Grilled Picanha with Garlic Honey Chili Oil

Grilled picanha is Brazilian BBQ at its finest, and when you glaze it with garlic honey chili oil, you’re taking it to another level. Picanha is a top sirloin cap with a thick fat cap that renders down and bastes the meat as it cooks. The fat gets crispy and golden, and the beef stays incredibly tender and juicy. The garlic honey chili oil brings sweet heat—sticky honey, garlicky oil, spicy red pepper flakes, and a hit of citrus that caramelizes over the grill and creates this glossy, lacquered finish that looks as good as it tastes.

The whole process takes about 50 minutes from start to finish. You score the fat cap, season the picanha with salt and pepper, then sear it fat-side down over direct heat to render and crisp that fat. After that, you move it to indirect heat and brush on the garlic honey chili oil every 5 minutes until it hits 125-130°F internal for medium-rare. The glaze builds up in layers and creates that sticky, sweet-spicy crust. This sweet and spicy picanha is perfect for backyard BBQs, weekend cookouts, or any time you want to grill something that looks incredible and tastes even better.

What Makes Picanha Special

Picanha is a cut of beef that’s hugely popular in Brazil but not as well-known in the US. It’s the top sirloin cap, and it has this thick layer of fat on one side that’s the key to the whole cut. That fat cap is what makes picanha so flavorful and juicy. As it cooks, the fat renders down and bastes the meat from the outside, keeping it moist and adding richness to every bite.

The meat itself is tender with a deep beefy flavor that’s somewhere between sirloin and ribeye. It’s not as marbled as ribeye, but it’s way more flavorful than regular sirloin. The fat cap is what gives it that extra richness. When you grill picanha, you want to keep that fat cap on and render it until it’s crispy. Don’t trim it off. That’s where all the flavor is.

In Brazil, picanha is usually cooked on skewers over open flame, but grilling it as a whole steak works just as well. You get better control over the doneness, and you can brush on that garlic honey chili oil to add flavor that traditional Brazilian picanha doesn’t have. The sweet-spicy glaze caramelizes on the fat cap and creates this incredible combination of crispy fat, sticky glaze, and tender beef.

Why Garlic Honey Chili Oil Works Perfect with Picanha

The garlic honey chili oil is a game-changer. It’s made with avocado oil, honey, minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, soy sauce, Worcestershire, and lemon juice. The honey adds sweetness that caramelizes when it hits the heat. The garlic gets toasted and adds depth. The red pepper flakes bring heat. And the soy sauce and Worcestershire add that savory umami flavor that makes everything taste richer.

When you brush this glaze on the picanha as it cooks, it builds up in layers. Each time you brush it on, the previous layer gets stickier and more caramelized. By the time the steak is done, you’ve got this glossy, lacquered finish that’s sweet, spicy, garlicky, and absolutely addictive. The glaze soaks into the scored fat cap and flavors the meat underneath.

The key is making the glaze ahead of time so it’s ready to go when you need it. You sauté the garlic in oil until it’s fragrant, then add the honey, soy sauce, Worcestershire, lemon juice, and chili flakes. Stir it together until the honey melts into a smooth glaze, then divide it in half. Use half for brushing during the cook, and save half for drizzling over the sliced steak at the end. Never use the same glaze that touched raw meat for finishing.

How to Score and Season Picanha

Scoring the fat cap is important. You make shallow cuts in a crosshatch pattern across the fat without cutting into the meat. This does two things. First, it lets the glaze soak into the fat so it flavors the entire cap. Second, it helps the fat render more evenly because you’ve given it more surface area to melt from.

Use a sharp knife and make cuts about ½ inch apart in one direction, then turn the steak 90 degrees and make cuts the other direction. You should have a diamond or square pattern across the fat cap. Don’t cut too deep—you’re just scoring the fat, not cutting into the beef.

For seasoning, keep it simple. Picanha has great beef flavor on its own, so you don’t need a heavy rub. Kosher salt, cracked black pepper, and optionally some smoked paprika for color. That’s it. Season the meat side and the fat cap generously. Let the picanha sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before you grill it. This helps it cook more evenly.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the Picanha

Take your picanha out of the package and pat it completely dry with paper towels. Look at the fat cap. It should be thick and white. If there are any loose pieces of fat or silver skin on the meat side, trim those off, but leave the main fat cap intact.

