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    Home » Recipes » Steak Recipes » How To Cook Coulotte Steak (Best Recipe Grill OR Sear)

    How To Cook Coulotte Steak (Best Recipe Grill OR Sear)

    Published: Jun 15, 2021 · Modified: Feb 3, 2023 by Jenna Passaro · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Image collage with text overlay for coulotte steak AKA pacanha steak.

    Get the best coulotte steak recipe for cast iron searing or grilling this beef cut. Make super tender, juicy “picanha steak”, with complete details on exactly what is coulotte steak and how to cook it. Let’s go!

    Side shot of juicy Coulotte Steak medium rare.
    Even with 0 experience cooking steaks, you’ll be able to make this ultra-juicy coulotte steak recipe the first time you try it!

    Table of Contents

    • Why it’s the best coulotte steak recipe in the world
    • What is coulotte steak?
    • Ingredients for this recipe
    • How to cook coulotte steak
    • Want to grill coulotte steak?
    • Temperature chart for steak searing or grilling
    • FAQs for making coulotte steak for beginners
    • Meat thermometer recommendations
    • Are you a foodie, too?
    • How To Cook Coulotte Steak Recipe | Sip Bite Go
    • Temperature chart for steaks

    Why it’s the best coulotte steak recipe in the world

    • Fool-proof! Use my tried and true tips and a meat thermometer.
    • Simple seasoning. You need little more than salt and pepper.
    • See how to cast iron sear coulotte steak. Step by step photos and video are included in this Sip Bite Go cooking demonstration.
    • Learn to grill it. The marbling makes coulotte steaks great for grilling.
    • Huge flavor!! HUGE!! Simple, but juicy and tender and so freakin’ tasty.
    Top down shot of Coulotte Steak with fat cap on a plate on a table with napkin.

    What is coulotte steak?

    It is a beef cut with plenty of marbling that is delicious to stir fry, make steak sandwiches or tacos with, or just eat as is with some jalapeno ranch dressing and tasty potato steak sides.

    Also see this recipe for grilled sirloin steak with a teriyaki steak marinade…

    Wondering where to buy coulotte steaks?

    Shop online butchers and meat delivery companies, or your local supermarket, and keep your eyes peeled for these names…

    • Top sirloin cap steak
    • Picanha steak
    • Fat cap
    • Sirloin primal cut
    • Rump cap (or some other reference to sirloin butt and bottom)

    See how to smoke sirloin steak…

    Do you always find a coulotte steak fat cap?

    Although it’s a lean cut of steak from the beef loin, you’ll almost always find it cut with a thin layer of fat covering one side of the cut of beef. In this recipe, you’ll learn how to leave the fat cap intact and maximize the juicy flavor it provides by scoring the fat cap before searing or grilling it.

    Ingredients for this recipe

    Start with my simple ingredients…

    Chart with text overlay of ingredients to make grilled steaks from coulotte beef cut.
    • For the simple seasoning: salt, black pepper, garlic powder
    • 1 (8oz) coulotte steak (aka top sirloin cap roast)
    • Olive oil
    Top down shot of coulotte steak sliced on a plate with a steak knife and fork.

    How to cook coulotte steak

    This recipe is fast and easy. Let’s start with directions for cooking coulotte steak in a cast iron pan on the stove…

    Step 1. Make the coulotte steak seasoning. In a small mixing bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, and garlic powder to make the dry rub.

    Top down shot scoring the coulotte fat cap aka pacanha DEMONSTRATION with hands and knife.
    Just a romantic moment between my husband and I here, working together to season coulotte steak fat cap… haha 🙂

    Step 2. Score the coulotte fat cap. Score fat cap in ½ inch perpendicular lines. See Sip Bite Go recipe video for coulotte steak for an example.

    Coulotte steak seasoning infographic chart.

    Step 3. Season coulotte steak. Generously sprinkle steak seasoning all over the beef cut.

    image collage demonstrating how to sear coulotte steak infographic chart.

    Step 4. Sear coulotte steak. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add olive oil and once it becomes hot and shiny and begins to smoke, add the steak, fat side down is preferable (photo A) although we didn’t do that in this photo – whoops! Sear steak for about 2-3 minutes until a brown crust forms on the side of the beef touching the pan.

    Flip the steak and sear the other side for about 2-3 minutes (photo B) until the steak forms a brown crust. Quickly sear the edges (using tongs to hold the steak) for 10-20 seconds (photo C) each to brown them, but not longer so the steak doesn’t overcook.

