Smoked Grilled Pichana

Smoked Grilled Pichana

Have you tried grilled picanha aka sirloin cap? This is a cut of beef that is traditionally cooked in Brazil and is one of the top meats there. In the United States, it is sold as sirloin cap and sometimes you will see it labeled as picanha. This recipe takes the cooking method to another level by smoking the meat prior to grilling. Sticking to tradition, the only seasoning used in this recipe is BBQ salt during grilling time. This results in a flavor of delicious beef with earthy smoke fire and salt.

Ingredients

  • 3 – 5 pound Picanha (Sirloin cap)
  • 2 tablespoons Kosher Salt

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Directions

First score the fat cap with a knife but do not touch the meat underneath. Create a grid which allows the fat to escape and flavor the meat.


Next using the knife, on the meat side, mark the grain of the meat by making a slice in the grain direction. This will be useful when slicing so that slices will be against the grain for more tenderness.


Next place the meat on the smoker fat cap up (debate this in the comment section) with the smoker at 165 F using mesquite wood. Just to clarify, there was no seasoning or marinade used with the meat at this point.


Smoke the meat for 2 hours then pull it and slice it with the grain into 2 finger width chunks. Salt liberally one side of the meat with kosher salt or Brazilian BBQ salt.


Place the meat on a medium temperature grill salt side down (again, debate this in the comment section) for 5 minutes, then flip to the unsalted side. Finally flip to the fat cap side and allow it to burn in the flame. Stay near the grill at all times and do not close the lid during this cook phase.


When the meat reaches 130F pull it from the grill and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing against the grain and enjoying.

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Pellet Smoked Overnight Brisket

Pellet Smoked Overnight Brisket

Cooking a brisket overnight on a pellet smoker is one of the most epic cooks that you can achieve on this cooking machine. There is no fire to tend to like an offset smoker would have you do, so you just fill the pellet hopper to the max and sleep till morning. But let’s be real, the sleep won’t be so good especially if you spent some big coin on a prime brisket. You can reduce your sleep anxiety by using a wireless thermometer and setting a 202 F max temp alarm for the brisket and a 180 F low temp alarm with an ambient probe for the smoker. If you are a heavy sleeper you probably should set the brisket max temp alarm at 155 F to wake you when the brisket nears the stall stage. Keep in mind this stall temp could range from 145 – 175 F so you will need to observe the temp around this time. This temp should hit sometime in the early morning so be ready to get out of bed and tend to your cook. Wrapping a brisket will allow it to get past the stall stage and it will make the meat tender by braising it in its juices. You can wrap the brisket with aluminum foil or butcher paper. If you choose aluminum foil, the seasoning bark may wash off somewhat from trapped steam. On the other hand, butcher paper will allow some moisture to escape giving you a thick bark. When the brisket reaches between 202 – 205 F in both the point and flat, take additional readings with a handheld thermometer to confirm this temp. You can also tell when the brisket is ready by feel. When the temp probe slides into the meat like butter with little resistance, then it’s done. When this happens you need to place the brisket in a cooler and let it rest for at least 1 to 2 hours. After this rest period it is ready to unwrap, slice against the grain and enjoy.

Ingredients

  • 12 – 15 pound full packer brisket (choice or prime)
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup beef brisket seasoning

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Directions

First, using a flexible boning knife trim the discolored edges off the brisket on all 4 edges.


Next trim all hard fat from the brisket on all surfaces. Keep the fat cap side in place but reduce any hard buildup fatty areas. You want to avoid scalping the fat into the meat but leave 1/4 inch of a fat layer.


Next rub down one side with a coating of worcestershire sauce and then apply your favorite BBQ rub. Flip the brisket to the other side and repeat. Wrap the brisket in cellophane wrap and refrigerate several hours, ideally 5 hours.


Around 11 pm, remove the brisket from the refrigerator and allow it to warm on the countertop for 15 minutes. Start the smoker at 230 F using hickory pellets and a fully loaded hopper. Ideally this will be a 20 pound bag of pellets. Place the brisket on the top rack if you have one, with the fat cap down and the point facing the hot spot such as the exhaust. Place a temp probe in the point and set the alarm for 155 F and set an ambient probe temp for 180 F low alarm.


When the alarm alerts, monitor the temperature for a few minutes to see if it stays nearly the same. When this happens, wrap the brisket in two overlapping strips of butcher paper. Place the brisket back on the smoker and re-insert the temperature probe(s). Increase the smoker temperature to 250 F. Increase the brisket alarm max temp to 202 F. Check the pellet level in the hopper and add any if needed.


Continue to cook until the temperature probes signal the alarms. At this point, move the probes around to get additional readings and take an average of those readings. Some areas will be higher in temp than others, and you want to go with the mid to lower temp areas as your current temp. When the brisket reaches temp the meat will be very tender and the temp probes will slide in like butter. If that is not happening, you need to continue the cook and re position the temp probe.


When the brisket reaches temperature and the meat is tender, place it in a small cooler and let it rest 1 to 2 hours. If you have a large cooler, wrap the brisket in a towel to keep it insulated.


After the resting period, slice the brisket against the grain, usually starting diagonally from the lower flat corner. Turn the point and slice it against the grain.

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Pellet Smoked Corned Beef and Cabbage

Pellet Smoked Corned Beef and Cabbage

Are you ready to step up your usual St Patricks day meal? Why not try corned beef and cabbage on your pellet smoker? Nothing beats the delicious flavor of smoked brisket and you get even more flavor with a corned beef brisket! Add to that a smoked cabbage stuffed with bacon, onion, and jalapeño and you have a winning meal!

