Picanha is the queen of Brazilian churrasco—a prized culotte steak grilled to tender perfection with sofrito seasoning and served alongside farofa (toasted cassava scramble). This authentic recipe yields juicy, flavorful steaks that capture the essence of Brazilian grilling.
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Preheat the grill to 350F.
In a small bowl, mix the sofrito, the mustard, the dry parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Set aside.
Cut the meat the same direction as the fibers into 4 steaks.
Season the steaks with salt and the lemon pepper, then rub the sofrito mixture on the steaks.
Add the steaks to the grill, and grill them on all sides to your favorite doneness.
Remove the steaks from the grill, and let them rest for 5 mins before slicing them.
While the steaks are resting make the farofa.
On a stove top melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Add the onions to the pan and sauté until the onions are transparent, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs to the pan, and scramble them gently.
When the eggs are cooked, but still soft, add the cassava and stir.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the cilantro and stir to combine.
Season with salt and pepper.
Slice the steaks across the fibers, and serve with the farofa.
Leftover grilled picanha can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat to avoid overcooking. Farofa is best served fresh but keeps refrigerated for 1 day.
grill · small mixing bowl · medium skillet
Grill at 350°F on all sides until your desired doneness. The recipe doesn't specify a target internal temp, so grill to your preference—rare, medium-rare, or medium work best for this cut.
Yes. Ribeye, strip steak, or NY strip work as substitutes, though they lack picanha's distinctive marbling and fat cap. Adjust cooking time based on thickness.
Farofa is a Brazilian side of toasted cassava flour mixed with butter, eggs, onions, and cilantro. Make it while the steaks rest for best texture; it's not ideal for advance prep as eggs lose their soft, scrambled consistency.
Yes—rest for 5 minutes after removing from the grill. This allows juices to redistribute, keeping the meat tender and moist when sliced.
Cut against the grain (perpendicular to the fibers) when slicing for serving. The recipe calls for cutting WITH the fibers into 4 steaks before grilling to expose more surface area for seasoning.
