This Smoked Sirloin Cap Roast is seasoned with a brisket-style rub, smoked low and slow to a perfect medium-rare, then reverse-seared for a deep, crusty bark. The thick fat cap slowly bastes the meat as it smokes, so every slice stays juicy and tender, with no marinating, no wrapping, and no babysitting required.
If you love cooking with a pellet grill, check out my Pellet Grill Smoked Brisket and Smoked Steak Kabobs on Pellet Grill, too.
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Recipe At a Glance
- Yield: 6 servings
- Total Time: About 2 hours, including the sear and rest
- Texture: Tender, juicy medium-rare center with a deep, crusty bark
- Method: Low-and-slow smoke, then a hard sear (pellet grill or cast iron)
- Difficulty: Beginner-friendly
- Perfect For: Weekend dinners, steakhouse-style meals at home, or slicing thin for tacos and sandwiches
Why This Cut Is Worth Seeking Out
Sirloin cap, also often labeled as picanha, coulotte, or top sirloin cap at the butcher counter, is one of those cuts that steakhouses have known about for decades, but many home cooks are only just catching on to. One of my favorite cuts of meat, it sits right on top of the sirloin, separated by a layer of thick, marbled fat that renders slowly and keeps the whole roast basted from the inside out as it smokes.
Unlike a brisket or chuck roast, sirloin cap isn't meant to be cooked low and slow until it falls apart. It's a tender, well-marbled cut of beef that's best when cooked to medium-rare and sliced thin, more like a steak than a traditional barbecue roast. Smoking it low first and finishing with a hard sear gives you the best of both worlds: a deep, smoky flavor and bark on the outside, with a rosy, tender center.
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The One Thing That Makes or Breaks This Roast
I trimmed the rump cap down too far on my first attempt, thinking less fat meant a cleaner presentation. The roast still tasted good, but it dried out faster on the smoker and didn't have nearly the same richness.
The second time, I left a full ¼ inch of fat and scored it in a diamond pattern instead of trimming it flush. That fat rendered slowly throughout the cook, kept the meat moist, and gave the rub something to cling to.
While picanha is often cut into thick steaks and grilled Brazilian-style, this recipe keeps the roast whole so the fat cap can slowly baste the meat as it smokes.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Sirloin cap roast (2-4 pounds). Also sold as picanha or coulotte. Look for a roast with an even, thick fat cap still attached. That's what separates this cut from a plain top sirloin.
- Yellow mustard. Just a thin coat to act as a binder so the rub sticks. It cooks off completely, so you won't taste it in the final bite.
- Brisket rub. A salt-forward blend with brown sugar for the bark and smoked paprika for color. It's a smaller batch of my full Homemade Brisket Rub, which I use on Hot and Fast Brisket, Smoked Tri Tip, and Tri Tip Smoked Like a Brisket, too. However, a store-bought beef rub works just as well if needed.
How to Make Smoked Sirloin Cap Roast
Trim and Score. Trim the fat cap down to about ¼ inch thick. Don't take it down further than that, or you'll lose the basting effect that keeps this roast juicy. Lightly score the fat in a crosshatch pattern with a sharp knife, being careful not to cut into the meat underneath. Scoring lets the rub and smoke penetrate the fat and helps it render more evenly.
Season. Brush the entire roast lightly on all sides with yellow mustard. Mix together the brisket rub and apply it generously, pressing it in so it adheres. Let the roast sit on the counter while the pellet grill preheats to 225°F.
The First Smoke. Place the roast on the grill grates fat side up and close the lid. Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 125°F for medium-rare, about 60-90 minutes depending on the size of your roast. Mine took 75 minutes for a roast right in the middle of that range. Start checking with a meat thermometer around the 60-minute mark so you don't overshoot.
Rest and Rev Up the Heat. Remove the roast from the smoker and tent it loosely to keep it hot while the grill comes up to temperature. Increase your pellet grill to 400°F, or heat a cast iron skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat if you'd rather finish it indoors.
Sear. Sear the roast for 2-3 minutes per side, until a deep, dark crust forms and the internal temperature reaches 130°F for medium-rare or 135°F for medium.
Rest and Slice. Rest the roast for 10-15 minutes before slicing. This gives the juices time to redistribute instead of running out onto the cutting board. Slice thinly against the grain.
