Hey there, fellow food lovers! If you want to elevate your grilling, you’re in the right place. Today we’re cooking smoked picanha on the Ninja Woodfire Grill — a beef cut prized in Brazilian churrasco for its rich flavor and fat cap that keeps the meat juicy. This guide walks you through a simple, reliable method that delivers tender, smoky steaks with a perfect seared crust.
The picanha is the star here: a flavorful, tender cut with a thick fat cap that renders into the meat as it cooks. It’s ideal for smoking low and slow before finishing with a hard sear. The Ninja Woodfire Grill is perfect for this approach — it smokes and sears consistently and makes temperature control easy.
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Meet the Ninja Woodfire Grill
The Ninja Woodfire Grill is a versatile outdoor cooker that handles smoking, searing, and grilling. For this recipe we’ll use its smoker function to infuse the picanha with wood-fired flavor, and then switch to the high-heat grill mode to develop a crust. Its digital controls and probe compatibility make it straightforward to hit precise internal temperatures.
Preparing the Picanha
Start with about a 2.35 lb prime picanha. Slice the roast into thick steaks — roughly 3 inches each works well; thick-cut steaks tolerate the cook and sear process best. Season all sides generously with coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Simple seasoning lets the beef and smoke shine.
Chilling the Steaks
After seasoning, refrigerate the steaks briefly. Chilled meat accepts smoke more effectively and helps control the cook when you place it in the smoker. While the steaks rest, make sure the griddle plate is in the Woodfire and load the unit with your chosen pellets — charcoal pellets are a great option for a balanced smoky flavor.
Smoking the Picanha
Set the Woodfire to the smoker setting and target about 145°F (63°C) as the cooking environment. Insert a probe into the center of one steak and place the steaks on the elevated rack. For a rare finish, smoke until the internal temperature reaches about 120°F (49°C). If you use the Ninja Pro Connect app or a reliable external probe, you can monitor progress without opening the grill.
Searing the Steaks
When the steaks reach the target temperature, remove them from the smoker, take out the probe, and let them rest briefly while you prepare to sear. Turn the Woodfire to Grill HI and allow it to heat fully. Add one to two tablespoons of beef tallow to the griddle for flavor and to promote a superior crust. Sear the steaks on all sides until a deep, caramelized crust forms — that crust adds texture and concentrated flavor.
The Grand Finale
After searing, let the steaks rest for about five minutes to let the juices redistribute. Slice against the grain to maximize tenderness, plate, and serve. The result is juicy, smoky picanha with a flavorful fat-rendered interior and a crisp, savory crust — perfect for a special dinner or a backyard gathering.
Top Tip
Sear the picanha on the griddle with beef tallow to get an exceptional crust and rich flavor.
Recipe
Ninja Woodfire Smoked Picanha
Equipment
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Ninja Woodfire Grill
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Elevated Rack
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Griddle
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Tongs
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Cutting Board
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Sharp Knife
Ingredients
- 2.35 LB Prime Beef Picanha
- 2 tablespoon Coarse Sea Salt
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
- 1-2 tablespoon Beef Tallow (for searing)
Instructions
- Cut the picanha with the grain into thick steaks, about 3 inches each. This yield depends on the roast size; this example produced three steaks.
- Season the steaks liberally on all sides with coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Place the seasoned steaks in the refrigerator until you’re ready to smoke. Chilled meat catches smoke more evenly.
- Install the griddle or griddle plate in the Woodfire and load pellets (charcoal pellets recommended for this cook).
- Set the Woodfire to the smoker mode at about 145°F (63°C). Add the elevated rack if using one.
- When prompted to add food, remove the steaks from the fridge, insert a probe into the center of one steak, place them on the rack, and plug in the probe.
- Use a thermometer cook profile (Ninja Pro Connect or an external probe) and set the target internal temperature to 120°F (49°C) for rare. Start the cook and monitor until the probe reaches the target.
- When the steaks reach the target temp, remove them from the smoker, unplug and remove the probe, and let the meat rest briefly while you preheat the grill for searing.
- Turn the Woodfire to Grill HI and allow it to get very hot. Add 1–2 tablespoons of beef tallow to the griddle surface.
- Sear the steaks on all sides until a deep, golden-brown crust develops. Remove from the grill and turn the unit off.
- Rest the steaks for about 5 minutes, slice against the grain, and serve.
Video
Nutrition
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Ingredient and Equipment Notes
Recommended items used in this recipe include the Ninja Woodfire Grill, an elevated grate or rack, and beef tallow for searing. Any comparable smoker/grill capable of accurate temperature control will work if you follow the same low-and-slow then high-heat finish method.
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