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Costela ponta de agulha

Beef · Plate
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The front portion of the Brazilian *costela*, taken from the chest end of the rib cage where cartilage runs through the bones. The fattier, more flavourful cousin of *costela ripa* (the rear, leaner rib section) and a churrasco staple — slow-grilled vertically over coals (*costela no fogo de chão*) for hours, sometimes overnight, until the connective tissue dissolves and the meat falls off the bone. Known as *minga* in southern Brazil. Distinct from *asado de tira* (the same general region cross-cut into ½-inch strips, popularised in Argentina) and from US plate ribs (whole 3-rib slabs cut along the bone for Texas-style smoking). The cartilage-and-fat character is what defines the cut — leaner butchers' grades or backs of ribs (costela ripa) don't substitute well.

Raw Costela ponta de agulha — Beef Plate cut

Names by country

CountryNameNotes
🇵🇹PortugalCostela ponta de agulhaSame Portuguese-language term used in Brazilian-emigré churrascarias in Portugal; not a traditional pt-PT butcher term per se.
🇧🇷BrazilCostela ponta de agulhaprimaryThe fattier, front-of-chest section of the Brazilian costela, threaded through with cartilage. In southern Brazil also called *minga*.

Similar cuts

Plate ribsclose

Both are whole-along-bone slow-cooked beef ribs from the chest/plate region. Plate ribs is the Texas-BBQ-tradition smoke-for-12-hours version; costela ponta de agulha is the Brazilian-churrasco vertical-fire-grill version with more cartilage. Different cooking traditions, very similar cut.

Costillarclose

Both whole bone-in beef rib cuts cooked over fire. Costillar is the Argentine-asado tradition, costela ponta de agulha is the Brazilian-churrasco vertical-fire-grill tradition. Same general anatomy with regional cooking differences.

Asado de tiraapproximate

Same general anatomical region (front of the chest plate / rib cage) but distinct cut: asado de tira is a thin (~½-inch) cross-cut Argentine strip, costela ponta de agulha is the whole long cut along the bone, slow-grilled for hours.

Brisketapproximate

Anatomically adjacent — costela ponta de agulha is just behind the brisket on the same chest section. Both rely on long slow heat to render their fat and connective tissue.

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