Jeri's Top Tips
- Don't skip past medium. The thick fat cap on this cut renders slowly as it smokes, keeping the meat juicy. Cooked past medium, that same fat can't do its job fast enough, and the roast dries out. Pull the roast at 130°F for medium-rare or 135°F for medium, and stop there.
- Use two thermometers if you have them. Use one thermometer in the roast during the smoke, and an instant-read for double-checking the thickest part of the meat during the sear. The sear happens fast, and it's easy to overshoot by a few degrees if you're not watching closely.
- Let the roast come up to room temp before it hits the grill. A cold roast straight from the fridge takes longer to smoke evenly and can overcook on the outside before the center catches up.
- Rest loosely tented, not wrapped tight. Wrapping the resting roast in foil traps steam and can soften the bark.
What to Serve with Smoked Sirloin Cap Roast
Once cooked, I like to slice my sirloin cap roast thinly and pair it with sides like:
- Extra Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes
- Traeger Smoked Corn on the Cob
- Creamy Dill Mashed Potatoes
- Smoked Mushrooms on Pellet Grill
It also holds up well cut into thin strips for tacos or piled onto a sandwich with horseradish sauce or a bit of BBQ sauce.
Storage & Freezing
Store cooled roast in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Leftovers will also keep fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. To keep the meat fresh, I wrap the slices in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil or transfer them to a sealable bag.
To serve, thaw frozen smoked sirloin cap in the fridge overnight. Then, warm it slowly in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of beef broth or butter. Or reheat slices in the oven at 250°F for about 10 minutes, or until warmed through. I avoid the microwave because it tends to overcook the meat.
Leftovers are also delicious cold! I enjoy them as a sandwich with No Knead Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread or added to salads.
FAQs
They're the same cut. Sirloin cap is the name you'll usually see at American grocery stores and butcher counters. Picanha is the Brazilian name for the cut, popularized by churrasco-style steakhouses.
Yes. Any smoker that holds a steady 225°F will work. For the sear, a cast iron skillet on the stovetop works just as well as taking the pellet grill up to 400°F.
The fat cap on sirloin cap renders gradually as it cooks, and that rendering fat is what keeps the meat moist. Push the roast past medium and the muscle fibers tighten up faster than the fat can keep basting them, so you end up with a drier result than the same cut cooked medium-rare.
What wood pellets work best for this cut?
Oak, hickory, or a competition blend all work well without overpowering the beef. If you want something a little sweeter, cherry or pecan pair nicely with the brown sugar in the rub.
No. Smoking it fat side up the whole time lets the rendering fat baste the meat as it cooks, so there's no need to flip until the sear.
More Pellet Grill Recipes
If you love your pellet grill, give these recipes a try next:
Printable Recipe
Smoked Sirloin Cap Roast (Picanha)
Ingredients
For the Roast:
- 2-4 pound sirloin cap roast (picanha)
- 1-2 tablespoons yellow mustard
Brisket Rub
- 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½ tablespoon coarse black pepper
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
Instructions
- Preheat your pellet grill to 225℉.
- Trim the fat cap to about ¼-inch thick, leaving enough fat to slowly render during cooking. Using a sharp knife, lightly score the fat cap in a diamond pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat.
- Brush the roast lightly on all sides with yellow mustard.
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, chili powder, and dry mustard powder. Season the roast generously on all sides, pressing the rub into the meat. Let the roast sit on the counter while the smoker preheats.
- Place the roast on the grill grates fat side up. Close the lid and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 125°F for medium-rare, approximately 60-90 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the roast. Begin checking the temperature around the 60-minute mark. My 3-pound roast took about 75 minutes.
- Remove the roast from the smoker and tent loosely with foil to keep warm. Increase the pellet grill temperature to 400°F. Alternatively, heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear the roast for 2-3 minutes per side, until a deep crust forms and the internal temperature reaches 130°F for medium-rare or 135°F for medium.
- Transfer the roast to a cutting board and rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Slice thinly against the grain and serve immediately.
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Notes
- Sirloin cap roast is also known as picanha, coulotte, or rump cap.
- I do not recommend cooking this cut beyond medium. The fat cap slowly renders during cooking and helps keep the meat juicy. Overcooking causes the muscle fibers to tighten and the roast can become dry.
- For the best flavor, use oak, hickory, pecan, or competition blend pellets.
- A leave-in meat thermometer makes it much easier to avoid overcooking this roast.
- Leftover slices are excellent in tacos, sandwiches, salads, or grain bowls.
- Storage: Store leftover smoked sirloin cap roast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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