Argentina Beef Cuts

A trip to the grocery store in Argentina can be an adventure filled with mishaps and misunderstandings.  I have, on more than one occasion, returned from shopping only to find that I had not purchased what I thought I had purchased.  I once bought an incredibly inexpensive portion of chicken that I could not identify until it was out of the package.  It turned out that they were the back portion...which, obviously, has almost no meat.  Aside from a stupid gringo (myself) I don't know who would buy the back of a chicken.

I've had numerous mishaps buying beef.  I've sized up cuts of beef thinking they were one part of the animal only to find out it was something completely different.  It became painfully obvious that I needed to figure out what the Argentines called each cut.   It wasn't as simple as I thought it was because the Argentines don't butcher their beef exactly the same as a gringo.  There are cuts that simply don't exist here....instead they might be sold as a part of a large cut.

Either way, here is the beginning of my list of cuts.  I suspect there may be some debate upon which cuts are which but I welcome any feedback you may send my way!

ARGENTINA MEAT CUTS ETC:


Achuras -Innards
Asado / Costillas -Whole Side of Ribs
Asado De Tira (Tira De Asado) – Long Strip of Ribs 
Azotillo - Neck or Chuck 
Bife Ancho – Boneless prime rib steaks.
Bife Angosto – Strip loin steaks.
Bife de Costilla T-bone or porterhouse steaks
Bife de Chorizo or Bife Angosto– NY Strip Loin Steak.  Same as Bife Angosto but cut from the front section of the muscle which is a much larger piece
Bife de Lomo - Tenderloin
Bola de Lomo – Knuckle or sirloin tip.
Brazuelo - Shank
Capon - Mutton
Cerdo - Pig
Chinchulin - Initial portion of small intestines.
Chivo - Goat
Chivito - Young Goat (Kid)
Choripan - Chorizo inside a bun.  
Chuleta - Either side of the back of a lamb. Can be lamb chops with out the rib. (small)
Colita de Cuadril - Tri-tip
Conejo -  Rabbit
Cordero - Lamb
Costillo - A whole side of beef ribs (see Asado)
Costillitas de Cerdo - Pork Ribs
Cuadril – Rump.
Entrana Fina – Thin skirt steak. (see Falda)
Entrana gruesa or centro de Entraña – Hanger steak or thick skirt steak. (see Falda)
Falda – Skirt (think fajita meat)
Garron - Shank
Higado - Liver
Kidneys - Rinones
Lechon - Suckling Pig
Liebre - Hare
Lomo – Tenderloin..
Marucha - Cross-cut section of the chuck blade
Matambre (kill hunger) – A long thin cut that runs just under the skin and ribs which includes part of the flank and the belly.
Mollejas – Sweetbread (Cheek Meat)
Mondongo - Tripe
Morcilla -Blood Sausage
Nalga - Rump
Ojo de Bife - Ribeye Steak
Paleta -  Shoulder
Peceto - Eye of Round (used for milanesa which is a glorified chicken fried steak)
Pecho – Brisket
Rinones – Kidneys
Tapa de Asado – Rib cap
Tapa de Nalga – Top of round roast
Tira de Asado  - Rack of Ribs
Ternera - Veal
Tortuguita - Heal Meat
Ubre -Udder
Vacio = Flank.


The typical Argentina asado (BBQ) includes 3 primary cuts:
1.  Costillo (Ribs)
2.  Vacio (Flank)
3.  Matambre (Cut between Ribs and Skin along the belly)

While the cook (asador) is preparing the meat it is customary to cook different types of sausages along side the meat.  These are eaten like a hotdog with bread and typically without any condiments. See Choripan below.

ARGENTINA SAUSAGES / HOTDOGS

Chorizo - Beef or Pork.  Course Meat Sausage Flavored with Spices.  
Morcilla - Blood Sausage
Salchicha / Criolla / Parrillera - Long Seasoned Sausages. 
Pancho - Like a Gringo Hot dog
Choripan - Chorizo Eaten In Between Pieces of Bread  (Chori - Pan).


I welcome your comments and suggestions!