Enjoyed my first attempt at picanha! Overall, I'd rate it an 8 out of 10. Here's what I did and what I learned:
1. 2.75 lbs prime picanha from Wild Fork
2. Scored fat cap, overnight dry brine with kosher salt
3. Seasoned liberally with pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili flakes, and instant espresso.
4. Sous vide for 5 hours at 137F. (Old Anova still going strong since 2016)
5. Ice bath for 10 minutes, opened, pat dry.
6. Seared on cast iron pan, 2 minutes on fat cap, 1 minute on bottom, 30ish seconds on the sides.
7. Sliced against grain, topped with Maldon flaked sea salt.
Pros: Seasoning was excellent (IMO), doneness was the perfect medium rare that I prefer, texture and flavor of the sear were on point. Lots of praise from my wife, friend, and beloved dog who all enjoyed it.
Cons: The fat still felt chewy to me. It was pretty good, but I expected it to be butter-like, just like a prime ribeye at 137F. Did it just need more time in the bath? More sear on the fat cap? I don't know, but that's what I'd be looking to improve next time.
Thankful for all I've learned from this sub, and just wanted to pay it back by sharing my experience. Would love to hear your advice on how to get that picanha fat cap perfectly rendered!
by ATLjazzfan
4 Comments
I’d try rendering the fat cap in the pan a little slower for a nice rendered crunch.
Pictures look great, sorry the texture didn’t work for you. At first the color on the fat cap looked great, but then reading your comment and seeing it was seasoned with the instant espresso, that may be where the color came from and maybe the cap didn’t render down long enough. I could be wrong though. I always opt for rendering the cap unit it turns this color or close to it (usually seasoned with just salt or pepper). Margin for error is pretty large for rendering the fat compared to the meat side so feel free to spend extra time on it. Sometimes I’ll finish in the broiler on high for 2-3 min if needed after frying in cast iron to get that color.
Regardless, it just means you get to make picanha again which is never a bad thing! Keep trying! The best meals are the ones you’ve cooked over and over again until you’ve found your rhythm.
If you have a Costco near by, they sell great ones at the best price.
https://preview.redd.it/94p5tuttyhnd1.jpeg?width=552&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cd466e04bffaa23147a6b478e4ce24758e881039
My buddy just sent me this shot of the plating. I served it with roasted broccoli and mac & cheese .
>Burnings from my first picanha