    Step 5. Use a meat thermometer to check the steak temperature. The steak in the Sip Bite go recipe was cooked to medium rare, almost medium at 135°F-140°F.

    If steak has not yet reached your desired steak temperature, keep flipping it every 20-30 seconds until it reaches temperature (photo D).

    Note: I recommend taking steak off the heat a little before the desired steak temp has been reached, since it continues cooking off of the heat.

    Side shot of seared coulotte steak resting on a cutting board with compound butter on top.

    Step 6. Rest steak on a cutting board for 10 minutes, then serve. If you’re feeling fancy, add on some tasty compound butter for steak with garlic and herbs to make your taste buds explode. Or just add on a tablespoon of butter to melt and add juicy flavor.

    Closeup of cooked picanha steak medium rare.
    “Hey babe, the steak dinner’s ready!!”

    How about something to serve on the side? These sauteed peppers and onions are an easy side dish for steak recipes.

    Want to grill coulotte steak?

    Use the same method above, but brush or spray some cooking spray on the grill before adding the steak. Cook steak on high heat (about 500°F). Use the same method of cooking a few minutes on each side, then flipping the steak until it reaches its desired temperature.

    Also see these easy steak recipes for smoked tri tip and perfectly roasted tri tip in the oven.

    Temperature chart for steak searing or grilling

    Here are the cooking temperatures chart for steaks you grill or sear in a cast iron pan. The photos on Sip Bite Go demonstrate cooking medium rare or medium coulotte steak around 135 °F – 140 °F.

    Steak temperature cooking chart with Sip Bite Go logo.
    • Rare steak (125-130°F) is still red inside.
    • Medium rare steak (130-140°F) is red to pink inside. 
    • Medium steak (140-150°F) is mostly pink.
    • Medium well steak (150-160°F) has just a slight bit of pink inside.
    • Well cooked steak (160°F) has no red or pink inside.

    FAQs for making coulotte steak for beginners

    Is coulotte steak easy to prepare?

    Super easy! My recipe walks you through all the fine details, but coulotte steak is easy to prepare and is delicious when cooked on cast iron or on a grill.

    Is Picanha steak the same as coulotte?

    Yes! Picanha is simply the Portuguese name for this steak. Coulotte steak is hugely popular in Portuguese-speaking Brazil, where they are referred to as Picanha.

    Where do coulotte steaks come from?

    The coulotte steak is a top cap boneless steak. That’s the triangular shaped cap cut from the top sirloin, on the hindquarter section of the cow.

    What can I serve with coulotte steak?

    Coulotte steak can go well with almost anything—serve it up with your favorite starch and a yummy vegetable side! Start the meal with a simple tomato cucumber salad or strawberry salad. Then pair the main steak dinner entree with an easy pasta side dish or potato side dish for steak, like my sous vide fingerling potatoes.

    Top down shot of thin beef cut from coulotte steak.

    This medium rare coulotte steak was sliced thin for philly cheese steak pizza.

    New recipes and foodie guides….

    • Tri tip (it’s so good!)
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    • Flank steak marinade
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    • Grilled broccoli

    Meat thermometer recommendations

    Every home chef needs a reliable meat thermometer to cook food perfectly. 

    On Sip Bite Go, you’ll often see me using:

    1. Meater thermometer – a fancy wireless thermometer that connects to a phone app – gifted to me from a Traeger partnership.
    2. ThermoPro digital thermometer – which has a wire that connects the thermometer to a display box outside the oven/grill. 

    It’s like being psychic! The great thing about either of the thermometers above is that I don’t have to take the food out of the oven to know the temperature. 

    How to use ‘em… What I do is stick the digital thermometer in steak, pork, chicken, whatever… Then put the food in the oven, on the smoker, or grill.

    While the meat cooks, it reads the temperature so I know exactly what temp meat is as it’s cooking. Without having to take it out and check. It’s really difficult to overcook food when you know exactly what temp it is inside!

    Are you a foodie, too?

    Hey home chefs, I want to see photos of your delicious steak dinners! Find me on Instagram @sipbitego to tag me and connect.

    Next, check out how to make this tasty sirloin steak in oven.

    Want to make restaurant-style food at home? I teach you how here on Sip Bite Go and with in-depth video guides on the Sip Bite Go channel.

