Food - Drink
What Type Of Steak Cut Is Picanha?
By ELIAS NASH
If you’re a beef lover visiting Brazil, you'll likely run for the fantastic local steakhouses or churrascarias. "Churrascarias" derives from the cooking style of churrasco, in which skewers of meat are grilled over a wood-burned fire, and one of the most popular and prized cuts of steak to cook this way is called picanha.
Also called the rump cap, sirloin cap, or culotte steak, picanha comes from the top of the cow's hindquarters and is known for being incredibly tender and flavorful, despite its low intramuscular fat content. If you see picanha at a churrascaria, it will typically be bent into a curved shape on the skewer, which lets the fat cap crisp up over the flame.
Unless you go to an America-based churrascaria, picanha can be challenging to find in the States, and to cook it at home, you'll likely need to place an order with a butcher. If you are lucky enough to find picanha, know that the cut is surprisingly affordable, yet packs so much flavor that Brazilians typically only season it with salt.