What is Picanha steak? (Rump Cap)

Whilst the term picanha is relatively unknown in the UK, it has been known here as the 'Rump Cap' or 'Sirloin Cap' of beef. It’s massively popular throughout South America and in particular popular in Brazil—and for good reason. As it is not an overused muscle, this cut is beautifully tender and juicy, producing an amazing flavour when cooked. It tends to be on the larger size, usually around 1.5kg in weight, and is triangular in shape with a thick layer of fat covering the top. One thing to be mindful off, it's better to have a picanha on the smaller side of 1.2-1.7kg as anything bigger tends to have the tougher outer thigh muscle and won't truly be a picanha. Since discovering this cut, our team at That Fat Cow has cooked this picanha in numerous ways and it has come out incredible every time especially our Chilean Wagyu Picanha using an Oakridge Carne Crosta rub!

Picanha is truly an impressive cut with a beautifully rich and beefy flavour profile, making it perfect for family feasts and social gatherings especially given the price. We recommend cooking this cut either whole in the oven to roast it or using the reverse sear method in the BBQ with the fat side up, or sliced and cooked using a rotisserie in true Brazilian churrascaria barbeque style - always medium rare. Another point to be mindful of is how to cut picanha in order for it to be near fall apart tender - always cut with the grain when slicing and against the grain for smaller bites! If you're just getting started with BBQ, then this is a cut not to be missed - check out our Dry Aged Picanha to get you started.