CarneAtlas

Picanha

Beef · Sirloin
GrillSmoke
Raw Picanha — Beef Sirloin cut
Also called
🇺🇸🇬🇧Rump cap🇲🇽🇦🇷Picaña🇫🇷Cœur de rumsteck🇪🇸Tapa de cuadril🇮🇹Codone (picanha)🇩🇪Tafelspitz

Picanha is a triangular cut from the top of the rump, kept with its thick fat cap intact. It is the most celebrated cut in Brazilian churrasco culture and is growing in popularity worldwide. The fat cap bastes the meat as it cooks, producing extraordinary flavor. It is typically skewered in a C-shape and slow-roasted over charcoal, then sliced tableside.

Names by country

CountryNameNotes
🇺🇸United StatesRump capRelatively obscure in the US but growing in popularity
🇬🇧United KingdomRump cap
🇲🇽MexicoPicaña
🇦🇷ArgentinaPicañaGrowing in popularity in Argentine asados influenced by Brazilian churrasco
🇫🇷FranceCœur de rumsteck
🇪🇸SpainTapa de cuadril
🇵🇹PortugalPicanha
🇧🇷BrazilPicanhaprimaryThe undisputed star of Brazilian churrasco, always cooked with the fat cap on
🇮🇹ItalyCodone (picanha)The rump cap; the Brazilian loanword 'picanha' is now common in churrascherie-style restaurants.
🇩🇪GermanyPicanhaBrazilian loanword now standard in German BBQ and steakhouse contexts for the grilled/skewered preparation, distinct from the Viennese boiled 'Tafelspitz' tradition.

Similar cuts

Tri-tip
Tri-tipapproximate

Both are triangular cuts from the sirloin area, but picanha comes from the rump cap and is always cooked with its fat cap, while tri-tip is from the bottom sirloin and typically trimmed.

Sirloin
Sirloinapproximate

Picanha sits above the sirloin and shares similar flavor profile, but is kept with its fat cap and treated as a distinct roasting cut in Brazilian tradition.

Picanha suínaapproximate

Same conceptual cut on a different animal — both are the rump cap with fat cap preserved, both are grilled with the fat-side-down rendering technique. Picanha suína is the pork-side adaptation of the iconic beef cut.

TenderloinRoundBottom SirloinRibPlateChuckShort LoinBrisketFlankSirloinShankShank

Classic recipe

Picanha na Brasa (Brazilian Rump Cap)30 min

Picanha is the great Brazilian steakhouse cut — rump cap with a thick fat cap, skewered and roasted over charcoal, slice…

View full recipe →

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More Sirloin cuts

Sirloin

Tafelspitz

Aiguillette baronne

All Sirloin cuts →

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