Picanha steak with barbecue sauce and fried pickles
This juicy, spiced steak with salty deep-fried pickles and barbecue sauce would make an epic weekend feast.
Ingredients
For the picanha steak
- 3 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp celery salt
- 1kg/2lb 4oz picanha joint (‘top cap’ of rump), fat scored in a criss-cross pattern
- 4 tbsp olive oil, for cooking
For the barbecue sauce
- 100ml/3½fl oz tomato ketchup
- 50ml/2fl oz cider vinegar
- 40g/1½oz soft dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp English mustard
For the fried pickles
- oil, for deep-frying
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú plain flour
- 1–2 tbsp hot sauce
- 6 dill pickles, drained, dried and sliced lengthways
Method
To make the picanha steak, mix everything apart from the steak and oil together in a bowl to make a spice rub. Rub half of this into the steak joint and set the rest aside for later. Place the steak, uncovered in the fridge for a few hours, or ideally overnight.
To make the barbecue sauce, mix the ingredients together in a bowl.
Slice the marinated picanha joint into thick slices and place a skewer through the fat of each one to make a semi-circle that lies flat.
Brush the steaks with oil and place a large griddle pan over a medium-high heat. Chargrill the steaks for around 2–3 minutes on each side for medium rare or until cooked to your liking, using a pastry brush to paint on some barbecue sauce as they cook. Leave to rest.
Meanwhile, fill a deep-fat fryer or a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pan two-thirds full with oil. Heat to 180C (a cube of bread should turn brown in one minute when dropped in.) CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.
To make the fried pickles, mix 4 tablespoons of the remaining spice mix with the flour, add the hot sauce and enough water to make a batter the consistency of double cream. Dip the pickle slices in the batter and deep fry, until crisp and golden-brown. Remove using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
Serve the steaks alongside the barbecue sauce and deep-fried pickles.