    Closeup of medium rare pink coulotte steak recipe.

    How To Cook Coulotte Steak Recipe | Sip Bite Go

    Get the best coulotte steak recipe for cast iron searing or grilling this beef cut. Make super tender, juicy “picanha steak”, with complete details on exactly what is coulotte steak and how to cook it. Let’s go!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 14 minutes
    Finish Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 29 minutes
    Servings: 1
    Calories: 39kcal
    Author: Jenna Passaro

    Ingredients

    • 1 (8oz) coulotte steak (aka top sirloin cap roast)
    • 1 tsp olive oil

    For the coulotte steak seasoning

    • ½ tsp salt
    • ¼ tsp black pepper
    • ¼ tsp garlic powder

    Instructions

    • Make the coulotte steak seasoning. In a small mixing bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, and garlic powder to make the dry rub.
    • Score the coulotte fat cap. Score fat cap in ½ inch perpendicular lines. See Sip Bite Go recipe video for coulotte steak for an example.
    • Season coulotte steak. Generously sprinkle steak seasoning all over beef cut.
    • Sear coulotte steak. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add olive oil and once it becomes hot and shiny and begins to smoke, add the steak, fat side down. Sear steak about 2-3 minutes until a brown crust forms on the side of the beef touching the pan. Flip the steak and sear the other side for about 2-3 minutes until steak forms a brown crust. Quickly sear the edges (using tongs to hold the steak) for 10-20 seconds each to brown them, but not longer so the steak doesn’t overcook.
    • Use a meat thermometer to check the steak temperature. The steak in the Sip Bite go recipe was cooked to medium rare, almost medium at 135°F-140°F. If steak has not yet reached your desired steak temperature, keep flipping it every 20-30 seconds until it reaches temperature. (I recommend to take it off the heat a little before the desired steak temp has been reached, since it continues cooking off of the heat).
    • Rest steak on a cutting board for 10 minutes, then serve. You can add 1 tbsp butter, or compound butter as seen on Sip Bite Go, on top of steak at this time to melt and add juicy flavor.

    How to grill coulotte steak

    • Use the same method above, but brush or spray some cooking spray on the grill before adding the steak. Cook steak on high heat (about 500°F). Use the same method of cooking a few minutes on each side, then flipping the steak until it reaches its desired temperature.

    Video

    Notes

    Temperature chart for steaks

    • Rare steak (125-130°F) is still red inside.
    • Medium rare steak (130-140°F) is red to pink inside.
    • Medium steak (140-150°F) is mostly pink.
    • Medium well steak (150-160°F) has just a slight bit of pink inside.
    • Well cooked steak (160°F) has no red or pink inside.
    See the recipe: https://sipbitego.com/coulotte-steak
    See the recipe video for coulotte steak

    Nutrition

    Calories: 39kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1163mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @SipBiteGo or tag #sipbitego!
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    jenna passaro food blogger from Portland Oregon

    Hey, I’m Jenna Passaro.

    I develop easy recipes that can transform your kitchen into a restaurant – and you into a true home chef.

      

    Where to start?

    Learn the secrets to smoking tasty Traeger recipes and making pizza at home. And cook amazing tri tip steak dinners.

    Or, fall in love with something new to cook with your air fryer, pellet smoker, BBQ grill, sous vide cooker, and more…

    You’ll notice, I kind of geek out over new cooking trends and tools!

    Instagram me @sipbitego & chef hubs @handmodelpatrick

    My story. Growing up, I didn’t learn to cook.

    (I was actually banned from cooking for years)

    And then in my 20’s I didn’t have to cook because my job as an event planner involved a lot of travel and it was easier to eat out. At the time, I was 100% positive that restaurant food would always taste better than cooking at home, and there was nothing I could do about it.

    Until I fell in love with a chef. He would come over and cook me delicious meals right in my own kitchen. My mind was blown.

    Since then, I’ve been on a mission to figure out easy ways to make restaurant style food at home and share it here on Sip Bite Go.

    Love to eat out and travel? I can totally relate. See my guide on where to eat in Portland, OR.

    jenna passaro the home chef's sous vide cookbook

    Never in a million years did I imagine I’d ditch the 9-5 lifestyle in my late 20’s, move across the country on a whim, start a new life, start a food blog, and write a book.

    But here I am!

    See my book on Amazon: The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook.

     

       

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