Recipe

Charcoal Picaña with Garlic and Sour Orange Mojo

Name: Charcoal Picaña with Garlic and Sour Orange Mojo
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1.5 kg beef picaña, with a fat layer of approximately 1 cm; 15 g salt; 2 g freshly ground black pepper; 120 ml sour orange juice; 60 ml mild olive oil; 6 cloves garlic (about 18 g), peeled and crushed; 1 teaspoon dried oregano (1 g); ¼ teaspoon ground cumin (0.5 g); 2 g salt

Thick picaña steaks seared over charcoal, with their toasted fat cap and a garlic and sour orange mojo served on the side.

CiberCubaNovember 6, 2026

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Preparation25 min
Cooking20 min
Total time55 min
Servings6 servings
DifficultyMedium

Picaña comes from the Brazilian grill, and here it meets Cuban mojo. It is not a traditional Cuban recipe, but an adaptation of barbecue with home-style flavor: thick steaks seared over charcoal, the fat edge well toasted, and a garlic and sour orange sauce served separately so each person can add as much as they like.

In U.S. supermarkets, picaña usually appears as top sirloin cap or coulotte. Look for it with its fat cap intact, because that is what gives it juiciness and that delicious smoky flavor.

The time breaks down like this: about 25 minutes of active work (including lighting the charcoal), around 20 minutes of cooking on the grill, and 10 minutes of resting before slicing.

Ingredients

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Meat

1.5 kg beef picaña, with a fat layer of approximately 1 cm
15 g salt
2 g freshly ground black pepper

Mojo

Method

Preparation (active work)

Prepare the grill in two zones. Light the charcoal and concentrate it on one side, leaving the other without coals underneath. This gives you a zone of strong direct heat for searing and another of indirect heat to finish the meat.
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Make the mojo. In a bowl, mix the sour orange juice, crushed garlic, oregano, cumin, and 2 g salt. Incorporate the olive oil and stir well. Reserve in a clean container, separate from the raw meat.
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Cut and season the picaña. Dry the piece well with paper towels. Remove only excess fat, leaving about 1 cm. Observe the direction of the fibers on the lean side and divide the piece into steaks 3 to 4 cm thick cutting with the grain: this way you can later cut each steak against the grain when serving. Season the steaks on both sides with the 15 g salt and pepper.
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Grilling

Sear the steaks over direct heat. Place them in the hot zone of the grill, approximately at 230-260 °C (446-500 °F), for about 2 or 3 minutes on each main side. Then hold them with tongs to briefly toast the fat edge. If the fat causes flare-ups, move the meat to the zone without coals; do not let it char.
Finish over indirect heat and control the temperature. Move the steaks to the zone without coals and close the lid. Insert the thermometer from one side to the center of each steak, avoiding the fat. Remove each one when it registers 63 °C (145 °F); the exact time depends on its size and the intensity of the fire.
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Resting and serving

Let rest, slice and serve. Place the steaks on the board, cover them loosely and let them rest for 10 minutes. Then cut each steak into slices perpendicular to their fibers and serve with the mojo on the side.
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Tips and variations

Equipment needed: charcoal grill with lid, tongs, kitchen thermometer, and cutting board.

Timing with margin: the approximate cooking time is 20 minutes, but it can range from 12 to 25 depending on the thickness of the steaks and the intensity of the coals. Always guide yourself by the thermometer, not the clock.

Temperature and resting: 63 °C (145 °F) is reached before removing the meat from the heat. The 10-minute rest exceeds the minimum 3 minutes recommended for a whole cut.

If you cannot find sour orange: substitute the 120 ml with 80 ml of sweet orange juice and 40 ml of lime or lemon juice.

The mojo is served separately: do not use it as a marinade. Serve it at the table to accompany the slices.

Optional sides: it goes very well with boiled yuca or avocado, but their quantities and preparation are not part of this recipe.

Storage: store any leftover meat tightly covered in the refrigerator and eat it within 2 to 3 days. Keep the mojo in a sealed jar, also refrigerated.