Top Sirloin Cap (Picanha) 500g

Top Sirloin Cap (Picanha)

Picanha is a cut called a sirloin cap or cap of sirloin in the United States or the rump cap in the United Kingdom. In Brazil, the most prized cut of meat tends to be the picanha. There, the fat is retained until the steak has been cooked.

When you break down a top sirloin, it is mainly comprised of the main sirloin and the cap. The cap is also known a culotte steak or a churrasca steak. It is significantly more tender than the top sirloin and more flavorful.

Cap steak is a sirloin cut taken from the triangular muscle sitting right over the top sirloin cut near the back of the cow. It is a juicy, tender cut that doesn’t need much flavor added but does absorb flavors of marinades and dry rubs well before grilling or broiling.

Top Sirloin Cap Steak. … This cut is an exceptional value and can be cut into narrow steaks or cooked whole. Though tender, it is lean and flavorful, there are a variety of ways in how to cook sirloin. The cap works well cut into large cubes for kabobs, stews, cut into strips for stir-fry, and a steak sandwich recipe.

How to Cook Picanha

Sear the sirloin cap steak on each side for 2 minutes on high heat, then move the steak to medium heat, continue cooking following the chart per minute on each side on medium heat until the desired temperature is reached. For example, a 1-inch steak grilled to medium rare would be 4-5 minutes on each side after the initial searing on high heat.

A sirloin cap steak ½-¾ of an inch should not be seared on high heat, searing a thin steak will brown the exterior but quickly dry out through the center.