now a traditional cut of beef throughout the country, picanha is found sizzling at almost every barbeque - the popularity of picanha is a relatively new phenomenon, popularized during the 1960's, when hungarian butchers in são paulo started using it to make tafelspitz, which they would serve to immigrant workers looking for a taste of home. 

the picanha is a triangular cut, from the rump region of the cow, with a thick layer of fat covering one side completely - 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.