Picanha Explained

Picanha is a cut of beef first made popular in Brazil, and later adopted in Portugal. It consists of the final part of the biceps femoris muscle, at the bottom of the animal, and its fat cap.[1] In recent years the cut has become popular in most of the Americas and has gained a reputation as a tasty meat in the barbecue culture.[2]

In Brazil

The cut was created in Bixiga neighborhood, São Paulo, in the 1950s, but not for barbecue. The first restaurant to roast picanha in a barbecue was the restaurant Dinho's in 1973. In Brazil, the most prized cut of meat tends to be the picanha. There the traditional preparation is to skewer the meat and cook it over a charcoal grill, with a minimal seasoning consisting of coarse sea salt.[3] The fat is retained until the steak has been cooked.

In Portugal

Although already known in Portugal as a part of alcatra,[4] [5] the cut and its association with barbecue in Portugal was popularized by Brazilian immigrants and Brazilian restaurants starting in the end of the 20th century, taking advantage of the United Kingdom BSE outbreak of the 1990s.[6] [7] Picanha is served in restaurants[8] and is widely available in supermarkets and butchers, both fresh and packaged under vacuum.[9] Most of it is usually produced within the European Union (Republic of Ireland and Poland)[10] and also imported from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay in South America.[11] [12] [13]

In the United States

In the United States until recently the cut was little known and often named top sirloin cap, rump cover, rump cap, or culotte (French). American butchers generally divide this cut into other cuts like the rump, the round, and the loin.[14] Unlike in Brazil, the traditionally-retained fat tends to be removed before preparation, unless requested otherwise by the customer.[15]

Etymology

The term picanha is of unknown origin. It could be derived from the word picana, which was a pole used by ranchers in the southern parts of Portugal and Spain, particularly in Alentejo, for herding cattle.[16]

Cooking methods

Picanha can be prepared on the grill, in the oven, on the hob, in a frying pan, or sous vide with a variety of spices and accompaniments.[17] [18]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Woerner . Dale R. . Meat Quality Workshop: Know Your Meat . North American Meat Institute . 21 May 2019 . 6 February 2017.
  2. Web site: Picanha – The Tender Tasty Brazilian Queen of Beef. 2024-07-30 . erienewsnow.com. en.
  3. Web site: Picanha: How To Cook Rump Cap. August 25, 2020. January 19, 2022. January 19, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220119050536/https://steakschool.com/learn/what-cut-of-beef-is-picanha/. live.
  4. Porto Editora – alcatra no Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa [em linha]. Porto: Porto Editora. [consult. 2024-01-01 21:42:14]. Disponível em https://www.infopedia.pt/dicionarios/lingua-portuguesa/alcatra
  5. Web site: Alcatra dá origem a picanha, baby beef e mais cortes para grelha e panela . 2024-01-01 . www.uol.com.br . pt-br . 2024-01-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240101214342/https://www.uol.com.br/nossa/noticias/redacao/2021/05/04/picanha-maminha-baby-beef-saem-da-mesma-peca-a-alcatra.htm . live .
  6. Web site: Cortes . 2024-01-01 . Bife Lovers - Animais, raças, cortes, bifes, Carne britânica de qualidade . pt-PT . 2024-01-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240101214345/http://bifelovers.pt/bovino/versatilidade/cortes/ . live .
  7. Web site: PICANHA CONQUISTA PORTUGUESES . 2024-01-01 . www.cmjornal.pt . pt-PT . 2024-01-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240101214343/https://www.cmjornal.pt/economia/detalhe/picanha-conquista-portugueses . live .
  8. Web site: 2018-01-23 . Restaurantes em Lisboa: melhores sítios para comer picanha em Lisboa . 2024-01-01 . Time Out Lisboa . pt-PT . 2024-01-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240101214343/https://www.timeout.pt/lisboa/pt/restaurantes/melhores-sitios-para-comer-picanha-em-lisboa . live .
  9. Web site: Winstanley . Chris . 15 August 2013 . Picanha The taste of Brazil . 1 January 2024 . Portugal Resident . 1 January 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240101214343/https://www.portugalresident.com/picanha-the-taste-of-brazil/ . live .
  10. Web site: 2017-03-19 . Produtores europeus pedem suspensão de carne brasileira . 2024-01-01 . Exame . pt-br . 2024-01-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240101215845/https://exame.com/economia/produtores-europeus-pedem-suspensao-de-carne-brasileira/ . live .
  11. Web site: Gomes . Adelino . 2004-07-25 . Importações portuguesas de "boi gordo" disparam com picanha em destaque . 2024-01-01 . PÚBLICO . pt . 2024-01-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240101214342/https://www.publico.pt/2004/07/25/economia/noticia/importacoes-portuguesas-de-boi-gordo-disparam-com-picanha-em-destaque-1199804 . live .
  12. Web site: Importações portuguesas de "picanha" duplicam em três anos . 2024-01-01 . TVI Notícias . pt . 2024-01-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240101214343/https://tvi.iol.pt/noticias/geral/26-07-2004/importacoes-portuguesas-de-picanha-duplicam-em-tres-anos . live .
  13. Web site: Portugueses já estão a boicotar a picanha brasileira . 2024-01-01 . Jornal Expresso . pt-PT . 2024-01-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240101214343/https://expresso.pt/sociedade/2019-08-31-Portugueses-ja-estao-a--boicotar-a-picanha-brasileira . live .
  14. http://streetsmartbrazil.com/blog/20101103/picanha-brazilian-brand-meat "Picanha – The Brazilian Brand of Meat"
  15. http://streetsmartbrazil.com/blog/20101103/picanha-brazilian-brand-meat "Picanha – The Brazilian Brand of Meat"
  16. Web site: Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa. Priberam Informática. S.A. Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa. 2018-10-17. 2018-10-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20181017203102/https://dicionario.priberam.org/picanha. live.
  17. Web site: Sanches . Mariana . 2016-12-27 . 12 receitas de picanha que vão agradar todos os amantes de carne . 2024-01-03 . Receiteria . pt-br . 2024-01-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240104180423/https://www.receiteria.com.br/receitas-de-picanha/ . live .
  18. Web site: 6 receitas com picanha que vão além do churrasco . 2024-01-03 . Terra . pt-BR . 2024-01-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240103103531/https://www.terra.com.br/vida-e-estilo/degusta/6-receitas-com-picanha-que-vao-alem-do-churrasco,4b9ed2763b836476dae5afd95a0f09309hcfkt9t.html . live .

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