Picanha for Memorial Day

I would like grill a picanha, the C-shaped steak that is found at many of the Brazilian steakhouses. The problem is that this cut, aka the top sirloin cap or Culotte, is typically divided among other cuts in the US and is not usually offered whole. This is a shame, because I think that the picanha has the best flavor out of any cut of beef.

Does anyone know a butcher that offers the picanha? I've already started calling around near where I live and haven't had much luck. Preference would be a butcher in the western suburbs, but I could get to the North side or wherever else this weekend as well. I've seen some reviews stating that the Paulina Meat Market and Danny's Fresh Market may have it, but can anyone confirm?

Thanks!
Mike

I bought what was called a Culotte steak from Heartland Meats people this past weekend. The have a stand at several farmer's markets, including Evanston on Saturday. What I got was a small but thick cut of beef that was under a pound. It was not C shaped. You might given them a call to see if they can bring what you want to a farmer's market they serve that is near you.

Jonah

Thanks for the reply, Jonah! Did the Culotte you picked up look like this?





(the first link wasn't working on my work laptop, but it has captions for the non-Portuguese speaker...)

Apparently the cut is ~2 lb. max, and should have significant fat cap on the outside. The C-shapedness comes from the grilling method, which is done on a skewer. Also watching this video makes me drool a bit.

mike

Yes but mostly no. The meat I got did not have the fat cap. It was the same triangular shape and thickness, but was quite a bit smaller. I suspect it is the same cut, but they trim the fat and get maybe two pieces out of what is one piece in the video.

Thanks for the tip! I'll give them a call.

Mikelipino wrote:I would like grill a picanha, the C-shaped steak that is found at many of the Brazilian steakhouses. The problem is that this cut, aka the top sirloin cap or Culotte, is typically divided among other cuts in the US and is not usually offered whole. This is a shame, because I think that the picanha has the best flavor out of any cut of beef.

Does anyone know a butcher that offers the picanha? I've already started calling around near where I live and haven't had much luck. Preference would be a butcher in the western suburbs, but I could get to the North side or wherever else this weekend as well. I've seen some reviews stating that the Paulina Meat Market and Danny's Fresh Market may have it, but can anyone confirm?

Thanks!
Mike

I'm in MN now but my local Costco has been selling prime top sirloin cap that looks a lot like what you have in your links below. Unfortunately, like most supermarkets, the fat cap had been removed. It's a very flavorful but but not as tender as the "traditional" American steaks (strip loin, tenderloin, ribeye). The price is very good if I remember. I didn't know how best to grill it so I just grilled the whole thing and sliced thinly. Next time, I may try to cut into "chunks" before grilling. Good luck and post back with results.

As a followup, I was able to find picanha... right here in Naperville. Ellie's Deli is a deli / grocery that features Brazilian (and Polish) items. I was able to pick up 2 3-lb. picanhas as well as farofa and coxinha for the BBQ, and a Guarana for the ride home. The nice lady behind the deli counter and working the register asked if I were Brazilian based on my purchase, so I guess my selection was pretty spot on. I tried to remember everything I ate in Sao Paulo when I visited for a week on business, but dinners often included caipirinhas, so my memory was somewhat hazy...

And here is the prize. Note that the fat cap was almost obscene at 3/4 in. thick. I cut a cross-hatch pattern in the fat to make sure it crisped up.


Each slab was cut into two-inch wide slabs and bent into a C-shape on a spit, fat side out, and then simply seasoned with kosher salt.


These were sizeable hunks of meat, so I opted to use the Serious Eats method of grilling steak. They were started over indirect heat on a lump charcoal grill until they reached 115 F...


... and then seared over direct heat (Weber grills with lump get HOT) until 125 F and crusty.


The picanha turned out really well. They were very juicy and flavorful thanks to the thick fat cap. I was worried that the cut would be tough based on the comments above, and while it's no tenderloin, I prefer more chew anyways. And the tradeoff for beefy flavor was more than worth it.

Aside from the steak and items I mentioned above, guests also brought other Brazilian dishes including pão de queijo , heart of palm ceviche, and caipirinhas. Overall a successful Brazilian-themed Memorial Day BBQ!

Ellie's Deli
4003 Plainfield-Naperville Rd.
Suite 111
Naperville

mike

thanks for the follow up and conclusion to your search. especially the photos.

really nice looking finished beef there, do you recall how much it was per lb. @ Ellies?

Thanks Jim! The picanha was $7.99 / lb, or around $24 for each roast.

mike

Here in Upstate NY there's not a Brazillian or Portuguese butcher within several hundred miles. (I'm neglecting Montréal in this claim.) But there *is* a very talented local butcher, who does her own cattle. She could most certainly cut me one of these, IF she had a proper description. Does anyone know whether there is an official description in any of the North American meat/beef manuals or guides? Surely there's an official description of rump cap or rump cover, which is the technical name of this cut. Any help would be appreciated!

Geo

Does this help?

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/23015385/Picanha-Roast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdRxgCSPLMk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfxmMKQhFrs
http://letsmeetinbrazil.net/wp-content/ ... -ciclo.jpg

the Brazilian Agricultural Research Institute - EMBRAPA - has a very detailed guide to cuts of beef on its website.
http://www.cnpgc.embrapa.br/publicacoes ... as/cortes/

Tnx leek!

Some of those are pretty helpful. I'll probably take them to show to my butcher.

Geo

Lewis Market in Waukegan (two locations, Lewis and Grand) has choice Black Angus picanha on sale (through Tues the 12th) for $5.99/lb. First time I've seen picanha (or the equivalent by another name) in the weekly flyer for any store around here.

