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Where to buy Picanha
A lot of people may not know where to actually buy a Picanha. Just so you know, you can buy one at any meat market that sells top sirloin caps. That is the official name for Picanha and is usually what will signal to the butchers exactly the type of cut of meat that you want.
When walking up to any meat counter or meat market in a grocery store or wherever, just make sure to know exactly what you are getting into and what type of Picanha that you want. You can go to any grocery store and simply request a top sirloin cap.
A lot of the times, most of the meat market butchers don’t really know what a Picanha is, but will know what a top sirloin cap is. Once you place your order, sit back and relax while they cut it for you and always make sure to get an extra large fat cap on the meat for optimal tenderness and juiciness in flavor. Trust me on this one!
Can you buy Picanha in the US?
Since Picanha is traditionally a Brazilian style cut of beef, a lot of people may not realize that you can actually buy one in the United States. You can absolutely buy one in the US, and not only that, you can get them in all different types of grades ranging from select, choice, prime, and wagyu.
For many of the grades of Picanha, you can expect slight marbling throughout the actual meat itself, with adequate fat caps. For wagyu and prime cuts of Picanha specifically, there happens to be a lot more marbling present throughout the meat. It should basically just look like a lot of white lines between the red fibers as you look into the raw packaging. One of the really neat things though about Picanha, is that you don’t really need to worry about marbling to begin with, since you have such a large fat cap on top that pretty much negates any dryness or leanness of the meat. It’s really the perfect balance in my opinion
What is Picanha called in America?
In America, you can call a Picanha a Picanha, or you can call it the official name which is a top sirloin cap. Either name will do, and if you are in search of one, just have both of those names in the back of your pocket in case the meat market butchers have no idea what a Picanha actually is. Most of the time, they will certainly know what a top sirloin cap is however.
What cut of steak is Picanha?
It can be pretty interesting to understand what cut of steak a Picanha. For simplicity sake, a Picanha is simply the top sirloin cap part of the cattle. Put this into perspective, think of a regular top sirloin steak, and think of it as a large roast version of that with a very big fat cap on top. That is what kind of steak a Picanha is
Is Top Sirloin the same as Picanha?
Since the top sirloin is technically a piece of steak, but also part of the Picanha, it may get kind of confusing as to whether or not they are the same or if they are different. A top sirloin is a small part of the overall Picanha roast. A Picanha is basically just a large roast with a large fat cap on top.
A top sirloin in the traditional sense is usually just a small slice of an overall Picanha roast. That’s why when you go into the store and look at all of the amazing top sirloin steaks, you’ll often see a large layer of fat encompassing each individual steak cut.
How to order Picanha at the butcher
Picanha can be a very niche cut of meat to begin with, and not many butchers will outright know exactly what you’re looking for if you were to come at them asking for one. That’s why it becomes pretty important to come prepared and know exactly all the different names of a Picanha to ensure that your particular butcher will finally understand what you’re talking about.
Whenever you go to a butcher, come prepared with two terms. The first one is a Picanha and the second one is top sirloin cap. Those are the two most notable phrases that a butcher will understand and know exactly how to prepare the meat for you.
Also, whenever you finally get their attention and help them understand what kind it is if they don’t know, make sure to specifically request that you get a large fat cap on the Picanha roast, otherwise it will come out potentially with no fat on it whatsoever, and that is definitely not what you want. You want very large fat caps that sort of droop over the ends of the meat. That is what makes a Picanha so great to begin
Does Costco sell top sirloin cap?
Many people shop at Costco and can buy all sorts of meats including a Picanha. In order to obtain one, all you have to do is go to the meat market area and look in the bins and check for the small circular roast type packaging that has the words top sirloin cap. You should not only see the word stop sirloin cap, but also the glorious fat cap on the meat itself. That is how you know you have a Picanha on your hands.
Usually, Picanha are sold throughout the warmer months since that is when a lot of people happen to be outside grilling and smoking them, but every now and then depending on your location and the demand for them, you will always be able to find a top sirloin cap year-round. I actually went ahead and ask the butcher the other day when they can expect to see a bikini is because the Costco that I frequent did not have them.
He basically said the same thing and that if you don’t see them in the store, it’s most likely out of season but if you happen to want one ahead of time just go ahead and give them a call and they can prepare one for you. Costco is an amazing place!
Picanha price per lb
Hello the times you can find a Picanha at Costco or any other type of grocery store. Most of them have various rates in terms of price per pound, but the most common of which is about $6.99 per pound for a choice grade Picanha roast. This makes for an excellent bargain as you obtain a fine piece of meat with excellent fat on top for a rather cheap rate.
Final Thoughts
Picanha is an amazing me that comes in all sorts of sizes and different fat caps. You can buy them in just about every grocery store with a meat market, and can certainly buy them at independent markets with butchers at hand. All you need to do when ordering one, is to request either Neighbor Kanye or a top sirloin cap. These are the two main names that butchers will know and can get you great pieces of meat with amazing fat caps on top.
Robert is a certified Pitmaster, with over a decade of experience in smoking the best meats you’ll ever feast upon. He also has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. When he’s not researching technical topics, he’s most likely barbecuing in his backyard.