What Is Picanha? How to Buy, Cut, and Grill Brazil's Favorite Steak

Picanha in one sentence

Picanha (pee-KAHN-yah) is the top sirloin cap: a triangular muscle that sits on top of the rump, covered by a thick layer of fat. In the U.S. you'll also see it sold as top sirloin cap, rump cap, or coulotte. In Spanish-speaking countries it goes by picaña, tapa de cuadril (Argentina), or punta de anca (Colombia).

That fat cap is the whole point. As it renders on the grill it bastes the meat, so a cut seasoned with nothing but coarse salt comes out rich, beefy, and tender.

Why it's hard to find at the supermarket

Most big grocery chains break the whole sirloin down into generic "top sirloin steaks." That slices straight through the cap and often trims the fat away. To get a whole picanha with the fat cap intact, you need a butcher who separates it on purpose. That's why picanha is one of the first things Brazilian and Latin customers ask for at our counter in Davenport.

How to choose a good picanha

• Size: a whole picanha usually weighs about 2 to 3 pounds. Much heavier and it often includes extra sirloin underneath, which is leaner and cooks differently.
• Fat cap: look for an even layer about ¼ to ½ inch thick, white to creamy in color. Ask the butcher to leave it on.
• Shape: a clean triangle with the grain running in one direction is easier to cut into steaks.
• Color: bright red meat with fine marbling. Vacuum-packed beef can look darker until it meets the air; that's normal.

How to cut picanha for the grill

1. Lay the picanha fat-side up and find the direction of the grain (the lines running through the meat).
2. Cut with the grain into steaks about 1½ to 2 inches thick, roughly two fingers wide. Cutting this way means your final slices, after cooking, go against the grain.
3. Optional: lightly score the fat in a crosshatch, without cutting into the meat, so it renders and crisps faster.
4. For the classic churrasco look, bend each steak into a "C" with the fat on the outside and run a skewer through it.

How to grill picanha

Keep the seasoning simple. Brazilians use sal grosso, coarse rock salt, and nothing else. Coarse kosher salt works too.

1. Salt generously right before it goes on the grill. Coarse salt won't over-season the way fine salt does.
2. Set up two zones on a charcoal or gas grill: one hot side and one cooler side.
3. Start with the fat. Sear the fat side over high heat until it starts to crisp. Watch for flare-ups and move the meat to the cooler side if the flames jump.
4. Finish to your doneness. Turn the steaks and cook over moderate heat. Use an instant-read thermometer: many churrasco fans pull picanha around 130–135 °F for medium-rare. The USDA recommends cooking beef steaks to 145 °F with a 3-minute rest.
5. Rest and slice thin against the grain. At a churrasco, the outside slices are carved off first and the rest goes back on the grill.

What to serve with it

Keep the sides classic: farofa (toasted cassava flour), vinagrete (a fresh tomato and onion salsa), white rice, black beans, and chimichurri if you lean Argentine. Grilled pineapple with cinnamon is the traditional finish.

No grill? Roast it whole

Sear the fat side in a hot cast-iron skillet until golden, then roast the whole cap fat-side up at 400 °F. Start checking the temperature after about 20 minutes and pull it when it hits your target. Rest 10 minutes and slice thin against the grain.

Want to compare picanha with other steaks? See ribeye vs. NY strip vs. picanha. Planning a party? Use our meat-per-person table.