Brazilian Meat Cuts in the UK: Picanha, Costela, Cupim and Every Cut Explained

Q: What is picanha called in the UK?

Picanha is the rump cap (also called top sirloin cap). Most UK butchers leave it inside the rump, which is why it is hard to find.

Q: What is costela and how do I cook it?

Costela is beef ribs. Cook it low and slow: about 4 to 6 hours on a low barbecue or in the oven wrapped in foil, or around 1 hour in a pressure cooker, until the meat comes off the bone.

Q: What is cupim?

Cupim is the hump of zebu cattle, a marbled, fatty cut that becomes very tender with long, slow cooking.

Q: What are maminha and fraldinha in English?

Maminha is the rump tail (tri-tip) and fraldinha is the bavette (flank). Both are great on the grill, sliced against the grain.

Q: Can I ask for my meat to be cut a certain way?

Yes. Message us on WhatsApp with your order and tell us how you want it cut.

UK butchers cut beef differently from Brazilian açougues, so the cut you want is often hidden inside a bigger joint or simply not sold. At My Brazil we cut the Brazilian way, and we can cut it how you like. Here is every cut we sell, with its UK name and the best way to cook it. Beef for the churrasco and the grill Picanha (rump cap): the star of the churrasco. Keep the fat cap, cut thick steaks, season with coarse salt only. See our picanha recipe. Maminha (rump tail / tri-tip): tender and juicy, great whole on the grill or in the oven, sliced against the grain. Alcatra com picanha (D rump): the whole rump with the picanha still on, for big families and parties. Fraldinha (bavette) and fraldão (bavette with its fat): thin and full of flavour. Grill fast and slice against the grain. Contrafilé (striploin / sirloin): steaks with a strip of fat, for the grill or the frying pan. Bife ancho (ribeye): marbled and very tender, the steak for steak lovers. Filé mignon (tenderloin / fillet): the most tender cut, for medallions, strogonoff or a special dinner. Bananinha (rib fingers): the meat between the ribs, juicy and quick on the grill. Beef for slow cooking, the oven and the pressure cooker Costela com osso (bone-in beef ribs): the classic costela for slow roasting, the barbecue or the pressure cooker. Base of vaca atolada. Costela sem osso (boneless beef ribs) and short ribs: all the flavour of costela, easier to portion and serve. Cupim (beef hump): fatty and marbled, it needs hours of low heat, wrapped in foil, until it falls apart. Acém (chuck roll): for stews, carne de panela, ground beef and shredded beef. Paleta (shoulder): lean and full of flavour, for carne de panela and roasts. Ponta de peito (brisket): perfect for long, slow cooking or the smoker. Músculo (shin) and ossobuco (bone-in shin): for soups, broths and cozidos. The marrow in the ossobuco is a treat. Rabo de boi (oxtail): for rabada, slow cooked until it comes off the bone. Patinho (knuckle) and coxão mole (topside): lean cuts for bifes, milanesa, carne moída and roast beef. Offal and cuts for traditional dishes Fígado (beef liver), in steaks, for bife de fígado acebolado. Bucho (tripe) for dobradinha, and mocotó (ox foot) for caldo de mocotó. Carne seca (salted dried beef) and the ready feijoada meat kit. See our feijoada guide. Pork Barriga de porco (pork belly), plain or seasoned, for torresmo, the oven or the grill. Costelinha (pork spare ribs), fresh or smoked. Pé, orelha and rabo de porco (trotters, ears and tail) for the full feijoada. Torresmo (pork scratchings), ready to eat. Chicken and lamb Coração de frango (chicken hearts), on skewers: a must at every churrasco. Coxinha da asa (drumettes) and tulipa (wing flats), already seasoned. Moela (gizzards), pé de frango (chicken feet) and peito de frango (breast). Picanha de cordeiro (lamb rump cap), a different picanha for the grill. Linguiça and sausages Toscana, calabresa, with cheese, with garlic, chicken, and costela with bacon: a churrasco is not complete without it. Ordering meat online Meat goes in insulated boxes with ice packs. Order before 11am Monday to Thursday for same-day dispatch. Variable-weight cuts are priced per kg, and you can ask on WhatsApp for your cut your way: thicker steaks, whole pieces or ready for the skewer. Not sure which cut to choose? Filter the butcher by how you will cook it: BBQ & grill, slow cooking or oven. Or browse the whole butcher and start with our BBQ kit.