Using a sharp knife, score the fat cap in a crosshatch pattern. Make shallow cuts about ½ inch apart going one direction, then turn the steak 90 degrees and make cuts the other direction. You should see a diamond or square pattern. Don’t cut deep into the meat—just score the fat.

Season the picanha generously on all sides with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of cracked black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika if you’re using it. Make sure you get the fat cap, the meat, and the sides.

Place the seasoned picanha on a plate or cutting board and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. This brings it up to room temp so it cooks more evenly on the grill.

Step 2: Make the Garlic Honey Chili Oil

While the picanha is coming to room temp, make your glaze. Get a small saucepan and add ¼ cup of avocado oil and 5 cloves of minced garlic. Put the pan over low heat.

Sauté the garlic gently for 1-2 minutes until it’s fragrant and just starting to turn golden. Don’t let it brown too much or it’ll get bitter. You want it soft and aromatic.

Add 3 tablespoons of honey, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, the juice of half a lemon, and 1-2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes. If you have chili crisp, use that instead of red pepper flakes for extra texture and flavor.

Stir everything together over low heat until the honey melts and the glaze is smooth and glossy. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Take the pan off the heat.

Pour the glaze into a bowl and divide it in half. Put one half in a separate bowl for brushing during the cook. The other half stays clean for drizzling on the finished steak. Stir 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley into the finishing portion.

Step 3: Set Up the Grill for Two-Zone Cooking

You’re going to use two-zone cooking, which means you have a hot direct heat zone for searing and a cooler indirect heat zone for finishing. Preheat your grill to 400-425°F.

If you’re using a charcoal grill, pile all your coals on one side of the grill. The side with coals is your direct heat zone. The side without coals is your indirect zone.

If you’re using a gas or pellet grill, turn one or two burners to high for direct heat, and leave one burner on medium-low for indirect heat.

Let the grill preheat for about 10-15 minutes so the grates are hot and the temperature stabilizes.

Step 4: Sear the Fat Cap

Once your grill is ready, place the picanha directly over the hot coals or burners, fat-side down. You’re going to sear the fat cap first to render it and get it crispy.

Close the lid and let it sear for 4-5 minutes. Don’t move it. You want the fat to render and get golden and bubbling. You should see the fat melting and dripping, which is exactly what you want. That rendered fat is flavoring the meat underneath.

After 4-5 minutes, check the fat cap. It should be golden brown and crispy. If it’s not quite there yet, give it another minute or two. Once it’s crispy, flip the picanha over so the meat side is down.

Step 5: Move to Indirect Heat and Start Glazing

After you flip the picanha, move it to the indirect heat zone. If you’re using charcoal, move it to the side without coals. If you’re using gas, move it to the burner that’s on medium-low.

Close the lid and let the picanha cook over indirect heat. Insert a leave-in probe thermometer into the thickest part of the meat if you have one. You’re going to cook it until it hits 125-130°F internal for medium-rare.

After about 5 minutes on indirect heat, open the grill and brush the picanha all over with the garlic honey chili oil. Use the portion you set aside for brushing. Get a good coating on the fat cap and the meat side.

Close the lid and continue cooking. After another 5 minutes, brush on more glaze. Repeat this every 5 minutes until the picanha reaches your target temp. You’ll probably brush it 3-4 times total.

Each time you glaze, the previous layer caramelizes and gets stickier. The honey and garlic turn golden and create this beautiful lacquered finish. The steak should look glossy and slightly charred in spots.

Step 6: Check the Temperature and Remove

Keep checking the internal temperature as you glaze. For medium-rare, you want 125-130°F in the thickest part of the meat. For medium, go to 135°F. Don’t go much higher or the picanha will start to dry out.

Once it hits your target temp, remove the picanha from the grill and place it on a cutting board. The total cook time will be about 30-35 minutes depending on the size of your picanha and how hot your indirect zone is.

Step 7: Rest and Slice

Tent the picanha loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. This lets the juices redistribute through the meat. If you slice it right away, all the juices will run out onto the cutting board.

