Fire does not season food. It transforms it. Brasa was built on that principle. It is the composition you reach for first, the one that works on everything, the one that has no agenda other than making whatever goes on the fire taste the way it should. Most all-purpose rubs are compromises. Brasa is not. Every ingredient was selected because it earns its place at high heat.
Most commercial all-purpose rubs rely on salt and sugar to do the work. Sugar burns at direct flame temperatures and creates bitterness instead of bark. Brasa eliminates that problem at the source. The base is Tellicherry black pepper in coarse grind, which holds its structure at high heat instead of turning acrid. The porcini powder is the move that nobody in live fire seasoning is making. Dried porcini carries glutamates, the same compounds that make aged beef taste like itself. Applied to the surface of a protein before searing, it amplifies the natural flavor of the meat rather than masking it. Roasted garlic granules provide depth without the burn risk of fresh. Smoked onion adds a secondary smoke layer that works in conjunction with the fire rather than competing with it.
Apply generously to dry protein at least 30 minutes before cooking and up to 24 hours ahead for larger cuts. The salt in Brasa will begin drawing moisture to the surface and then reabsorbing it, creating a self-basting effect that promotes better bark formation. For steaks and chops, coat all surfaces including edges. For larger roasts and whole animals, work it into every crevice. Do not be timid. High heat burns off volatiles fast and the protein needs a sufficient coating to hold through the cook. At the fire, let the first side set completely before turning. The composition will form a crust. That crust is the point.
- Picanha over a Santa Maria grill
- Whole spatchcocked chicken over direct flame
- Pork secreto on a plancha
- Grilled lamb shoulder chops
- Whole fish with the skin on
- Thick-cut ribeye at extreme heat
Brasa Picanha — Santa Maria Style
Picanha is the test of an all-purpose seasoning. The fat cap renders, the lean cooks through, and the seasoning has to hold across both textures and two very different temperatures. This is how Brasa was developed.
Ingredients- 1 whole picanha, 2 to 2.5 lbs, fat cap on
- 3 tablespoons Brasa
- Coarse kosher salt, additional to taste
- Neutral oil for the grill
- Score the fat cap in a crosshatch pattern down to but not through the meat. This allows the seasoning to penetrate and promotes even rendering.
- Apply Brasa generously to all surfaces, working it into the scored fat cap. Let rest uncovered at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Build your fire to two zones. You want screaming direct heat on one side and a cooler hold zone on the other.
- Start fat cap down over direct heat. The fat needs to render before you can move on. This takes 8 to 10 minutes. Do not rush it and do not move the meat until the fat has fully rendered and crisped.
- Flip to the lean side and sear 4 to 5 minutes over direct heat to set the crust.
- Move to the cool zone and cook to an internal temperature of 130 degrees for medium-rare. This will take another 10 to 15 minutes depending on thickness.
- Rest a minimum of 10 minutes before slicing. Slice against the grain in thin cuts. The fat cap stays on.
The fat cap is not decoration. It is the flavor vehicle. Anyone who removes it before cooking has already made an error.
