Clementine Picanha

The smell of orange peel will fill your kitchen as the culotte slowly makes its way to just the right temperature, awaiting its final sear. I’ve left the fat cap on, scoring it so that it is crosshatched just as you might a duck breast. Once sliced, the culotte is a complete bite: savoury meat, crackling-style fat, and a fabulous marmalade taste that makes this recipe truly out of the ordinary.

By Rob Firing | August 17, 2018

Ingredients

1 culotte steak (2 pounds or more), fat cap on (picanha-style)
1 teaspoon salt
2 clementine oranges, for zesting and juicing
2 cloves garlic (1finely grated, 1 thinly sliced)
1 tablespoon Cointreau
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Line the bottom rack of your oven with enough foil to catch any drippings. Preheat your oven to 225F.

If the fat cap on your culotte is particularly hefty, trim it to a thickness of about 1/4 inch using a sharp knife. Then score the fat cap, first across and then lengthwise, so you end up with 1/4-inch-square crosshatching.

Rub the prepared culotte with salt (about 1/2 teaspoon per side). Squeeze the juice from 1/2 of the clementine over the crosshatched fat cap. Cut the remaining 1/2 clementine into thin slices and insert into several of the scored slits. Do the same with the sliced garlic. Carefully rub some minced garlic on the fat cap and sides of the steak. Zest the remaining clementine and sprinkle over the fat cap.

Place steak on a wire rack and transfer to the upper rack of your preheated oven. Cook for 30 minutes per pound or until the steak reaches an internal temperature approaching 115F in the middle (or an average of about 118F with several checks in different areas of the steak).

On your stove top over high heat, heat a dry, heavy pan until very hot. Sear your culotte on both sides, starting with the fat-side down (it will sputter and render fat into the pan, which is good). Take extra care when you sear the fat side so it doesn’t get too dark; there should be both black and dark brown parts. When the steak reaches an internal temperature approaching 120F in the middle (which is earlier than most cuts; culotte is special that way), remove it from the heat (reserve the pan) and let rest loosely wrapped in foil for at least 10 minutes.

In the same pan, over medium heat, add the juice of the remaining clementine and a splash of Cointreau. Cook, stirring up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, until the liquid (including the rendered fat) thickens to a sauce. Stir in the juices from the foil and let reduce for another minute, until you reach your desired consistency.

Using a sharp knife, slice the steak across the grain. Serve with some of the sauce drizzled overtop, and the rest in a small bowl for passing. Season with ground pepper.