Recipe: grilled picanha the way they eat it in South America
Helmi Smeulders knows the Antillean cuisine like no other. After all, she has lived in Curaçao for 20 years and prefers to cook authentic Caribbean dishes with a modern twist. In her new The Caribbean Cookbook, Helmi shares well-known Antillean all-time favourites such as plantain, yardlong beans, Johnny Cakes and this delicious grilled picanha.
“Picanha, or rump cap, is very popular in South America and especially in Brazil, where it is on the menu at every churrascaria. Picanha always has a layer of fat that makes the meat extra juicy and flavourful. Traditionally, picanha is seasoned only with coarse salt, but here I give it some extra flavour with a simple marinade.”
Tips for grilling the perfect steak:
1. Make sure the meat is at room temperature before grilling. This helps it cook more evenly and keeps it deliciously juicy.
2. Always keep a meat thermometer close at hand. This allows you to measure the internal temperature for the desired doneness. The internal temperature of a rare steak is 50 °C, medium-rare is 55 °C, medium is 60 °C and well-done is 70 °C. Meat continues to cook for a little while after it comes off the grill, so always remove it from the heat slightly earlier.
3. Always let meat rest after grilling. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat and the fibres to relax. This results in tender and juicy meat. Place the grilled meat on a cutting board or plate and cover it loosely with foil. Don’t wrap it too tightly, otherwise the hot meat will steam and lose moisture. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes, depending on the size of your steak.
4. Tenderness does not depend only on which part of the cow you use; how you cut the meat is important too. Look at the direction of the grain (the way the muscle fibres run) and always cut your meat across the grain.
How to make the picanha
- Score the layer of fat on the meat crosswise. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and rub it into the meat. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat a grill pan or barbecue. Season the meat generously with salt on all sides.
- Want to serve the picanha churrascaria-style? Cut it along the grain into long pieces of 125 grams. Roll each piece up with the fat edge facing outwards and thread onto large, sturdy skewers.
- Grill the meat to the desired doneness; I personally like it medium-rare. Let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Title: The Caribbean Cookbook
Author: Helmi Smeulders
Price: €21,99
Publisher: Nieuw Amsterdam
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