In Search of the Illusive Picanha (in the US)

[mstewart39]

Restaurant Depot now regularly carries sirloin rump cap

How worth it is Restaurant Depot? If I do the KCBS for $40 / year will it bay in being able to get meats? I'm in South-Central PA and I've considered going to that Harrisburg RD but I struggle with paying $40 for a complete unknown. If I know it will be helpful I'm all in! (I have a BJ's membership and a Sam's membership just for the meats.) I can rarely find tri-tip around here and I'd love to try to do Picanha! I just don't know anything about RD.

 

[sudsandswine]

To me, Restaurant Depot is to Sam's as Sam's is to a typical grocer. A lot of times their prices are cheaper (even if just slightly) than Sam's and they often stock different cuts or items, but at my RD least, there are no individual cuts of beef or pork....you buy the whole cut.

I originally bought a KCBS membership for RD access solely before I became a BBQ judge or competed and for me it was worth it as another option to find things. I also have Sam's and Costco memberships and spend entirely too much on meat, so YMMV.

 

[mchar69]

Unfortunately the large slaughter houses have driven out all the small local shops.

We have Mt. Airy Meat Locker (in Mt. Airy, MD) that kills and butchers steers and hogs. I think there are fewer around because of licensing and regulations.
You can order anything you want from these guys.
I bet there is at least one real deal 'butcher' around you.
So... are you a Flyers or a Pens fan????

 

[M1]

How worth it is Restaurant Depot? If I do the KCBS for $40 / year will it bay in being able to get meats? I'm in South-Central PA and I've considered going to that Harrisburg RD but I struggle with paying $40 for a complete unknown. If I know it will be helpful I'm all in! (I have a BJ's membership and a Sam's membership just for the meats.) I can rarely find tri-tip around here and I'd love to try to do Picanha! I just don't know anything about RD.

I source a lot of meat from RD. Price wise they are usually a little cheaper, but the quality is above wha tI can get elsewhere. They have had better Picanha available already cut in cryovacs than I can get at grocery stores or the Brazilian butcher shops I know. I'd say it's worth it.

 

[Smokey-T]

We have Mt. Airy Meat Locker (in Mt. Airy, MD) that kills and butchers steers and hogs. I think there are fewer around because of licensing and regulations.
You can order anything you want from these guys.
I bet there is at least one real deal 'butcher' around you.
So... are you a Flyers or a Pens fan????

Pens all the way. Heading out tomorrow for Game 2.

 

[DanB]

Seabra Foods

Any Brazilian market, I am lucky and be at one or three in ten minutes.

If you have a Seabra foods by you they will have it.
https://www.seabrafoods.com/
Dan

 

[Smokey-T]

I picked up my Sirloin cap today and it looks good. This is a Choice cut and was $9.49 per pound. It was 3.4lbs trimmed. There is still a bit of hard fat, but i will clean up a bit more.

Question - What is your favorite method of cooking? Straight up grilled, low and slow, or sous vide, then seared on grill? I will be cutting into steaks, with the grain, probably 1" thick each.

Thanks!

 

[gtr]

^^^I've done 'em 2 ways - one that I learned Phrom Phubar - like a roast, reverse seared. The searing is a little different as you're melting off a lot of Phat at the end - you're leaving some, of course, but there's a lot of fat there to start with.

Here's one Phu cooked at the Dutch Phorum Bash a Phew years back:

Phlame sear:

ready to go

couldn't ask Phor a better bite of beePh

Another way is to cut it up, put on a rotis, and hit with rock salt. From what I understand it's the traditional Brazilian way of doing it. Great info on this page.

One that I did a while back

If I'm cooking a lot, I'll do it the roast way, if it's just me and the fam, I'll do it on the rotissirie.

IMO it's great any way you can get it, and really great with chimichurri on a baguette.

 

[Huskres]

Leave the hard fat on. Cut into 1.5" or so wide strips then fold over on skewers with the hard fat to the outside. Then I usually reverse sear.

 

[Smokey-T]

I am going to try these Sous Vide then sear this time due to it being rainy and cold outside today. In the bath for 3 hours @ 135F, then out for a flash sear. I will post outcome.

Thanks!!

 

[BIG ALAN]

Picanha

So lucky to have TipTop Meats in Carlsbad. Picanha is always a staple in the meat case. I'll get a 3#er already cryovaced then wet age it for 30 days before cutting into steaks. I do a reverse sear on a modified Weber Kettle. Yum...