There is a bewildering variety of cuts of meat with plenty of regional variations to boot.

For beef, the most prized cuts are lomo alto, lomo bajo and solomillo.

Lomo alto is juicy, flavoursome meat from the middle of the back, a chuletón coming with a bone and entrecot without. Lomo bajo and solomillo come from a little further along the back, with solomillo (or sirloin) being the highest quality of all, used for steaks including steak tartare and for carpaccio.

Other cuts include:

Tapilla or picaña: this comes from the hind quarters, by the hip, cut with a layer of fat on top.

Churrasco (asado de tira in Argentine restaurants): this is cut in long strips about one centimetre wide and is popular in grills and barbecues because of its great flavour.

Entraña: this comes from the diaphragm, is another favourite for grills and barbecues.

Vacio: this comes from between the ribs and hip. It is quite fibrous but boneless and very tasty.