Learning Spanish: How to order your steak in Spain

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).