Cut · Hindquarter, inner thigh
Coxão mole
Coxão mole is the Brazilian cut from the inner face of the thigh, in the hindquarter (traseiro). Wikipédia classifies it as a premium cut (corte nobre) and gives its English name as topside, with the AUS-MEAT code HAM 2000. It is also called coxão de dentro or chã de dentro, and it is the “soft” counterpart of the coxão duro.
At a glance
- Primal
- Hindquarter (traseiro), inner face of the thigh
- What sets it apart
- The “soft” counterpart of the coxão duro, which sits on the outer face of the same thigh
- Texture
- Described as short-fibered, with less collagen than the coxão duro
- Best cooked
- Used for everyday steaks (bife) and milanesa
What coxão mole is
Coxão mole comes from the inner face of the thigh, in the hindquarter (traseiro). Its name (“soft”) sets it against the coxão duro (“hard”), which sits on the outer face of the same region.
Wikipédia classifies it as a premium cut (corte nobre). It is a cut of its own, distinct from the patinho, the lagarto and the coxão duro.
Other names
The same piece is listed as coxão de dentro, chã de dentro and pojadouro. In English, Wikipédia gives topside, the British term, and the AUS-MEAT (HAM) code 2000. Steakpedia’s London broil article lists coxão mole among the names of the piece sold as topside in Britain and Australia.
Coxão mole or coxão duro
Both sit in the thigh: coxão mole on the inner face, coxão duro on the outer. Coxão mole is usually described as having short fibers and less collagen. The coxão duro is described as having more collagen and longer, stiffer fibers, and it is the one that needs longer cooking. Wikipédia classifies the first as a premium cut and the second as a second-category cut (corte de segunda).
How it is used
Brazilian cooking articles present coxão mole as a cut for the everyday steak (bife) and for milanesa, the breaded cutlet. It is also compared with alcatra (rump) and with patinho for those uses.
This entry gives no times or temperatures: none of the sources behind it states them.
Easy to confuse
Coxão mole is often mixed up with the patinho, with alcatra and with the coxão duro. The lagarto (eye of round) is yet another separate cut, with its own entry.
Keep reading
- Cut · Round, a name for a methodLondon broil (top round)A method that became a label: top round marinated, broiled hot and sliced thin across the grain.
- Cut · Rump, a working muscleRumpThe muscle group over the hip: rump steak, top sirloin, cuadril, alcatra, and what each country cuts.
- Buying guide · BrazilBrazilian beef cutsPicanha, maminha, fraldinha, cupim and more: each Brazilian cut, its US name and the page to read next.
- Cut · Round, tenderized by machineCube steakA thin round steak cut by the blades of a cubing machine: a few minutes in the pan, or breaded and fried.
Names around the world
6
The same muscle, named by language and by trade system.
| English | Coxão mole · coxão de dentro · chã de dentro · pojadouro · topside |
| Português | Coxão mole · coxão de dentro · chã de dentro · pojadouro |
Every cut's name, country by country →
Trade and national systems
| System | Name | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | Coxão mole | Portaria 5/88 |
| Brazil (other names) | Coxão de dentro · chã de dentro · pojadouro | Wikipédia pt (secundária) |
| United Kingdom | Topside | Wikipédia pt (secundária) |
| Australia | Topside · HAM 2000 | Wikipédia pt (secundária) |
Frequently asked questions
What part of the cow is coxão mole?
The inner face of the thigh, in the hindquarter (traseiro). It is a different cut from the coxão duro, which sits on the outer face.
What are other names for coxão mole?
Coxão de dentro, chã de dentro and pojadouro. In English, Wikipédia lists topside (HAM 2000).
How do you cook coxão mole?
Brazilian cooking articles use it for everyday steaks (bife) and for milanesa. Unlike the coxão duro, it is not described as needing long cooking. Times and temperatures are not given here because no source behind this entry states them.
What is the difference between coxão mole and coxão duro?
Coxão mole is the inner face of the thigh, described as short-fibered with less collagen. Coxão duro is the outer face, with more collagen and stiffer fibers, and it needs longer cooking. Wikipédia classifies the first as a premium cut and the second as second-category.
Is coxão mole the same as chã de dentro?
Yes. Chã de dentro, like coxão de dentro, is another name for coxão mole.
Coxão mole or patinho: what is the difference?
They are two separate cuts of the hindquarter that are often confused. Coxão mole is the inner face of the thigh; patinho is in the lower part of the animal. Both are used for bife and milanesa, and the sources behind this entry name no winner.
What is coxão mole in English?
Topside, the British and Australian term, with the AUS-MEAT code HAM 2000, according to Wikipédia. The London broil article lists coxão mole among the names of the same piece.
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Sources
2
- Brasil, Ministério da Agricultura, SIPA. Portaria nº 5, de 8 de novembro de 1988 — Padronização de cortes de carne bovina.
- Wikipédia (in Portuguese). Coxão mole. Secondary source. pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cox%C3%A3o_mole