The Brazilian Steakhouse Cut With A Buttery Texture You'll Dream About

Even for the most devoted steak lovers, Brazilian steakhouses can present enticing cuts that you've never heard of before. The most famous Brazilian steak cut is probably picanha, that u-shaped hunk of beef with a large fat cap, but that's just the beginning of your meat adventure if you're willing to try names you don't recognize. There is the unique fraldinha from the bottom of the sirloin, and bone-in beef ancho, but one steak you absolutely need to try at a Brazilian steakhouse the next time you visit is alcatra.

Coming out on the skewer, an alcatra is a truly impressive sight. It is a large section of the top sirloin, which comes from a relatively underworked area of the cow's back in front of the rump. The same area is usually broken down into smaller sirloin steaks in the U.S., but a full Brazilian alcatra can be several feet long. While the sirloin can be quite lean, this cut comes from an area right by the tenderloin, making it very tender and buttery itself. The combination leanness and tenderness also makes the steak and other cuts perfect for high heat cooking, exactly like the live fire grilling traditional to Brazilian churrasco cooking. And while the lack of fat means it isn't very rich, this area of the cow is known for having a hearty, beefy flavor, and the Brazilian cut leaves on some of the fat cap to help flavor the meat as it cooks.

The size of the alcatra isn't just impressive to look at, it actually makes a difference in how its cooked and served. Because the sirloin is a relatively lean area, it shouldn't be cooked past medium or it will get tough. So at a Brazilian steakhouse alcatra is cooked to medium rare. When served it gets sliced against the grain into thin steaks. The combination of the medium rare cook, how its sliced, and the natural tenderness of cut, all work in combination to give alcatra its wonderful signature texture. And because this is also a flavorful cut, it should only be seasoned with a bit of coarse, flaky sea salt.

Alcatra is delicious enough to recommend on its own merits, but top sirloin also has the advantage of being an economical cut of beef. It's a great balance of value and quality, and the way it's cooked at Brazilian steakhouses maximizes its appeal. If you're someone who loves filet mignon, but doesn't love the price, alcatra gives you a very similar experience with some delicious Brazilian twists. And if you prefer leaner cuts of beef to more fatty ones like ribeye, alcatra is just about the most flavorful version of that you're going to find. It can be easy to get overwhelmed by all your choices at a Brazilian steakhouse, but alcatra is one you should always save some room for.