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Quick Guide to South American Steaks and Meat |
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Beef can be quite confusing, especially when you get used to ordering certain cuts and travel to the beef capital of the world, South America, and have no idea what you are ordering!
South America believes in 3 condiments to cook meat; fire wood, salt, and chimichurri. Chimichurri is a mix of herbs, garlic, and olive oil and more, great for dipping bread of spicing up your meat! Legend has it that a UK soldier named Jimmy McCurry came up with the sauce, which was later perverted to chimichurri as his name was hard to pronounce. Others claim that British prisoners mixed a bunch of languages to ask for condiments, yelling “Che-mi-curry.” Whatever the origin, expect plenty of that on your table and no A1 or other sauces.
Before we get into the different succulent cuts of orgasmic steak, let’s look at how to order it (Spanish only):
Rare - Cruda (Crew-dah)
seared meat, much like pan-seared tuna at sushi. It is an acquired taste and carries higher risk of food poisoning.
Medium Rare - Jugoso (who-goes-ohh)
The only way you should eat meat, pink in the middle. This sears the outside and retains the moisture inside, keeping all the natural flavors locked in for your enjoyment.
Medium - A Punto (ahh-poon-toe)
A notch up from jugoso, you eliminate the pink and some of the moisture, taking away some flavor. I’ve been told that if a piece of meat doesn’t squirt when you bite, you’ve wasted your money.
Well Done - Bien Cocido (bee-yen co-see-do)
Possibly the worst way to order meat. If you want to chew on something dry, get some bubble gum.
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Asado or Asado de Tira |
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(ass-ah-doe dee tee-rah)
This is the general term for ribs, asado being short ribs and asado de tira long, thin cross-cut ribs. Often fatty with relatively low meat but very tasty. Very common cut in Uruguay
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Bife de Costilla or Costilla de Lomo |
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(kos-tea-yeah dee low-mow)
What they call the T-bone or porterhouse steak.
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Bife de Chorizo |
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(bee-f-eh dee chore-ee-zoe)
Strip loin steaks also known as Entrecote. This is a very sought after cut in Argentina.
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Bola de Lomo |
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(bowl-ah dee low-mow)
Knuckle or Sirloin tip commonly used for milanesa, breaded and fried steak.
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Colita de Cuadril and Cuadril |
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(coal-eat-a dee quad-reel)
Cuadril is rump steak and colita de cuadril is, you guessed it, Tri-Tip, the bottom portion of the rump.
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Entraña |
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(in-tran-yeah)
Skirt steak or flank steak. Also a very delicious cut mostly found in Argentina. The raw cut has a dual skin covering that is usually removed when served, but just in case you get it, remove before eating.
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Lomo and Lomo de Cerdo |
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(low-mow) and (low-mow dee sir-dough)
Tenderloin, Filet Mignon, Americans love it wrapped in bacon. Believe it or not, this is not considered a good cut in South America, not that it won’t be delicious, but there are much more flavorful meats. Lomo de Cerdo is pork tenderloin.
Some places have it as Lomito on the menu
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Chorizo, Salchicha Parillera, and Hungara |
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(Chore-eee-zo), (sal-cheech-ah Par-ee-cher-ahh), (Oon-gar-ahh)
Chorizo is your average sausage which is a good tool to measure the quality of a restaurant; the lower fat content, the better quality meat they buy. Salchicha parillera is a thinner, spiral sausage that is sometimes spicier. Hungara, mostly found in Uruguay, is their version of a Polish sausage, spicy, fatty, and full of flavor!
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Vacio |
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(va-see-ohh)
Flank steak, usually thick cut with a layer of fat on one end. Also very good when cooked in the oven.
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