Picanha, Is This Normal?

[Huskee]

I MOVED THIS to its own topic here so I'm not hijacking the other one any further...

After trimming my first picanha today I was quite disappointed in its size. It was 3lbs 9oz out of the bag, fair for a roast with minimal trimming. But that fat cap was very thick. Brisket thick. Trimming it down to ~1/4" caused the final trimmed weight to be 2 lbs 3 oz. Not even 2.25lb. For my family, essentially 5 adult appetites, with 3 of them being teenage boys who lift weights, typically 3 lbs meat is needed.

Creekstone states each piece is 3-4lbs, and it was technically, but I didn't expect over 1.25 lbs of fat cap being part of that equation. Second pic down shows how thick the fat cap was on one side, literally 1 full inch thick. I expect this with a 16 lb brisket but not here.

Is this normal for those of you who do them often? Or did I get hosed on my particular cut? It truly reminded me of trimming a tiny brisket in every detail, a very, very expensive, tiny, brisket.





Trimmed:

[Mosca]

If you complain to Creekstone, they will make you whole. Their customer service is top notch.

[Huskee]

Thanks, yeah I've been on the receiving end of their excellent customer service before, wink wink. I just wanted to get a general consensus before I tried to ask about this particular roast. It seems kind of 50/50 that that's how they are, so maybe I'll just let it slide and it will be point of experience for me going forward.

[Hulagn1971]

That is a very, very thick fat cap. Over 33% waste after trimming is not good. I bought a Berkshire pork belly from WF a year ago to make pork belly burnt ends for the Super Bowl. The entire slab was mostly fat. People didn't even eat it. I've had better pork belly's from Food Lion (Swift or Smithfield brand). I've also had success with picanha from my local butcher. Both for the simple fact that I can inspect them and pick the best one's to my liking.

[Huskee]

Thanks, obviously that's what I thought too.

[yakima]

All of my picanha, sourced from Costco, has roughly a 1 inch thick fat cap. I cut steaks, string them on the rotisserie spit like horseshoes, barely trim at all.

[Huskee]

I appreciate it, that makes me feel a little better. It also makes me believe that I will never buy a picanha again, because for the price of a 16 lb brisket only getting 2 lb of meat to me is ridiculous. Granted, I bought it online, because my local butchers don't have it and just like my entry into tri tip several years ago, I had to try it for completion's sake, so certainly the price was inflated for that reason, but I did get it on sale.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

I feel like you maybe trimmed too much fat. Depends on how you're gonna cook it, but small bites with like 60/40 meat/fat ratio are perfectly fine to my taste buds for this cut.

[Huskee]

I suppose for steaks that would work Mighty fine, but my intent was to do this as a prime rib or tri tip style. Normally I trim the entire fat cap off of prime rib because I don't need it on a roast, but I was going to leave a little bit here sort of as a combo of brisket and prime rib but only cook medium rare if that makes sense.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

Huskee yeah for your intended cook I would do the same. I save all my good fat for tallow production so wouldn't be too upset at the "waste" but if I weren't doing that then it kinda feels like ya got ripped off.

[JCBBQ]

Yes it’s normal. Traditionally in Brazil they slice steaks about two fingers thick. Then skewer in a c shape w the fat cap on the outside and cook it in a rotisserie. The fat melts and bathes the meat as it cooks. Like this:

[bbqLuv]

That looks amazing
I want mine Medium Rare and seared.
If Brazil has PBR, I may visit there.

[JCBBQ]

bbqLuv no need to go that far. There’s a churrasco in Portland

https://maps.app.goo.gl/LpU4gdc5atRjFg4Q8?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

[bbqLuv]

Thank you JCBBQ
Going on my to-do List.

[Huskee]

I've also read that this works fine to do it brisket style, cooked to death up to 200ish. But we all know how a brisket shrinks, and that would be even less economical in this particular case.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

I wouldn't do it brisket style, TriTip works great though. Still prefer TT in steak form, but between the 2 cuts money and time wise it would make more sense to use TT. I have yet to buy a picanha that doesn't have a thinner end which I assume would get decimated brisket style.

[jfmorris]

I've been wanting to try picanha, but being 1/3 weight in fat makes me pause. My wife and I will eat a steak like that, but most folks won't.

