Picanha is the Brazilian steakhouse cut that is finally catching on stateside. A top sirloin cap with a thick fat cap that bastes the meat. Coarse salt, smoke, and a sear. Set your time below.
How long to smoke picanha
At 225°F, smoke to your doneness (medium-rare around 130°F), then sear the fat cap hard. A whole picanha takes roughly an hour or two of smoke depending on thickness, plus the sear. Score the fat cap and keep it on; it renders and bastes.
Whole or steaks
Smoke it whole then slice, or cut into thick steaks across the grain first (the churrascaria way) and grill them fat-cap up. Coarse salt is the traditional and only seasoning it needs.
Picanha on a pellet grill
225°F fat-cap up for the smoke, then a hard sear over direct heat or cast iron. Oak and beef are a classic pairing.
FAQ
What temp is picanha done? Medium-rare around 130°F is the steakhouse standard; the fat renders best when you do not overcook the meat.
How long does picanha take? Roughly one to two hours of smoke plus a sear. The calculator plans it to your cut.
Do you leave the fat cap on? Yes, score it and cook fat-cap up so it renders and bastes the meat.
How Much Picanha Do I Need to Buy and Cook?
Fine-tune trim & cook loss
Lost to trim: - · lost to the cook: -
💲 Compare price: trimmed vs untrimmed
How Much Picanha Per Person (Serving Size Chart)
| Guests | Raw Picanha to buy | Trimmed (on the smoker) | Cooked (served) | Good pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | 3.2 lb | 2.8 lb | 2.2 lb | one whole picanha |
| 6-10 | 6.5 lb | 5.5 lb | 4.4 lb | 2 whole picanhas |
| 11-15 | 9.7 lb | 8.3 lb | 6.6 lb | 3 whole picanhas |
| 16-20 | 13 lb | 11 lb | 8.8 lb | 4 whole picanhas |
| 21-30 | 19 lb | 17 lb | 13 lb | 6 whole picanhas |
| 31-40 | 26 lb | 22 lb | 18 lb | 8 whole picanhas |
| 41-50 | 32 lb | 28 lb | 22 lb | 10 whole picanhas |
Raw weight to comfortably feed the top of each range at an average appetite (~0.44 lb cooked per person), no leftovers. Bump up a size for hearty eaters, light sides, or leftovers.
Times & temperatures
| Style | Method | Pit temp | Approx time | Pull / done temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole Roast | Slow and Low | 225°F / 107°C | varies | Rare 125°F · Medium-Rare 130°F · Medium 140°F · Medium-Well 150°F · Well 160°F |
| Whole Roast | Hot and Fast | 300°F / 149°C | varies | Rare 125°F · Medium-Rare 130°F · Medium 140°F · Medium-Well 150°F · Well 160°F |
📊 See the full smoking times & temps chart for every cut →
Written by John Kirker, who built the first meat smoking calculator in 2011. Times come from cooks we have actually run and logged; temperature and feel decide the finish, never the clock alone.
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