Sirloin primal · Beef cut guide
Alcatra
Alcatra is a Brazilian beef cut covering most of the sirloin primal: the top sirloin (gluteus medius) plus the maminha (tri-tip) tail in some butcheries. It is the workhorse churrascaria steak cut and one of the most ordered beef cuts in Brazilian restaurants. Alcatra is leaner than picanha (which is the sirloin cap above it) but has more flavor than US top sirloin alone because of the included muscle variety.
Anatomy and naming
What this cut actually is
Brazilian beef butchery splits the sirloin region differently from US butchery. The cap muscle (biceps femoris cap on top of the sirloin) is picanha, served as a thick fat-capped triangular roast. Below the picanha sits alcatra, which combines the top sirloin and (in some interpretations) the maminha tail. The whole alcatra is butchered into individual steaks called alcatra completa, miolo da alcatra (heart of alcatra, the most tender section), and several other portion names depending on the cut.
For grading purposes alcatra carries the same overall carcass grade as US top sirloin, since it is essentially the same anatomical region. The eating quality difference between Brazilian alcatra and US top sirloin steak comes mostly from feeding programs and aging rather than the cut itself, Brazilian beef is typically pasture-finished with less days-on-feed than US grain-finished beef.
Also known as
Alcatra completa · Brazilian sirloin · Top sirloin (US, partial) · Sirloin butt
Alcatra sits in the sirloin primal, highlighted in red
How to spot a good one
Visual markers
A wide, slightly flat muscle profile, more uniform than picanha
Moderate marbling, similar to US top sirloin, less than picanha
Bright cherry-red lean, fine firm grain
A small to moderate fat cap on one edge (smaller than picanha)
Visible muscle separation seam if both top sirloin and maminha are included
Cooking, on Pro
Cook alcatra like its grade
MeatGrader Pro gives you a cooking guide tailored to the exact cut and quality grade in front of you. Temperature, time, primary and alternative methods, resting, pairings.
A USDA Prime alcatra gets a different guide than a Choice alcatra, and an A5 BMS 9 wagyu cut gets something else again. Generic recipes do not know which one you have. Pro does.
Free with 3 analyses on signup. Pro is $1.99/month for unlimited analyses + the cooking guide.
How it grades
Grading alcatra
Alcatra is graded under USDA standards as top sirloin, under JMGA-equivalent systems as a sirloin-class cut. MeatGrader Quality is particularly relevant for alcatra: the cut sells widely in regions (Brazil, Latin America, Portugal) where USDA, JMGA, MSA, and KAPE may not be the primary reference frame, and MGQ provides a system-agnostic Supreme/Superior/Select/Standard classification calibrated to Brazilian-style pasture-finished beef.
FAQ
Common questions about alcatra
What people ask most about picking, cooking, and grading this cut.
Related cuts
Other cuts to know
Score any alcatra from a photo
Photograph your alcatra and see how it grades against the regional system you select.