the flavor and texture. Gulbro shares his secret, which pulls from roughly two centuries of barbecue history in California's Santa Maria Valley. "I do a two-step marinade with this steak, similar to the method used for tri-tip in Santa Maria BBQ style – a technique popular in California," he explained. This technique involves creating a homemade dry rub and performing a traditional wet marinade. Thirteen ingredients come into play, but they're all common pantry or fridge items.

When K.C. Gulbro tips us off for this two-step dry rub and marinade in the Santa Maria barbecue style, he's recommending it for picanha steaks, not the typical tri-tips more common in traditional California cattle ranching regions. There's also no reason you can't use this same technique for other cuts of steak. First up is creating Gulbro's dry rub. Assemble the following ingredients, in measurements of 1 to 2 teaspoons, per preference: salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and dried rosemary. Add in smaller amounts, again to taste, of cumin and brown sugar. Finally, toss in a pinch of cayenne pepper — but you don't want to overwhelm the succulent beef flavor with too much heat on the palate. 

Pat down the steaks with the dry rub, then let it mingle on the meat for three plus hours, or overnight in the fridge. Next is the magic marinade. Build the sauce with equal amounts of red wine vinegar and vegetable oil, then stir in several cloves of crushed garlic and a small dab of Dijon mustard. Bring steaks to room temperature before marinating them in the sauce for up to an hour. Then, baste them with the leftover marinade while grilling. One final tip from Gulbro: "Cut against the grain (at the restaurant, we will look to see if any veins are visible after cutting, and trim if possible) and serve. Finish with a red or green chimichurri sauce or seasonal salsa (like pineapple salsa)."