This Grilled Garlic Butter Picanha is a simple and easy recipe perfect for a quick backyard dinner! It’s made with golden-brown picanha steaks basted with homemade spicy garlic butter.

This simple and delicious meal is ready in just 20 minutes!

Looking for more delicious picanha recipes? Check out my Churrasco Picanha with Jalapeño Vinaigrette, Chimichurri and Cheese Stuffed Picanha, or Skewered Picanha with Salsa Vinaigrette! Want to learn more? Read What is Picanha.

Cook Your Steak for Grilled Garlic Butter Picanha

First, prep your grill with a medium heat fire for a temperature of around 325ºF. Not too hot, but hot enough to get that perfect sear!

Next, add the whole picanha (or picanhas if you’re using two) onto the grill. Make sure the fat cap is down so the fat gets nice and melty. We want all that moisture and flavor!

two pieces of steak on a grill grate overhead

Cook the picanhas for about 7-8 minutes. When the fat turns golden-brown and is halfway rendered, flip the meat over and sear off the meat side. Cook it for 1-2 minutes to sear, then pull the steaks off of the grill and set them onto a cutting board.

two grilled steaks on a grill grate

Garlic Butter for Grilled Garlic Butter Picanha

Now, let’s talk garlic butter, because while grilled picanha is good, it’s even better as Grilled Garlic Butter Picanha. Now, the key is to time this so the garlic butter is ready to go after you flip the steak for the first time. The good news is it’s super quick to make.

To make your garlic butter, add a basting skillet to the grill. Add in the butter and minced garlic and let the butter melt. Once it’s bubbling, add in the chopped parsley and hot sauce.

Remember, you’re doing all of this while the steak is on the grill.

Want more delicious ways to use garlic butter? Try my Reverse Seared Ribeyes with Black Garlic Butter, Garlic Butter Steak and Shrimp, or Grilled Lobster With Garlic Butter.

Slice…and Cook More!

Next, we’re going to slice the steaks into 2.5-3″ smaller steaks. I usually get 3-4 decent sized steaks from just one picanha, so keep this in mind when you’re figuring out how much to cook. Now, when it comes to picanha, you’re going to want to slice with the grain. I know, this goes against everything we know about slicing steak. BUT, picanha is already incredibly tender and juicy. There’s no need to shorten the muscle fibers. The texture for this Grilled Garlic Butter Picanha is perfect as-is!

Season each steak generously with kosher salt, then heat the grill up ever so slightly to a medium-high temperature of around 350ºF. Add the now sliced steaks back onto the grill and cook them for 3-3.5 minutes per side. After you flip the steaks over, lightly baste them with garlic butter.

sliced picanha on the grill with a skillet of garlic butter

I recommend having a meat thermometer on hand so you can pull the picanha off when it reaches an internal temperature of 120ºF.

cooked pieces of steak surrounding a skillet with garlic butter on the grill

grilled picanha on the grill basted with garlic butter

Slice and Serve

Now that the steaks are done, pull them off of the grill and let them rest for 10 minutes before slicing. We don’t want to slice into them too soon and let all that moisture run out.

closeup of grilled garlic butter picanha in a serving dish

sliced garlic butter picanha on a cutting board held over a fire pit

Finally, slice each steak up and serve with any leftover garlic butter!

For more delicious recipes, check out my second cookbook Flavor X Fire or my first cookbook Food X Fire!

Needing more spice in your life? My spice line can help with that. Check them out here.

Full Length Recipe Video on Facebook!

grilled picanha topped with garlic butter held next to a fire pit

Grilled Garlic Butter Picanha

This Grilled Garlic Butter Picanha is perfect for a backyard dinner! It's made with golden-brown picanha steaks and spicy garlic butter. 
Author:Derek Wolf
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients 

Steak:

  • 1-2 Whole Picanha fat cap on
  • 2-3 tbsp Kosher Salt

Garlic Butter:

  • ½ cup Butter unsalted
  • 2 tbsp Minced Garlic
  • 2 tbsp Chopped Parsley
  • 1 tsp Hot Sauce

Instructions 

  • Begin by creating a medium heat fire (around 325F) for direct grilling.
  • Add your whole picanhas to the grill fat cap down to slowly roast in order to melt the fat. Cook for about 7-8 minutes until the fat is golden brown and halfway rendered. Once rendered, flip the picanha over and sear off the meat side for 1-2 minutes. Pull the steaks off and place on a cutting board.
  • Next, slice your steaks into 2.5-3” steak making sure to slice WITH the grain. You should get 3-4 decent sized steaks from one picanha. Then, generously season your steaks with kosher salt and heat your grill back up to a medium high heat (around 350F).
  • Add your steaks to the grill to cook for 3-3.5 minutes per side or until they are 120F internal. As the steaks are cooking, add a basting skillet with your butter and minced garlic. Once the butter has melted and is bubbling, add the chopped parsley and hot sauce. After the first flip off your steaks, begin lightly basting with the Garlic Butter on the outside. When the steaks are done, pull them off and let them rest for 10 minutes.
  • Slice you steaks up, serve with any leftover Garlic Butter and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 328kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 3728mg | Potassium: 188mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 888IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

Derek Wolf

Derek is the driving force behind Over the Fire Cooking. He started cooking with live fire in 2016 and decided to start a social media page so his friends and family could follow the journey. Fast forward to today and Over the Fire Cooking has spread across multiple platforms with millions now following Derek's fire cooking journey. He's a southern fellow who enjoys everything from classic BBQ to Central and South American inspired dishes. Whatever he's cooking up, it's guaranteed to be so freakin' delicious!

5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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