Picanha

Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (gaucho churrasco tradition)

Picanha is Brazil's most prized cut of beef — the rump cap (biceps femoris capping muscle) with its thick layer of fat, seasoned only with coarse rock salt, skewered in a U-shape with the fat cap on the outside, and grilled over charcoal at a churrascaria. It is the centrepiece of Brazilian churrasco culture: the fat cap renders during grilling, continuously basting the lean meat beneath, while the coarse salt draws out surface moisture that then evaporates, creating a dry searing environment that produces the characteristic caramelised salt crust. The meat is sliced tableside directly from the skewer — thin slices carved from the exterior while the interior remains at a lower temperature, then returned to the fire to develop a new exterior.

Pão de alho (garlic bread) and farofa alongside are standard churrascaria accompaniments; chimichurri from Argentina is common in southern Brazilian states; caipirinha is the canonical beverage.