After 10 minutes, remove the foil. Using a sharp knife, slice the picanha against the grain into thick strips, about ½ to ¾ inch thick. Slicing against the grain is important because it cuts through the muscle fibers and makes each bite more tender.

Arrange the sliced picanha on a serving platter. Drizzle the reserved clean garlic honey chili oil over the top. The oil should still have that fresh parsley in it for color.

Grilled Picanha with Garlic Honey Chili Oil

Brazilian picanha steak with garlic honey chili oil glaze. Crispy fat cap, tender meat, and sweet heat in every bite.

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Ingredients

  

For the Picanha:

• 2 –3 lb picanha top sirloin cap, fat cap scored in crosshatch pattern
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika optional, for color

Garlic Honey Chili Oil:

• ¼ cup avocado oil or olive oil
• 3 tbsp honey
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 –2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or chili crisp for texture
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Juice of ½ lemon or lime
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

 

• Pat picanha dry and score fat cap in crosshatch pattern with shallow cuts ½ inch apart. Season generously with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• In small saucepan over low heat, add avocado oil and minced garlic. Sauté until fragrant and lightly golden, 1–2 minutes. Add honey, soy sauce, Worcestershire, lemon juice, and chili flakes. Stir until honey melts into glossy glaze. Remove from heat and divide in half—one for brushing, one for finishing. Stir parsley into finishing portion.
• Set grill for two-zone cooking at 400–425°F. For charcoal, push coals to one side. For gas/pellet, one zone high, one zone medium-low.
• Place picanha fat-side down over direct heat for 4–5 minutes to crisp and render fat until golden and bubbling. Flip.
• Move picanha to indirect heat and close lid. Cook until internal temp reaches 125–130°F for medium-rare. Brush with garlic honey chili oil every 5 minutes for lacquered finish.
• Remove from grill, tent loosely with foil, and rest 10 minutes.
• Slice against the grain into thick strips. Drizzle with remaining clean chili oil before serving.

Notes

Don’t trim the fat cap—it’s essential for flavor and juiciness. Use chili crisp instead of red pepper flakes for Instagram-worthy texture. Brush glaze multiple times for sticky shine. Never use the brushing glaze for finishing—use the portion that stayed clean. Ideal grill temp: 425°F for sear, 375°F for finishing. Slice against the grain for maximum tenderness. Leftovers keep in fridge for 3-4 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is picanha and where can I buy it?

Picanha is the top sirloin cap, a cut popular in Brazil. It has a thick fat cap on one side that makes it incredibly flavorful. You can find it at Brazilian steakhouses, specialty butcher shops, or some higher-end grocery stores. Ask for “picanha” or “top sirloin cap with fat cap.” If you can’t find it, you can use tri-tip as a substitute, though it won’t have that thick fat cap.

Can I use chili crisp instead of red pepper flakes?

Yeah, absolutely. Chili crisp adds texture and extra flavor that red pepper flakes don’t have. It’s got crispy garlic and shallots in it that make the glaze even better. Use about 1-2 teaspoons of chili crisp in place of the red pepper flakes.

How do I know when the picanha is done?

Use a meat thermometer. Pull it at 125-130°F internal for medium-rare, which is how picanha is best. It’ll come up a few more degrees while it rests. If you prefer medium, pull it at 135°F. Don’t go much higher or it’ll start to dry out because picanha is a lean cut.

Should I grill picanha whole or slice it first?

Grill it whole, then slice after it rests. This gives you better control over doneness and lets you build up that glazed crust. If you slice it before grilling, the pieces are too small to get a good sear and the glaze won’t coat as well.

What should I serve with grilled picanha?

Pair it with charred lime wedges, grilled street corn with cotija and chili powder, crispy garlic potatoes, chimichurri rice, or a simple arugula salad. Traditional Brazilian sides like farofa (toasted cassava flour) or vinagrete (Brazilian tomato salsa) also work great.

If you’re looking for more recipes , click the link!  Check out all of our grilling recipes here for more steak, seafood, and BBQ favorites that are perfect for your next cookout.

COMMON ITEMS USED IN THESE RECIPES

Hasty Bake Charcoal Grill and Smoker
Knitted Gloves
Food Processor
Cast Iron Skillet 
Meater +

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