Forget Tri-tip!

[landarc]

You want Picanha. I learned something new today, I went to Phat Matt's and met my buddy Rob (Smokejumpers) there to talk about offal and black pepper. We had a new cut of meat that was being featured there, called Picanha. Apparently this is a cut most popular and well known in Argentina and Brazil. In fact, it is easily identifiable as the steak that is often pictured on the churrasco swords so closely linked to Argentinian BBQ.
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u105/landarc/picanha.jpg
This particular version was smoked over a low fire with a little hickory smoke as Matt does with all of his meats. It was incredible, lean, beefy, tender and flavorful. The closest cut I can relate it to in the U.S. is the Eye of Rib primal in terms of taste and appearance, yet more tender. This made a spectacular sandwich with a little horseradish. Just goes to show, you can learn a little something at any moment, even if you think you have had every part of the steer. A little research revealed nothing certain about this cut. According to some, it is the rump cover, but, Matt's sources said it is the top cut off of the lower sirloin. I am not sure, since I know what top block looks like and it does not look like this.

[1FUNVET]

That looks delicious, I don't care which part of the cow it is.

[gtr]

Looks great - I'll bet there's some really great stuff happening on the end to the right - kinda looks like the tail of a prime rib there...so many eats...so little time....

[landarc]

Near as I can tell, it is from the top sirloin and is a muscle that overlays the rump and sirloin. my research is coming up with all sorts of stupid assertions that it is tri-tip or baseball cut, or even coulotte. But, I know all of those cuts, the grain and shape is not like these. Oddly, the French Coulotte is quite close. I want to be able to buy these.

[OakPit]

Very interesting indeed! I'd like to learn more too.

[Groundhog66]

Near as I can tell, it is from the top sirloin and is a muscle that overlays the rump and sirloin. my research is coming up with all sorts of stupid assertions that it is tri-tip or baseball cut, or even coulotte. But, I know all of those cuts, the grain and shape is not like these. Oddly, the French Coulotte is quite close. I want to be able to buy these.

Very interesting indeed! I'd like to learn more too.


When the brain trust gets it figured out, pick me up a couple too...:wink:

[NeoTrout]

According to Wikipedia:
Rump cover or rump cap is a prime cut of top sirloin that is in some countries considered to be the best part of the steer or heifer (even better than filet mignon) due to its marked flavor. It is famous and well liked in South American countries, especially Brazil where it is known as "Picanha".
:cool:

[landarc]

I saw that, but, could not find it on the USDA cut list. I did find this...
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTLGJgC6ZIw21kuldePYnaAk8MY309vO tacZSxnvYX_1RGtZWK46w&t=1

[NeoTrout]

I saw that, but, could not find it on the USDA cut list. I did find this...
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTLGJgC6ZIw21kuldePYnaAk8MY309vO tacZSxnvYX_1RGtZWK46w&t=1

I have the meat-cuts guide at home, I'll look tonight. :cool:

[goro25]

According to my favorite Brazilian restaurant's menu, it is Top Sirloin.

http://www.tucanos.com/media/menus/tucanos_menu_utah2.pdf

[PatioDaddio]

http://copfaqs.com/meatfaqs-048-sirling-cap.htm

John

[landarc]

John, that does look like the cut.

IMPS/NAMP 184D must be what I would order then.

[landarc]

Goro, for some reason, I cannot get that to load. Stupid corrupted Firefox.

[El Ropo]

OK, I'm in! Tell us more!

[landarc]

What I have is that I have ordered a 4 pack from RD, which I will get tomorrow. I will be cooking at least one of them this week. My plan is to do them like a smoked tri-tip with a simple rub and over a 225F offset fire for 2 to 3 hours. No sear.

[Gore]

I had thought it was the cap that is normally sold with the top sirloin, the narrower part at the top with the fat covering. When you cook a sirloin, this part tends to remain redder and plumper and more tender than the rest. Is this correct?

[Wampus]

Wait.....what'd'ya mean it's a cut found in Brazil and Agentina and not in the US? I mean we have beef here and it's a cut of beef, so.....?

I suppose you mean that it's not typically offered here or that butchers don't isolate it?

Kind of like I can't find farkin TRI TIP here in Indiana (:mad2:) even though we DO raise plenty of cattle here?

[landarc]

Gore, you may be right, the meat was a darker red than most beef I have seen, almost a burgundy color when raw. I have not seen the cut alone, but, perhaps in some sirloins, it is there.

Yes Wampus, I know it is here, just not in the butcher case.

[Gore]

Gore, you may be right, the meat was a darker red than most beef I have seen, almost a burgundy color when raw. I have not seen the cut alone, but, perhaps in some sirloins, it is there.


I'm guessing that is the case as they certainly wouldn't chop it into stew meat here -- it's got to be attached to something. Sirloin is a weird cut having very different styles of meat on it. You'll know when you get yours and taste them.

[Phubar]

All I know is that Picanha is good!
Gotta a score me a piece!

[Black Dog BBQ]

Wait.....what'd'ya mean it's a cut found in Brazil and Agentina and not in the US? I mean we have beef here and it's a cut of beef, so.....?

I suppose you mean that it's not typically offered here or that butchers don't isolate it?

Kind of like I can't find farkin TRI TIP here in Indiana (:mad2:) even though we DO raise plenty of cattle here?

Their steers have a weird hump on their backs! lol that is where it comes from.

[DaveMW]

Kind of like I can't find farkin TRI TIP here in Indiana (:mad2:) even though we DO raise plenty of cattle here?[/QUOTE]

Wampus - I feel your frustration. I have been on a waiting list for 4 months to get a tri-tip. The butcher said they all get sent to the west coast so he can't get them even though he adds them to his order every week.

