Picanha
Picanha is the cap of the sirloin primal, a triangular cut also known as sirloin cap, coulotte, or rump cap, weighing typically 1.0 to 1.5 kg with a thick fat cap left attached. It is the centerpiece of Brazilian churrasco, prized for the flavor that renders out of its fat cap when grilled, and for the firm, beefy muscle underneath.
Picanha is the cap of the sirloin primal, a triangular cut also known as sirloin cap, coulotte, or rump cap, weighing typically 1.0 to 1.5 kg with a thick fat cap left attached. It is the centerpiece of Brazilian churrasco, prized for the flavor that renders out of its fat cap when grilled, and for the firm, beefy muscle underneath.
Picanha sits on top of the top sirloin (gluteus medius is below it; picanha itself is the biceps femoris cap). In the US it is most often broken down and sold as separate sirloin steaks, the Brazilian cut keeps the cap and its fat layer intact, which is essential to the eating experience. The fat cap is left whole specifically to render down the muscle during cooking, basting it from above.
Authentic picanha must include the full fat cap, ideally 1 to 2 cm thick. American "coulotte" is often sold trimmed of most of the fat, the resulting cut is leaner, faster to cook, but loses what makes picanha picanha. When buying, look for the triangular shape and the intact white fat cap on top. In Brazil the cut is grilled whole on a skewer or sliced thick (3-4 cm steaks against the grain).
Also known as: Sirloin cap, Coulotte (US), Rump cap (Australia/UK), Tafelspitz (Germany, related), Maminha (Brazil, separate cut).
What good quality looks like
- Triangular shape with a thick (1-2 cm), white fat cap on top, the defining feature
- Firm, deep-red lean underneath the cap, picanha is a working muscle and runs leaner than ribeye
- Visible but moderate marbling in the lean, picanha is not heavily marbled even at premium grades
- White, firm fat (not yellow or oily) on the cap; yellow fat suggests an older animal or grass-only diet (not necessarily worse, but flavor changes)
- For whole picanha, weight in the 1.0 to 1.5 kg range, much larger pieces are usually mixed with other muscles
How to cook it
- Brazilian churrasco method: skewer whole, grill over medium-high charcoal, fat-cap-up, slicing thin layers off as the outside cooks (slice-and-return)
- Steakhouse method: cut into 3-4 cm thick steaks against the grain, score the fat cap, sear hot, then finish over indirect heat to medium-rare
- Coarse salt only, picanha's flavor comes from the fat cap rendering; complex marinades are unnecessary and often counterproductive
- Rest for at least 10 minutes after cooking, the fat cap continues to render and the lean re-absorbs juices
Frequently asked
What is picanha called in English?
Sirloin cap or coulotte in the United States. Rump cap in Australia and the UK. The cut itself is the same, a triangular muscle (biceps femoris) with the fat cap left on top, weighing 1.0 to 1.5 kg whole. Picanha is the Brazilian Portuguese name and is what the cut is best known by globally.
Why is the fat cap on picanha so important?
The fat cap rendering during cooking is what makes picanha picanha. The fat melts down through the lean as the cut cooks, basting and flavoring the meat. American "coulotte" sold trimmed of most of the fat cap is anatomically the same muscle but produces a much drier, less flavorful eating experience. If a picanha shows up trimmed, it is not really picanha.
How is picanha graded?
Brazil does not have a national beef grading system. MeatGrader applies its own MeatGrader Quality 0-100 score to picanha photographed in Brazilian or generic origin. For US-origin picanha sold as coulotte, USDA Prime / Choice / Select grades apply at the carcass level, but the marbling on picanha itself is more moderate than on the ribeye even from Prime carcasses.
Is picanha the same as maminha?
No. Maminha is from the same general sirloin region but is a separate, smaller, leaner muscle (tri-tip in the US). The two cuts share a region of the carcass but are anatomically distinct, with different flavor profiles and cooking characteristics. Picanha is fattier and more flavorful; maminha is leaner and milder.
How can I tell good picanha from bad?
Triangular shape, intact white fat cap (1-2 cm thick), firm deep-red lean, weight in the 1.0-1.5 kg range. Avoid pieces with yellow fat, an irregular shape (often means it is mixed with other muscles), or a fat cap thinner than 0.5 cm (over-trimmed).