the big bold layer of fat is kept on the picanha during cooking, to avoid human error when grilling, and to fill the meat with flavor and juices.

a slab of picanha is no mean feat, as the cut usually weights somewhere between 1 kilo and 1.7 kilograms, making it a mouthful for any visitor to the city.

most cariocas use reforested, eucalyptus charcoal, lit with newspapers doused in sugar-cane alcohol, to cook the meat, which adds to its delicious flavor, and keeps it a formidable dish on the brazilian menu.