Just happened to be in Waukegon this morning.
Unfortunately the Picanha sold at Lewis Market does not have the fat cap but I purchased a piece anyway.
It’s cut against the grain and folded on skewers now ready for the Charcoal BBQ this evening.-Richard
Have to make a ChimiChurri sauce.-Richard

BTW

Next stop!

Ellie’s Deli
924 W 75th St.
Unit 108
Naperville, IL 60565

budrichard wrote:Just happened to be in Waukegon this morning.
Unfortunately the Picanha sold at Lewis Market does not have the fat cap but I purchased a piece anyway.
It’s cut against the grain and folded on skewers now ready for the Charcoal BBQ this evening.-Richard
Have to make a ChimiChurri sauce.-Richard

How did it turn out?

Katie wrote:

budrichard wrote:Just happened to be in Waukegon this morning.
Unfortunately the Picanha sold at Lewis Market does not have the fat cap but I purchased a piece anyway.
It’s cut against the grain and folded on skewers now ready for the Charcoal BBQ this evening.-Richard
Have to make a ChimiChurri sauce.-Richard

How did it turn out?

Excellent cut of meat!
There was no grade but I would judge low Choice, said it was Black Angus but that can mean anything.
With sloooow grilling a fat cap may be like cooking a brisket but over hot coals, I don’t think a fat cap was missed.
Still Hardwood lump is not like wood!
Next time over wood!-Richard
BTW with the construction on I94 going to Milwaukee, it’s actually easier and safer for me to get to Lewis Market than El Rey!

Just for curiosity's sake, Richard, which chimmichuri recipe did you use? I spent a couple of weeks in Argentina eating at parillas, but I've never been able to duplicate their wonderful sauces.

Geo

Crushed Garlic
Flat Parsley
Olive Oil
Red Wine Vinegar
Salt
Jalapeno Chile, no heat
If we have fresh Oregano, we may use instead of Parsley
-Richard

For future reference, I work at Homestead Meats in Evanston. We do whole animal butchering, so we have pichana on a regular basis. There is a regular demand for that cut, especially in the summer months.

Sharon

Geo wrote:Just for curiosity's sake, Richard, which chimmichuri recipe did you use? I spent a couple of weeks in Argentina eating at parillas, but I've never been able to duplicate their wonderful sauces.
Geo

I have the same question. I've seen all sorts of recipes on the internet but have never been able to replicate the can't-get-enough-of-this quality of the chimichurri sauces we enjoyed in Argentina.

budrichard wrote:Crushed Garlic
Flat Parsley
Olive Oil
Red Wine Vinegar
Salt
Jalapeno Chile, no heat
If we have fresh Oregano, we may use instead of Parsley
-Richard

Thanks for this; I'll give it a try.

moetchandon wrote:For future reference, I work at Homestead Meats in Evanston. We do whole animal butchering, so we have pichana on a regular basis. There is a regular demand for that cut, especially in the summer months.
Sharon

That is great to know; thanks! I thought I'd just have to wait til Lewis Market in Waukegan decided to offer it again.

The picture in the Lewis flyer showed a hunk of meat, uncooked, but with a very thin fat cap and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, as if to suggest a ready-to-grill state (in contrast to other beef cuts on sale, pictured raw aand unprepped). I took this to mean they wanted to convey that the picanha on sale would have most of the fat cap trimmed off.

Katie wrote:

moetchandon wrote:For future reference, I work at Homestead Meats in Evanston. We do whole animal butchering, so we have pichana on a regular basis. There is a regular demand for that cut, especially in the summer months.
Sharon

That is great to know; thanks! I thought I'd just have to wait til Lewis Market in Waukegan decided to offer it again.

The picture in the Lewis flyer showed a hunk of meat, uncooked, but with a very thin fat cap and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, as if to suggest a ready-to-grill state (in contrast to other beef cuts on sale, pictured raw aand unprepped). I took this to mean they wanted to convey that the picanha on sale would have most of the fat cap trimmed off.

Since we do whole animal butchering, and experienced with this cut, we leave the fat cap on. The thickness of the cap is dependent on the animal we get in that week. The fat, in my opinion the best part of this cut. I sometimes wonder if the fat scares people from buying it and therefore it is cut off in order to make it more approachable to a population of consumers unaware of this gem.

Hi,

Some years ago, Butcher Kari Underly demonstrated on a half-steer for Greater Midwest Foodways symposium on Beef.

The Picanha was highlighted as an especially good cut favored in South America and rarely found in this country. She said it was likely turned into ground beef.

A few years later, she did a talk for Culinary Historians. Remembering this cut, she had some special ordered, which was seared and served rare to medium rare. It was really terrific to try this cut she highlighted.

You can find her podcast of her talk to Culinary Historians here.

Here is the podcast from the Greater Midwest Foodways Alliance's Beef Symposium of Kari Underly narrating and cutting a side of beef podcast.

Regards,
Cathy2

Hi,

This relatively obscure cut is getting less so. Lewis Market in Waukegan has been offering it on and off this summer. When I have stopped by, it is cut into steaks costing $5.99 per pound.

If you buy it in the cryovac bag, at least this week, it is $3.99 per pound. I am picking up one or two today and will report back on how it is packed.

Edit: The Picanha were sold in indivual pieces weighing from two to four pounds. I bought two two-pound pieces weighing around two-pounds with more meat and a fat fat cap around 1/2-inch. The thicker fat caps, I found the meat was not easy to bend.

In South America, this is a very popular cut.

Regards,
Cathy2