Cowboy Butter Picanha: The Ultimate Backyard Steak Experience 🍖🧈
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I was in the grocery store about to buy two steaks for a different video when a fresh picanha jumped off the shelf and into my cart. At least, that’s what I told my wife. I’d never seen picanha in a grocery store anywhere near Delaware, so for me this was the golden ticket.
I reverse seared it whole on my PK360 charcoal grill and finished it with a warm, spicy Cowboy Butter. Below you’ll find the full recipe, my exact Cowboy Butter amounts, how to buy and cut picanha, a doneness chart and notes from all three picanha cooks I’ve filmed.
⏱️ Quick Answer: How to Cook Picanha on the Grill
Trim only the hard fat, score the cap and note the grain. Cook it indirect at about 400°F, fat cap down, until it reads 120°F (about 30–45 minutes). Then open the vents and sear hot (around 600°F) for 2–3 minutes per side, until it reads 128–130°F for medium-rare. Rest 10 minutes, slice against the grain and drizzle on the Cowboy Butter.
🥩 What Is Picanha?
Picanha (pee-KAHN-yah) is the triangle-shaped cap muscle on top of the beef rump, sold with its thick fat cap still attached. In the US it goes by top sirloin cap or coulotte, and in the UK it’s rump cap. It became famous in Brazil, and it’s the star at Brazilian steakhouses (Wikipedia).
Here’s why it’s so good on the grill:
- The meat is lean, with very little fat inside the muscle
- The fat cap melts as it cooks and bastes the meat for you
- It’s tender enough to grill like a steak but big enough to cook like a small roast
- It usually costs much less than ribeye or strip
🛒 Where to Buy Picanha and What to Look For
- Costco: look for “USDA Choice Top Sirloin Cap.” It’s been spotted at $8.99 per pound at select warehouses (Parade).
- Brazilian and Latin markets: usually sold whole and labeled picanha.
- Butcher shops: ask for a whole top sirloin cap with the fat cap left on.
- Online: my Wagyu picanha came fresh, never frozen, from Meat and Bone.
What to look for:
- Size: 2–4 lb is common, but 2½–3 lb is ideal. Much bigger usually means extra sirloin muscle is still attached, and it cooks unevenly.
- Fat cap: about ¼ inch or thicker, and even across the top. Don’t buy one that’s been trimmed bare.
- Shape: a clean triangle with a single seam down the middle.
Recipe
Reverse-Seared Cowboy Butter Picanha
A whole picanha cooked indirect on a charcoal grill, seared hot, then finished with a warm, spicy Cowboy Butter.
Directions
Equipment: charcoal grill set up for two zones + instant-read thermometer + boning knife + small saucepan + slicing knife
- Trim: Trim only the hard, dense fat and any silver skin. Leave all the soft fat on the cap. Picanha is very lean inside, so that fat cap is where the flavor comes from.
- Score and find the grain: Lightly score the fat cap. Then flip it over and look at which way the grain runs on the meat side. Make a note now, because it’s much harder to see after the crust forms.
- Season: Pat it dry and season the fat cap first, then the meat side and edges. Keep the rub simple. Most of the flavor comes from the Cowboy Butter.
- Set up two zones: Build a two-zone charcoal fire and bring the grill to about 400°F. On a PK360, open the bottom intake under the coals, close the other one, and open the top vent on the side away from the fire so heat pulls across the meat.
- Cook indirect: Set the picanha fat cap down on the cool side, opposite the fire. Close the lid and cook until the thickest part reads 120°F, about 30–45 minutes for a 3 lb cap.
- Make the Cowboy Butter: While the steak cooks, melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in everything else. Keep it on low and stir now and then, letting it reduce so the flavors intensify. Don’t let the garlic burn.
- Sear: At 120°F, open all four vents and let the fire climb to around 600°F. Sear 2–3 minutes per side over direct heat, finishing on the fat cap, until it reads 128–130°F for medium-rare.