[barelfly]

The picanha I’ve had, I think the fat cap has been similar to what you show pre-trim. I’ve sourced them from a few places, mainly Crowd Cow when I ordered through them years ago and Porter Road. I trim a little of that cap off, not much. I’ve cooked them both ways, steak and roast. I prefer the steak for more surface area but I understand your weather situation doesn’t allow for that. But hope you enjoy it!!

[bbqLuv]

Pix from a quick internet search.

[JimLinebarger]

I've cut mine from the top sirloin primal from Chef Store. Even the choice had a cap about that big. Learned how to cut it from Guga on Sous Vide Everything Secret Revealed- How to BUTCHER PICANHA Everything you need to know on Youtube..

[bbqLuv]

Ditto YouTube

[Huskee]

Thanks. I tend to use video recipes as a last resort and instead ask Pit members first. I do like Guga though.

[Huskee]

I appreciate everyone chiming in here. You've all put my mind at ease, this is normal for this cut. While it is pricey, I didn't get taken as I initially wondered. I have bought pork butts and country rib strips before that were portioned and in the foam trays and shrink-wrapped, which upon opening at home were mostly fat cap on the bottom, out of sight, (once so pitifully bad I actually returned a chunk of pork butt) so my sensitivity was high.

I went back and reviewed our recent addition of Big Poppa's picanha recipe (below) and it specifies in there to leave 1" of fat cap. And doing a picanha as steaks (coulotte) seems to be what the intentional preparation for this cut is, as nearly all of you have of course pointed out, therefore the 1" fat cap is expected.

Still not sure how I'll do this one, but since I trimmed the cap down, yeah too much which I now see and as ItsAllGoneToTheDogs pointed out (I resorted to my 'brisket trimming mode' I guess) I may stick with my plan A of a whole roast, I may SV if I have time to for dinner tonight.

I've learned something here. Thank you all!

EDIT: Update - decided to go SVQ. It's hot-tubbing as we speak at 132.

https://amazingribs.com/how-to-grill-juicy-wagyu-picanha-steaks/

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

Still do it brisket style if you choose, but maybe use a foil boat method. Since you haven't used it before, I'd suggest cutting it in half to try 2 different methods. Maybe SV the thinner half and grill the thicker half?

[shify]

1 inch seems a bit much to leave but like others said, its good fat to eat.

If its grilled or roasted whole or in steaks, you would leave a bigger fat cap than a brisket and then each bite is like 80% steak, 20% fat.

Not sure how it renders sous vide but can't wait to get your thoughts

[Huskee]

Did the whole 2lb 3oz roast intact SV for 2:45 at 132, then chilled after in cool water, then fridge. Smoked indirect with B&B charcoal and oak chunks at ~250-275 until 120 and seared direct over the rippin' coals until 135 avg. That fat cap led to quite a flame show, 3' high, lit up my whole deck!

Pros: As tender as the most tender prime rib I've ever done, far and away more tender than the best tri tip I've done. Wow. My youngest went back for thirds!

Cons: Pricey for the cut it is (IMO). Fat cap, even though I trimmed to ~1/4" and cooked it SV, was still a touch crunchy. Not my preference. No one else minded though.

Also grilled a couple salmon fillets (surf & turf), accompanied by tiny asparagus, garlic-sauteed broccoli, and garlic butter mashed taters. And a bold Napa red blend.

I can no longer eat what I used to so only two slices was work for me. I could barely finish the plate you see below, and I only had 2 Pringles to eat all day.

[barelfly]

That looks pretty dang good to me! And as you say…tender as all get out!!!!!!!!!

[jtw]

Nice job despite all adversity. I'm here in Michigan too and for some of those "regional" cuts like tri-tip and picanha it's slim pickings, if anything at all. Even the butchers at the farmers markets have pretty crappy cuts despite it being quality beef. I've all but given up on tri-tip because it's expensive, poorly cut, and too much of a pain to find.

[Huskee]

Yepper, I get them online but they're not cheap. It's disappointing.

[johnec00]

Wild Fork has picanha (choice, prime, and even wagyu) at reasonable prices (I don't know about shipping cost, we have a brick and mortar nearby). They also have prime tri tip that we've had many times and its very good.