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For perfect steak at home, don't miss this Sous Vide Picanha. Whether you want to serve the whole roast or individual picanha steaks, this recipe is your ticket to perfectly juicy and tender picanha without any fuss. Sous vide cooking will transform your dinnertime game, whether you are a beginner or seasoned cook. Get ready to impress!

Photo of a sous vide picanha garnished with parsley on a slate board.

Picanha is a family favorite! From Picanha Roast to picanha steaks, it never fails to bring smiles at my dinner table. It has even made its way to my holiday table a few times.

Lately, I have been serving up Sous Vide Picanha Steak and it is simple perfection.

Give this recipe a try and your family will feel as if they've been transported to a top-notch steak house.

What is Picanha?

Picanha is a popular Brazilian beef cut often found at Brazilian restaurants. It is from the top sirloin cap, or culotte, and is usually called rump cover in the United States.

For more recipes using the picanha cut, check out my picanha steak and picanha roast.

Overhead photo of a picanha roast on a plate sitting next to oil, soy sauce, and seasonings.

Ingredients

Picanha Roast: I order my picanha online, but you can find them at most good butcher shops. You can get $15 off with my referral link above.
Salt: I prefer sea salt, but kosher salt is also great.
Black Pepper: Fresh ground will add the most flavor.
Avocado Oil: Chosen for its high smoke point, ensuring a perfect sear. Olive oil can be used - just watch the smoke point.
Soy Sauce: Tamari works to keep this gluten-free. To make it soy-free, I recommend coconut aminios.

Tips and Tricks

For the best flavor, season the picanha overnight before cooking.
If possible, use a vacuum sealer. If you don't have one, the water displacement method works well, too.
Consider adding fresh herbs (we like thyme or rosemary) into the bag before sealing.
This recipe yields a perfect medium-rare roast. If you want your steak more or less done, you can adjust the sous vide water bath temperature accordingly. Increase by 10°F for a medium roast or decrease by 10°F for a rare roast. Do note, that cooking meat below 126.5°F for more than two hours is not considered safe, so please take that into consideration.
If you are catering to a range of preferences with regards to the doneness of the meat, I recommend cooking to the lowest temperature in your sous vide machine, cutting into steaks and then adding time when searing to get the more done steaks cooked to perfection.
After cooking, pat the meat dry to get a nice crust when searing.
Resting the meat after sous vide and before searing helps retain juices, making the final dish more succulent.
Cut the roast into steaks before searing if you want more surface area for a crust, especially if you love that crispy exterior. You'll want to cut WITH the grain, so the final cuts when serving are against the grain.

Step by Step Instructions

A seasoned picanha roast on a white plate. — Preheat a water bath to 130°F. Rub salt and pepper into the meat.

A picanha roast in a vacuum sealer bag. — Place in a vacuum sealer bag or double heavy-duty zip-top bags.

A picanha roast in a vacuum sealer bag with oil and soy sauce. — Add avocado oil and soy sauce.

A picanha roast in a vacuum sealer bag being sealed. — Vacuum seal or use the water displacement method.

A sous vide picanha being cooked in a water bath. — Cook the roast in the preheated water bath for 6 to 8 hours.

Sous vide picanha resting after being cooked in a sous vide. — Remove from water and bag, dry thoroughly, and let rest for 20 minutes.