Spaniards love their meat, and according to the latest data available from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, they eat almost 50 kilos of it per person per year, one of the highest amounts in the EU.
So, if you find yourself in Spain and are hankering after a steak, then you’re in luck as you’ll find many restaurants all over the country serving it up in all different ways.
Some of the very best beef in Spain, however, can be found in the regions of Galicia, Castilla y León and Aragón, which coincidentally also consume the most meat.
Here’s how to order your steak in Spanish, from the type of cut that you want to the exactly the way you want it cooked, whether you’re a medium rare or well-done type of person.
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How you want your meat cooked:
Rare – Poco hecho/a or sangrante
Medium rare – Pocho hecho, pero más
Medium – Hecho/a or en su punto or al punto
Medium well done – Un poco más que hecho/a or a tres cuartos
Well done – Muy hecho/a or bien hecho/a
Example: A mí me gusta la carne poco hecha (I like my meat rare).
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Ways of cooking:
On the grill – A la parilla or a la brasa
Smoked – Ahumado/a
Roasted – Asado/a
Barbacued – estilo barbacoa
Example: Quiero mi entrecot a la parrilla (I want my steak grilled).
Cuts of beef:
Tenderloin – Solomillo
T-bone – Chuletón
Ribs – Costillar
Flank or skirt steak – Falda
Thin skirt steak – Entraña
Thick flank – Babilla
Rib eye – Entrecot or fillete de costilla
Prime rib – Lomo alto
Sirloin – Lomo bajo
Rump – Cadera
Round steak – Redondo
Brisket – Pecho
Cheek – Carrillada
Oxtail – Rabo
Shank – Morcillo
Chuck Tender – Pez
Chuck – Aguja
Examples:
Yo quiero el chuletón (I want the t-bone steak).
Ella quiere el solomillo (She wants the tenderloin steak).
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