Ingredients

  • 3 pound corned beef brisket
  • 1 large cabbage
  • 1 pound bacon
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 jalapeño pepper
  • 2 tablespoons BBQ rub
  • 2 tablespoons coarse black pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 corned beef seasoning packet
  • 4 tablespoons butter

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Directions

First, remove the corned beef from the packaging and wash off the red liquid. Save the seasoning packet for later. Place the corned beef in a container and submerge it in water. Place the container in the refrigerator and allow it to soak overnight. This will draw out the salt from the beef. On the next day, remove the corned beef from the water and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the beef on a sheet of cellophane, then apply the garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Grind up the seasoning packet into a powder, then apply it to the corned beef. Finally apply the dried thyme. Flip the beef over and apply the same seasonings in order. Next tightly wrap the beef in the cellophane and place it back in the refrigerator for 1 more night.


On the third day, get your pellet smoker started at 275 F with cherry wood pellets. Remove the corned beef from the refrigerator and unwrap it from the cellophane. If you like, you can dust on more of the seasoning. When the smoker reaches temp, place the beef on the smoker fat side up. You should expect a 4 – 6 hour cook time and the beef should reach a finishing temp of 185 F. When the beef reaches around 150 F – 160 F you should wrap it in butcher paper or aluminum foil. This will help to make the beef tender. When the beef reaches 185 F, place it in a cooler and close the lid. Let it rest for 1 hour before unwrapping and slicing.


To prepare the cabbage, first remove the tough leaves on the outer layer. Next cut the core out of the center of the cabbage using a chefs knife. You want to get a nice sized cavity carved out, roughly the size of a can of soup. Next, place the cabbage in a foil pan, then roll up a sheet of foil to create a ring to hold the cabbage in place. Apply BBQ rub or salt and pepper to the cavity. Next add 1 tablespoon of butter to the cavity. Slice the bacon into bits then fry the bacon in a pan. Remove the bacon when it starts to foam. Remove most of the bacon grease leaving behind about 1/4 inch. Next dice the onion and jalapeños and fry them in the bacon grease until the onions begin to turn translucent. Stuff the cabbage cavity with bacon onion and jalapeño. Add the remaining to the foil pan. Add more seasoning and butter to the top of the cabbage stuffing. Place the foil pan in the smoker and cook for 2 hours. Next wrap the cabbage and extra bacon onion and jalapeño mixture in two sheets of aluminum foil. Cook for another hour then remove it from the smoker. Let the cabbage rest for 10 minutes to cool down, then open the foil and shred the cabbage.

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Grilled Rotisserie Picanha

Grilled Rotisserie Picanha

Picanha is known as the king of meats in Brazil as it is the most popular and highest quality cut of meat. The meat is usually lean and capped with a thick layer of fat that adds a ton of flavor when cooked over a flame. In the United States, picanha is not widely known but it can be enjoyed at a Brazillian steakhouse such as Chima, Texas de Brazil, and Fogo De Chão. Outside of Brazil you may find picanha goes by other names such as sirloin cap or the rump cap, or culotte. If your local buthcer or grocery store does not carry picanha, you can always have it delivered to your door from a number of online retailers such as Snake River Farms.

This recipe is simple and all you need is meat, salt and fire! It does help to have an electric rotisserie for your grill however this is not required. The rotisserie method is a common way of cooking picanha and it self bastes the meat while the fat cap melts down. Eating the fat cap is up to you as it is less than healthy but can be absolutely delicious. Some people trim the fat cap to get an even thickness while others prefer to leave it as is. Salt is the only seasoning you need and do not be afraid by the amount used on picahna. The meat will not be ruined or over salty.

Ingredients

  • 2 lb top sirloin cap
  • ¼ cup BBQ salt

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Directions

First you should trim away any silver skin on the meat side of the picanha. Remove any hanging bits on the sides to give the meat a nice edge. Next, as an optional step, use a sharp knife and trim away any excess fat from the fat cap. Try to leave behind an even amount of fat (about ½ inch) on top of the meat. Traditionally the fat cap should be left alone but some people do prefer to trim down the thicker areas. Next find the direction of the grain of meat and cut a shallow slice along with the grain. Turn the picanha so that the slice with the meat grain is running parallel with your cutting board. From one end of the picanha, measure a three finger width then slice off the first piece. Be sure to cut in a direction 90 degrees of the grain slice. Continue to slice the meat at a three finger width until it is fully sliced. Next season all sides of the picanha with a very coarse BBQ churrasco salt such as Sal Lebre. You can substitute with kosher salt however the grain is not large enough and the results will be different. Traditionally churrasco salt is the only seasoning required however if you are up for breaking tradition, add your favorite steak seasoning.


Next curl up a slice lengthwise with the fat cap facing outward. Push the meat onto the rotisserie spit through the center. Continue with the remaining slices keeping them in a uniform direction. Next preheat your grill with all burners on low. Place the rotisserie spit on the grill and adjust the counterbalance weight. Start the rotisserie motor and close the lid. The rotisserie cook will take anywhere from 30 to 50 minutes depending on your grill and how done you prefer your steak. Stay close to the grill with this cook and be ready to deal with any fire issues caused by the rendering down of the fat cap. Ideally your rotisserie spit will be high enough from the flames to avoid flare ups. Use a thermometer to check the temperatures on the outer edges and also in the thick center. For a nice medium rare center, pull when temps reach 135 F in the center and the outer edges will be around 140 F. Rest the meat for 5 minutes then slice thinly down the spit and enjoy.

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