[DaveMW]

Kind of like I can't find farkin TRI TIP here in Indiana (:mad2:) even though we DO raise plenty of cattle here?

Wampus - I feel your frustration. I have been on a waiting list for 4 months to get a tri-tip. The butcher said they all get sent to the west coast so he can't get them even though he adds them to his order every week.

[Big D BBQ]

Wampus, I get imported Austrailian Tri-Tip from Trader Joe's.. Any of those near you? Only place I could find it here in Minnesota as well.

[prudog]

Thanks for the lessen in culture. You might just make me a hero with my Chilean in-laws that now reside in Puerto Rico. When we have churrasco in Puerto Rico with the locals, it is usually flank grilled hot and fast. The verbs BBQ and grill are generally the same to them, but I guess many US folks too. I wish we had "pincho" venders on the side of the road like they do in Puerto Rico for some quick and tasty meat-on-a-stick snacks.

This reminds me of the "flat iron" steak that was "developed by researchers" in Florida and is listed by Wikipedia as the second most tender steak after tenderloin.

Yep, just goes to show, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

[NeoTrout]

http://copfaqs.com/meatfaqs-048-sirling-cap.htm

John

Thanks John. So if I go the butcher and ask for Top Sirloin Cap, IMPS/NAMP 184D, I should be good to go. :cool:

[landarc]

Thanks John. So if I go the butcher and ask for Top Sirloin Cap, IMPS/NAMP 184D, I should be good to go. :cool:
Or they will stare at you and ask which bag to cut open. :becky: Maybe you can get some pork collars as well.

Brazilian Beef Hump Meat...yum!

[deepsouth]

Wait.....what'd'ya mean it's a cut found in Brazil and Agentina and not in the US? I mean we have beef here and it's a cut of beef, so.....?

I suppose you mean that it's not typically offered here or that butchers don't isolate it?

Kind of like I can't find farkin TRI TIP here in Indiana (:mad2:) even though we DO raise plenty of cattle here?


i kwow little to nothing about beef except how to cook it, but the butcher at winn dixe yesterday told me if they had uncut sirloin, they could can cut me a tri-tip. not sure if this helps or not.

[NeoTrout]

Or they will stare at you and ask which bag to cut open. :becky: Maybe you can get some pork collars as well.

Brazilian Beef Hump Meat...yum!

Yep. Plus, the store I go to, 99% of the guys in the meat department speak spanish. I have enough trouble getting the double pack of pork butts! :cool:

[Phubar]

Did a small research Onii-Chan...it's called "staart stuk" (tail end) in Dutch.
I know I've tasted it from a Dutch Brethren and that I can get it over here.
You know what I'm gonna cook up pretty soon!:wink:

It's nr. 20 in this pic...

http://www.rund-vlees.nl/images/runddelen.jpg

[sfbbqguy]

Great discussion. Although I've never fully confirmed it I have some Brazillian friends who told me Picanha was the Cap of Top Sirloin. According to them they season with coarse salt only.

The tri-tip confusion may enter the picture due to the non-availability of the Cap of Top Sirloin so Brazilians who want Picanha substitute Tri-Tip.
There is a Brazilian butcher at the Saweway near my house...I'll ask him and report back.

From what it looks like IMPS/NAMP 184D is exactly right.

[sfbbqguy]

Okay...

Tried to find Brazilian butcher at our local Safeway but he had moved on so I asked butcher for Cap of Top Sirloin and first pick is what he gave me. "Beef Loin Top Sirloin Steak". He commented when he gave it to me that this was all he had and he was actually saving it for himself until I asked for it.

I had my Brazilian friend inspect what I got and he said it look right to him.

Then on to the spit w/course sea salt.

Over hot coals direct until first layer was done.

Shaved off some thin slices and served with Brazilian style rice and beans.

Then back onto spit for round two...round three...

I'm a HUGE fan of Tri-Tip but let me tell you this was absolutely melt in your mouth and some of the best beef I've ever had.

I might try to get it closer to the fire next time but this method worked pretty good.

Give this a try you wont be disappointed.

[landarc]

Yeppers, that is it, and isn't it good? I need to get some pron up.

[PatioDaddio]

Wow! Nice work, bro.

John

[El Ropo]

I asked the local grocery store "meat packager" if he could order me a case of rump cap, and a case of shoulder clod... DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS! Then he wanted to charge me the full price of chuck roast ($4.49/lb) for an untouched cryovac of clod. Should be under $2.00/lb. since their brisket packers are $1.89/lb.

I am so effed. Maybe with time and education, we can teach these folks how to stock the good stuff at a fair price.

[Whitfield]

Hi, new to the forum but I've been cutting for a few years and the butcher I trained under has been a butcher for about 30 years. The way I was taught and have learned from many others is that different cultures and regions call cuts/parts different names. Picanha, Tri-Tip and
Top Sirloin Cap are pretty much the same thing. Picanha and Top Sirloin Cap are interchangable. Both seem to be about half of a full Tri-Tip. This has been a continuos souce of confusion and frustration (mostly dealing with translation). However, this is the most accurate interpretation I have been able to come up with. If someone knows this is incorrect, please, correct me as I aim to be the best butcher I can possibly be. Thanks, and I hope this helps.

[El Ropo]

Tri-tip comes off the very bottom of the sirloin, Rump cap comes off the... rump lol.

I don't think a top sirloin roast would be the same as a rump cap either.

I'm no butcher, but have been trying to get some rump cap since the topic has been discussed here recently.