Adam Purnell's Reverse-Seared Whole Picanha & Sides
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Ingredients
Equipment:
Method
- Trim any excess hard fat from the picanha, leaving an even fat cap approximately 8–10mm thick. Using a sharp knife, lightly score the fat in a diamond pattern, taking care not to cut into the meat.
- Turn the picanha over and identify the direction of the grain. Make a small, shallow nick across the grain at one edge of the meat. This will act as a carving guide once the meat is cooked and the grain is harder to see.
- Season the picanha generously all over with the fine sea salt. Leave the black pepper until after cooking, as it can scorch during the long, slow first stage.
- Set up a kamado barbecue for indirect cooking at 110–120°C with the heat deflectors in place. Add a small chunk of smoking wood if desired and allow any heavy initial smoke to clear.
- Place the picanha fat-side up over the indirect heat. Insert a temperature probe into the thickest part, close the lid and cook until the internal temperature reaches 40–45°C, approximately 60–90 minutes depending on thickness.
- Remove the picanha and set aside loosely covered while preparing the barbecue for direct cooking. Remove the heat deflectors, open the vents and allow the charcoal to become fiercely hot.
- Return the picanha to the barbecue, starting fat-side down. Sear until the fat is deeply golden, crisp and well rendered, watching carefully for flare-ups. Turn and sear the remaining surfaces hard and fast, turning every 30–45 seconds until a deep brown crust has formed.
- Cook to approximately 52–54°C for rare to medium-rare or 55–57°C for medium-rare. Remove from the barbecue and season with freshly ground black pepper and a little flaky sea salt.
- Using the nick made before cooking as your guide, slice the picanha across the grain into approximately 1cm-thick slices and serve.
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Overall Rating:
4.00
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