Picanha in Salt Crust
6 - 8 sevings Delicious Picanha in Salt Crust! This meal will move you all the way to Brazil since you are going to prepare one of the most popular cuts of beef in that country. With this meal, you will find yourself in a Brazilian Steakhouse but from the comfort of your home. Beef picanha is typical for a nice thick fat cap on the top of the meat that nicely comes and tenderizes the meat during cooking (and tastes super delicious, too 😊). Meat prepared in a salt crust together with the fat layer makes for an incredibly juicy food! And if you want to, you can use other cuts of beef with this recipe as well. Read more This recipe will utilize the extremely flavorful and simple method of roasting that anyone can easily master to prepare beef picanha in a salt crust. Read less x saved Tom the Chef Founder February 26, 2025 70 min.90 min.2/5 70 min. 90 min. 2/5 Tools: 1x Measuring Cups1x Measuring Spoons1x Chef’s knife1x Cutting Board1x Silicone Brush1x Small Hand Grater or Garlic Press1x Plastic Wrap1x Medium Mixing Bowl (3 – 4 QT)1x Silicone Spatula1x Large Fry Pan or Sauté Pan1x Tongs1x Cooling Rack1x Baking Sheet with Parchment Paper or Silicone Matt1x Carving Knife (or chefs knife)1x Cooking Fork (or regular fork )1x Food Thermometer (probe) 1x Measuring Cups 1x Measuring Spoons 1x Chef’s knife 1x Cutting Board 1x Silicone Brush 1x Small Hand Grater or Garlic Press 1x Plastic Wrap 1x Medium Mixing Bowl (3 – 4 QT) 1x Silicone Spatula 1x Large Fry Pan or Sauté Pan 1x Tongs 1x Cooling Rack 1x Baking Sheet with Parchment Paper or Silicone Matt 1x Carving Knife (or chefs knife) 1x Cooking Fork (or regular fork ) 1x Food Thermometer (probe) Directions: 1. Meat Preparation: Let’s start preparing the Picanha in a Salt Crust with the meat preparation. 1.1. Make sure that the meat is properly rinsed under cold water. Important: Do not remove any fatty parts of the meat since they nicely tenderize picanha during cooking. After it is fully cooked, the fat part will taste great too, but if you want to, you can remove it later. Do not cut into individual steaks – it will be prepared as a whole. Do not remove any fatty parts of the meat since they nicely tenderize picanha during cooking. After it is fully cooked, the fat part will taste great too, but if you want to, you can remove it later. Do not cut into individual steaks – it will be prepared as a whole. 1.2. Place meat on a cutting board. 1.3. Perform the grid cut with your knife on the entire fat layer. 1.4. Pour and sprinkle these ingredients on the top of the picanha: 1.4.1. Pour Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1.4.2. Grate 3 garlic cloves on the steak and spread with a silicone brush or fingers. 1.4.3. Generously pepper. Note: Do not use salt – the meat will be later prepared in a salt crust, so it will get salt that way). 1.4.4. Then turn and repeat on the other side of the beef picanha. 1.5. Cover the meat on the cutting board with plastic wrap and let rest (marinating) at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 1 hour. Important: This step is also really important to prevent getting a rubbery texture of meat and reach the perfect tender flavor. 2. Salt Crust Mixture: 2.1. Place into a medium mixing bowl: 4 cups of Kosher salt ¾ cup of water Thoroughly stir using a silicone spatula until fully combined. Note: The texture should be like wet sand. If necessary, add little more water or salt to reach that consistency. 2.2. Set aside for a later step. 3. Pan Sear: 3.1. Preheat the frying pan on high heat with 2 TBSP of frying oil and place in: Marinated picanha prepared in step 1 (fat-side down) And sear until the fat gets nicely rendered (about 2 minutes). 3.2. Then turn and sear shortly from all remaining sides, just enough to get a nice sear on the meat. 3.3. When a nice sear around the whole meat is reached (but the meat is still raw in the center), remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack to fully cool before the next step (usually takes about 15 – 20 minutes at room temperature). 4. Set Oven to Preheat: 4.1. Set oven to preheat at 350°F. 5. Assemble: 5.1. First, stir again the salt crust mixture. 5.2. Place about ¼ of the salt crust mixture in the center of the baking sheet and distribute with a spatula to a thin layer with a slightly large diameter than is the diameter of your meat. 5.3. Place meat on top of the thin layer. 5.4. Place the remaining salt crust mixture on top of the meat and then distribute using your hands. Important: Try to cover the meat evenly around the whole surface (if you have difficulties, just simply cover as much as you can). 6. Roast Picanha in Salt Crust: 6.1. Place in a preheated oven and roast until you reach your desired internal temperature. * Tip: I usually try to target medium rare, which is a temperature anywhere between 130 – 135°F. To prepare about 2.5 LB picanha in a salt crust to this temperature usually takes about 40 – 50 minutes. Important: Keep in mind that the meat will have some carryover temperature – after cooking is terminated, you should expect an increase in internal temperature of about 3 – 5 °F. 7. Finishing of Picanha in Salt Crust: 7.1. When the meat is roasted to your satisfaction, remove it from the oven, crack and remove the top crust, and then remove the meat to a cutting board. 7.2. Let the meat rest on the cutting board for about 2 – 5 minutes before serving. Note: Picanha will use this time to release blood and lock the juices in. 7.3. Slice it into thin slices and optionally serve with herb butter. * Check with a food thermometer to make sure that you have reached the minimum recommended safe serving temperature for beef, lamb, venison of 145°F. Kitchen Guide Beef, Lamb, Venison (steaks, chops, roast) The USDA minimum safe internal temperature is 145°F. Popular serving temperatures: 110 – 120°F – Blue 120 – 130°F – Rare 130 – 135°F – Medium Rare (most popular, especially by chefs)135 – 145°F – Medium 145 – 155°F – Medium Well 155°F and more – Well Done 110 – 120°F – Blue 120 – 130°F – Rare 130 – 135°F – Medium Rare (most popular, especially by chefs) 135 – 145°F – Medium 145 – 155°F – Medium Well 155°F and more – Well Done About the Author: Tom the ChefFounder # 1 120 Followers Published Recipes: 268Av. Recipe Evaluation: Location: Iowa, USAMember since: 2023-02-02 Published Recipes: 268 Av. 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Sourcing of ingredients, providing tools, equipment, and anything else related to the preparation and consumption of the products of this recipe. Nutritional data and information and diet-related information (and their accuracy). It is important to consult with your medical provider to ensure that the diet you are considering is suitable for you and to verify the information provided before proceeding. The overall outcome of following recipes, including the look and taste of the final product. Possible errors in articles and recipes (including incorrectly or unclearly explained steps and directions). Typos. All readers (users and visitors of www.CookingHub.com) are responsible for evaluating the recipes and articles and making their own decisions about whether to follow the steps and recommendations. They must ensure that the ingredients and steps fit with their dietary restrictions and avoid preparation methods that could pose a health risk due to an unsuitable diet.