Bife de Chorizo

Bife de chorizo is a thick-cut sirloin steak, grilled slowly over wood coals and seasoned with little more than coarse salt. It's the cut most Argentines order by name at a parrilla, distinct enough from the mixed grill of a full asado to warrant its own entry on almost every steakhouse menu in the country.

What it really is

The sirloin cuts thick — several centimetres, not the thin-sliced steaks common elsewhere — and goes onto the grill well away from direct flame, cooking slowly enough for a thick crust to form on the outside while the centre stays pink. Coarse salt, rubbed on before or during grilling, is standard; pepper, marinades and sauces are considered unnecessary distractions from beef good enough to need nothing else. It's flipped only once or twice, giving each side time to develop a real char rather than steaming from too much handling.

The name refers to the cut's shape, not chorizo sausage. "Chorizo" here describes the sirloin's rounded, sausage-like shape once cut, not any relation to the grilled sausage of the same name — a distinction worth explaining to a guest new to Argentine steakhouse terminology.

How it's served

• On its own plate, sliced or whole, resting briefly before it's cut.
• With chimichurri on the side, added at the table rather than cooked in.
• As a main course, often the centrepiece of a full parrilla meal.

How to write it on the menu

• Say how it's cooked — Argentine steakhouses default to a more well-done centre than some guests expect from "medium."
• No major allergens are inherent to the dish itself; flag any marinade or sauce served alongside separately.
• Note the size, since a full bife de chorizo portion is often larger than a single-serving steak elsewhere.