picanha
{{Short description|Cut of beef from the top rump}}
{{italic title}}
File:Picanha3.jpgPicanha 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.{{cite web |last1=Woerner |first1=Dale R. |title=Meat Quality Workshop: Know Your Meat |url=https://www.meatinstitute.org/index.php?ht=a/GetDocumentAction/i/132553 |publisher=North American Meat Institute |accessdate=21 May 2019 |date=6 February 2017}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Picanha – The Tender Tasty Brazilian Queen of Beef|url=https://www.erienewsnow.com/story/43341884/picanha-the-tender-tasty-brazilian-queen-of-beef |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=erienewsnow.com|language=en}}
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.{{Cite web|url=https://steakschool.com/learn/what-cut-of-beef-is-picanha/|title=Picanha: How To Cook Rump Cap|date=August 25, 2020|access-date=January 19, 2022|archive-date=January 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119050536/https://steakschool.com/learn/what-cut-of-beef-is-picanha/|url-status=live}} The fat is retained until the steak has been cooked.
In Portugal
Although already known in Portugal as a part of alcatra,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]{{Cite web |title=Alcatra dá origem a picanha, baby beef e mais cortes para grelha e panela |url=https://www.uol.com.br/nossa/noticias/redacao/2021/05/04/picanha-maminha-baby-beef-saem-da-mesma-peca-a-alcatra.htm |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=www.uol.com.br |language=pt-br |archive-date=2024-01-01 |archive-url=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 |url-status=live }} 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.{{Cite web |title=Cortes |url=http://bifelovers.pt/bovino/versatilidade/cortes/ |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=Bife Lovers - Animais, raças, cortes, bifes, Carne britânica de qualidade |language=pt-PT |archive-date=2024-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101214345/http://bifelovers.pt/bovino/versatilidade/cortes/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=PICANHA CONQUISTA PORTUGUESES |url=https://www.cmjornal.pt/economia/detalhe/picanha-conquista-portugueses |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=www.cmjornal.pt |language=pt-PT |archive-date=2024-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101214343/https://www.cmjornal.pt/economia/detalhe/picanha-conquista-portugueses |url-status=live }} Picanha is served in restaurants{{Cite web |date=2018-01-23 |title=Restaurantes em Lisboa: melhores sítios para comer picanha em Lisboa |url=https://www.timeout.pt/lisboa/pt/restaurantes/melhores-sitios-para-comer-picanha-em-lisboa |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=Time Out Lisboa |language=pt-PT |archive-date=2024-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101214343/https://www.timeout.pt/lisboa/pt/restaurantes/melhores-sitios-para-comer-picanha-em-lisboa |url-status=live }} and is widely available in supermarkets and butchers, both fresh and packaged under vacuum.{{Cite web |last=Winstanley |first=Chris |date=15 August 2013 |title=Picanha The taste of Brazil |url=https://www.portugalresident.com/picanha-the-taste-of-brazil/ |access-date=1 January 2024 |website=Portugal Resident |archive-date=1 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101214343/https://www.portugalresident.com/picanha-the-taste-of-brazil/ |url-status=live }} Most of it is usually produced within the European Union (Republic of Ireland and Poland){{Cite web |date=2017-03-19 |title=Produtores europeus pedem suspensão de carne brasileira |url=https://exame.com/economia/produtores-europeus-pedem-suspensao-de-carne-brasileira/ |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=Exame |language=pt-br |archive-date=2024-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101215845/https://exame.com/economia/produtores-europeus-pedem-suspensao-de-carne-brasileira/ |url-status=live }} and also imported from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay in South America.{{Cite web |last=Gomes |first=Adelino |date=2004-07-25 |title=Importações portuguesas de "boi gordo" disparam com picanha em destaque |url=https://www.publico.pt/2004/07/25/economia/noticia/importacoes-portuguesas-de-boi-gordo-disparam-com-picanha-em-destaque-1199804 |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=PÚBLICO |language=pt |archive-date=2024-01-01 |archive-url=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 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Importações portuguesas de "picanha" duplicam em três anos |url=https://tvi.iol.pt/noticias/geral/26-07-2004/importacoes-portuguesas-de-picanha-duplicam-em-tres-anos |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=TVI Notícias |language=pt |archive-date=2024-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101214343/https://tvi.iol.pt/noticias/geral/26-07-2004/importacoes-portuguesas-de-picanha-duplicam-em-tres-anos |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Portugueses já estão a boicotar a picanha brasileira |url=https://expresso.pt/sociedade/2019-08-31-Portugueses-ja-estao-a--boicotar-a-picanha-brasileira |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=Jornal Expresso |date=31 August 2019 |language=pt-PT |archive-date=2024-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101214343/https://expresso.pt/sociedade/2019-08-31-Portugueses-ja-estao-a--boicotar-a-picanha-brasileira |url-status=live }}
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.[http://streetsmartbrazil.com/blog/20101103/picanha-brazilian-brand-meat "Picanha – The Brazilian Brand of Meat"] Street Smart Brazil. November 3, 2010. (Retrieved 2018-05-17.) Unlike in Brazil, the traditionally-retained fat tends to be removed before preparation, unless requested otherwise by the customer.[http://streetsmartbrazil.com/blog/20101103/picanha-brazilian-brand-meat "Picanha – The Brazilian Brand of Meat"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313042320/http://streetsmartbrazil.com/blog/20101103/picanha-brazilian-brand-meat |date=2013-03-13 }} Street Smart Brazil. November 3, 2010. (Retrieved 2018-05-17.)
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.{{Cite web|url=https://dicionario.priberam.org/picanha|title=Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa|first=Priberam Informática|last=S.A|website=Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa|access-date=2018-10-17|archive-date=2018-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017203102/https://dicionario.priberam.org/picanha|url-status=live}}
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.{{Cite web |last=Sanches |first=Mariana |date=2016-12-27 |title=12 receitas de picanha que vão agradar todos os amantes de carne |url=https://www.receiteria.com.br/receitas-de-picanha/ |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=Receiteria |language=pt-br |archive-date=2024-01-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240104180423/https://www.receiteria.com.br/receitas-de-picanha/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last= |title=6 receitas com picanha que vão além do churrasco |url=https://www.terra.com.br/vida-e-estilo/degusta/6-receitas-com-picanha-que-vao-alem-do-churrasco,4b9ed2763b836476dae5afd95a0f09309hcfkt9t.html |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=Terra |language=pt-BR |archive-date=2024-01-03 |archive-url=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 |url-status=live }}
See also
- Churrasco
- Tafelspitz, an Austrian and Bavarian preparation of the same cut by boiling or simmering
- List of Brazilian dishes
References
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