Please Explain Differences in Steak
 

I spend alot of time in Rio and I try to find anything that resembles a rib eye steak or prime rib in supermarkets.

In Brazil we have beef such as: contra filet, picanha, alcontra, fraginia etc.


I am not finding a nice marbled rib eye for broiling.

Thanks

Olho de Lombo, but I haven't seen it readily available. Alcatra is probably the nearest you'll get, but usually only available in a large piece. Talk nicely to your acougeiro.

alhcfp, you won't find rib eye on supermarkets or even most butcher shops in Rio.

The only (consumer) place you could find it, to my knowledge, is Talho Capixaba, in Leblon (Av Ataulfo de Paiva, 1022, near Rua General Artigas). They are a very good, traditional butcher shop, with the added benefit that some years ago, the son of the original owner opened a very, very good bakery section and now they are one of my favorite places to buy both breads and meats.

Alternatively, you can ask for a contra-filé marmorizado (marbled contra-filé) at some other butcher shop. It's not the same as a rib eye, but easier to find. I'm afraid that alcatra will be too dry to be broiled.

I appreciate the responses.

Can someone explain WHY a rib eye is not easily available in Brazil? Are the cows different?

cows are quite similar, the way they are cut is somewhat different.

Talho Capixaba is a great option, you might also find it at Antenor & Filhos (www.antenorefilhos.com.br), they have a great selection. You can order it online and they will deliver to your home.

Yes, cows in Brazil have picanha instead of the rib eyes.

Anyone enough of a butcher to explain how Brazilians cut the section differently and what the resulting cuts look like? Maybe with a link to a diagram like this?

http://www.lowlandfarm.com/beef/beefchart.pdf

Large article on the differences between Brazilian and US meats.

http://www.beefpoint.com.br/radares-...-brasil-59837/

In Portuguese but google translator should give you an idea.

Google Chrome does a good job with the translation. Now I'm trying to wade through the terminology.

Thanks.

joe

Alcatra com picanha (mostly alcatra with a small piece of picanha attached) is the same as a boneless New York sirloin cut (in a U.S. supermarket)

Different cuts for different countries.

My wife and I have property in Brasil, and when there, and regarding food it is: " When in Rome, do as the Romans do. "

1. For Churrasco, follow the lead: Middle of the day, or afternoon. All that meat at night if sluggish on the system, even if you dance all night. Dine with a crowd-more fun.

2. Go with the local cuts of meat, and local meat, including Cayman, and Capivara.

3. Marcos Bassi, Templeo de Carne in Sampa, is the best source on Brasilian meat quality, cuts, and preparation. Worth the visit, or pilgrimage for gourmand carnivores. Try his videos on YouTube.

I wholeheartedly agree with Swissaire here: Bassi is the best meat (beef) restaurant in Brazil. You won't have the huge amounts served at the churrascarias , but the quality of the beef served there is way, way better.

Caveats: it's in São Paulo, not Rio; it's expensive and, as I said, the portions are not huge. But definitely worth it.

Bassi published a DVD a while ago with lots of information about meat. Some parts of this DVD are avaiable at YouTube, as Swissaire said. The following segment shows him "working" the whole contra-filé, and carving the rib-eye (he calls it "olho de bife", in a free translation from argentinian :D beef-speak), at 6:15 in the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwHzpOy3rRM

I have Swiss relatives out in Garca, in the interior of SP State. So any trip from Europe to Sampa (GRU) usually requires a lay-over, and a then-justified dinner at the Temple of Meat, before continuing on.

Some tips from Marcos Bassi:

1. Choose the best quality cut of meat, with less, but not completely trimmed of fat. This is shown in one of his videos.
2. When slicing, use the knife to make one sharp cut down, rather than sawing strokes.
3. Prep the meat at room temperature before cooking, near the grill if possible.
4. Lightly salt the meat, primarily into the fat. The opposite is usually found at Churrascarias with a truckload of sale corso, (coarse rock salt), thrown onto the steaks. This we were told has been used to hide poorer cuts of meat in some restaurants.

On one of our visits years ago, Mr. Bassi joined us for a few minutes. He said that Brasilian beef is better than North American or European as the cattle is run, rather than standing around getting fattened. He stated that many Brasilians preferred Argentine beef, when Brasilian beef was as good, or better. He also mentioned that the best but most simple of sauce to accompany steak is made using garlic (alho), rosemary (alicrim ), and the cooking juices themselves.

I'd could to go on and mention other tips and techniques he stated, but strangely I find I'm getting hungry right now. I think steak and eggs will be on the menu coming up this morning.

Yes! Finally someone explains to me why they throw so much salt on to meat.
I also find that Brazilians tend to overcook meat, unless I request otherwise. Does "no ponto" translate to "medium rare"? Is it not so common in Brazil? Perhaps I've not been eating out at sufficiently high end places

No, "no ponto" means medium only. And it's very common and what I usually ask for when I'm down there. If anything, well done is much more uncommon in Brazil.