- Rest, slice and butter: Rest 10 minutes. Slice against the grain, some thin and some thick, and drizzle the hot Cowboy Butter over every piece.
🧈 Delmarva Backyard Cowboy Butter Recipe
This is a warm, butter-based sauce, not just a compound butter. It simmers low while the steak cooks so the garlic, mustard and spices soak into the butter. Here’s exactly what I use for one picanha:
- 2 sticks (1 cup) butter
- 1 Tbsp Duke’s brown sugar bourbon mustard (or a coarse Dijon)
- 1 Tbsp dried chives
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp black pepper
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
- About 1 Tbsp green onion, finely chopped
- About 1 Tbsp curly parsley, finely chopped
How to make it: melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in everything else and keep it barely simmering, stirring now and then, while the steak cooks. Spoon or drizzle it over the sliced picanha so every piece gets some.
- Make ahead: let it cool, roll it into a log in plastic wrap and chill. Keep it up to 5 days in the fridge, or freeze it.
- Less heat: skip the red pepper flakes and keep the cayenne.
- More heat: double the cayenne and red pepper flakes.
- Use it on: tri-tip, surf and turf, grilled shrimp, corn on the cob or a baked potato.
🔪 How to Cut Picanha
This is where most people mess up picanha. The grain direction decides how tender every bite is.
- Before cooking, find the grain. Flip it to the meat side and look at which way the fibers run. Note it now, because the crust hides it later.
- Cooking it whole? Keep it whole and slice the cooked roast against the grain.
- Making steaks? Cut the raw picanha with the grain into steaks about 1½ inches thick. Then slice each cooked steak against the grain to serve.
- Slice thickness: I cut some thin and some thicker. Thin slices are the most tender. Thicker ones have more bite and juice.
- Keep some fat on every slice. That rendered cap is the best part.
🔥 Whole Roast vs Steaks vs Skewers
| Method | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Whole roast (this recipe) | Cook indirect to 120°F, then sear | Juiciest slices and easy timing |
| Steaks | Cut with the grain into 1½-inch steaks, cook low to 110–115°F, then sear | More crust on every piece. See my reverse-seared picanha steaks |
| Churrasco skewers | Fold steaks into a C with the fat cap outside, skewer and grill over high heat | The Brazilian steakhouse experience (Steakman) |
🌡️ Picanha Doneness Chart
A whole picanha rises about 5°F while it rests, so pull it early.
| Doneness | Pull from grill | After resting |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 115–120°F | 120–125°F |
| Medium-rare (my pick) | 125–130°F | 130–135°F |
| Medium | 130–135°F | 135–140°F |
| USDA minimum | 140°F | 145°F with a 3-minute rest |
The USDA recommends 145°F with a 3-minute rest for whole cuts of beef (USDA FSIS). I don’t take picanha above 135°F, because past that point this lean cut gets chewy fast.
📝 My Picanha Cook Logs
I’ve filmed three picanha cooks. Here’s what I did each time and what I learned.
| Cook | Setup | Temps and timing |
|---|---|---|
| 2019: Reverse-seared steaks | Weber kettle with a Slow ’N Sear, 20–25 Kingsford Original briquettes. A 3½ lb cap cut into steaks. Kosher salt, Kosmos Q Texas Beef and coarse pepper | Indirect at 250°F to 110–115°F. Lid off and vents open to about 500°F, then seared 2–3 minutes per side. Pulled near 135°F after about 45 minutes |
| 2023: Whole Wagyu picanha | PK360 with regular charcoal. Dry brined outside for 2 hours. Coarse salt, pepper and Kinder’s Woodfired Garlic | Grill at about 550°F. Indirect to 110°F, seared 3–4 minutes per side, turning 45° for grill marks, then back to indirect until just under 130°F. About 35 minutes |
| 2024: Cowboy Butter picanha | PK360. A fresh grocery-store picanha, cooked whole, fat cap down opposite the fire | Indirect at about 400°F to 120°F, then all four vents open to around 600°F for the sear. Cowboy Butter simmered the whole time |
What I learned:
- Briquettes beat lump for this. Lump burns so fast it can die out before the picanha is done.
