Picanha is the cut Brazil built an entire steakhouse tradition around — the sirloin cap, crowned with a thick cap of fat that bastes the meat as it cooks. In the US it mostly hides inside the top sirloin at big packers, which is why finding real picanha with the fat cap intact is so hard. We cut ours fresh to order with the cap left on, the way churrasco demands.
How To Cook It
Sear fat-cap down first, then finish over medium heat to 130–135°F — or skewer it churrasco-style.
Typical timing: 10–15 minutes total, plus rest
- 01Score the fat cap lightly in a crosshatch — through the fat, not into the meat.
- 02Season with coarse salt. Traditional churrasco uses nothing else.
- 03Start fat-cap down over medium heat and render 4–5 minutes until deeply golden.
- 04Flip and finish to 130–135°F internal for medium-rare.
- 05For the full Brazilian experience: cut into thirds, fold each into a C-shape on skewers, and grill over open flame.
- 06Rest 5–8 minutes, then slice against the grain with a piece of cap on every slice.
Best for: Grill-night showpieces, churrasco at home, steak lovers who’ve had picanha at a Brazilian steakhouse and want the real cut.
What’s In It
Short list. Real ingredients.
Ingredients
- · 100% beef sirloin cap — single whole-muscle cut, fat cap intact
Sourcing: Midwest-farm beef, hand-cut at our Bemidji counter with the fat cap left on.
Lean sirloin muscle under a natural fat cap — the fat renders into the meat as it cooks, so you get flavor without needing any added oil.
Why Butcher Shop Matters
Most American grocery stores trim the cap off and sell this as ordinary top sirloin — destroying exactly what makes picanha picanha. A butcher shop can leave the cap intact. If you’ve been searching “where to buy picanha” and coming up empty, this is why.
Pairs With
Goes well with these.
FAQ
Quick answers.
Is picanha the same as sirloin cap or coulotte?
Yes — picanha (Brazilian), sirloin cap, coulotte, and rump cap are all the same cut. If it doesn’t have the fat cap, it isn’t being sold right.
Should I trim the fat cap?
No. The cap renders while cooking and bastes the meat — it’s the entire point of the cut. Score it, salt it, start cap-side down.
How big is it and how is it priced?
Cut 1 inch thick, a picanha steak averages about 0.8 lb at $10.99/lb — one flat price of $8.99, exactly what you pay at checkout.