- Wagyu cooks faster. All that marbling moves the temperature quicker, so check it early. More on that in my Wagyu picanha guide.
- Hotter indirect is fine for a whole cap. At 400°F the fat cap renders better and you’re eating sooner. Go low at 250°F when you cut it into steaks.
🚫 Picanha Mistakes to Avoid
- Trimming off the fat cap. Only remove the hard fat. The soft fat is the flavor.
- Not checking the grain first. Slice it the wrong way and even a perfect cook turns chewy.
- Cooking it past medium. The meat is lean. Past 135°F it dries out.
- Searing first on a thick cap. A whole picanha can burn outside before the center is done. Go indirect first.
- Skipping the rest. Give it 10 minutes so the juices stay in the meat, not on the board.
🍽️ What to Serve with Picanha
- Chimichurri, if you want something bright alongside the rich butter
- Grilled potatoes or a loaded baked potato
- Grilled corn on the cob, brushed with leftover Cowboy Butter
- Backyard wet cornbread
Leftovers: refrigerate sliced picanha for up to 3 days. Warm it gently in a skillet with a spoonful of Cowboy Butter so it doesn’t overcook. It also makes a great steak sandwich.
❓ Picanha FAQ
What is picanha?
Picanha (pee-KAHN-yah) is the cap muscle on top of the beef rump, sold with its thick fat cap still on. In the US it’s called top sirloin cap or coulotte, and in the UK it’s rump cap. It’s the signature cut at Brazilian steakhouses.
Is picanha the same as top sirloin?
Not exactly. Picanha is just the cap that sits on top of the top sirloin. A regular top sirloin steak is the bigger muscle underneath, without the fat cap.
Where can I buy picanha?
Costco often sells it as USDA Choice Top Sirloin Cap. Brazilian and Latin markets, butcher shops and online meat companies carry it too. Ask a butcher for a whole top sirloin cap with the fat left on.
Should you cook picanha whole or cut it into steaks?
Both work. Whole gives you the juiciest slices and the easiest timing. Steaks give you more crust on every piece and cook a little faster. Skewering C-shaped steaks is the classic Brazilian churrasco way.
What temperature should picanha be cooked to?
I pull it at 128–130°F for medium-rare. It rises about 5°F while it rests. The USDA recommends 145°F with a 3-minute rest for whole cuts of beef.
Do you cook picanha fat side up or down?
On the indirect side I start it fat cap down, opposite the fire, so the cap starts to render. Finish the sear on the fat cap so it gets crispy.
How do you cut picanha?
If you’re making steaks, cut with the grain first. That way, when you slice the cooked steaks to serve, you’re cutting against it. If you cook it whole, slice the whole roast against the grain.
Can I make Cowboy Butter ahead of time?
Yes. Mix it, roll it into a log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze it. Melt slices in a small saucepan on low when you’re ready.
Can I cook picanha on a gas grill?
Yes. Light one side on medium-high and leave the other side off. Cook on the off side until it reads 120°F, then sear over the hot side.
How much picanha per person?
Plan on about ½ lb raw per person. A 3 lb picanha feeds about 6.
🔧 Recommended Gear
- PK360 Charcoal Grill – the grill from this cook. Four vents make two-zone cooking easy.
- ThermoWorks Thermometers – you need an instant read to catch 120°F and 130°F.
- Boning Knife – for trimming hard fat and silver skin without losing the cap.
- Dalstrong Knives – for clean slices against the grain. Use code BACKYARD for a discount.
- Small saucepan – for keeping the Cowboy Butter warm on the grill or stove.
🥩 More Picanha from the Backyard
- How to Reverse Sear Picanha Steaks – cut into steaks, cooked low at 250°F and seared
- How to Cook Wagyu Picanha – what changes when the picanha is Wagyu
🔥 More Steak from the Backyard