Mexican Restaurant Meat Guide

 

For non-Spanish-speakers, it can be confusing trying to figure out which meat option you want when eating at a Mexican Restaurant. Menus aren’t often clear on what the type of meat it is or how it’s cooked, and if you’re not familiar with your options, it can be hard to choose which meal is right for you. Here’s our guide to some of the most common meat options you can find at a Mexican Restaurant. 

Carne Asada - Carne asada, meaning “grilled meat” in English, is a thin slice of skirt steak or flank steak that is marinated with lime juice and seasonings like garlic and pepper before being grilled to sizzling perfection. Skirt steak and flank steak are used interchangeably, but they do have a slight difference in texture with flank steak being a leaner option and skirt steak having a tougher texture. If you’re particular about which cut of meat is used, ask your waiter before ordering. Carne asada is added to tacos and fajitas or served as a main dish with rice and beans.

Carnitas - The word carnitas literally means “little meats,” and it refers shredded pork shoulder. To perfect the pork shoulder, it’s first braised and roasted to tenderness, then fried in oil or lard so the outsides are crisp. The result is a delectable shredded pork with a soft inside and flavorful, crunchy outside. Carnitas are a popular meat option in most Mexican dishes - tacos, fajitas, burritos, enchiladas, and more.

Pollo - Pollo is the Spanish word for chicken. There are many types of chicken dishes on the menu at Mazatlan. Like Carne Asada, Pollo Asado is marinated and grilled chicken that you will often see on the menu as a main dish with rice and beans. Arroz con Pollo is a traditional Mexican dish of chicken and rice. Pollo Ranchero is a dish made with salsa ranchera which is a spicy tomato based sauce. Of course, pollo can also be added to most Mexican dishes - everything from burritos to tacos. 

Camarones - “Camarones” is the Spanish word for shrimp, or more specifically, prawns. We have a wide variety of prawn dishes on our menu whether you’re looking for something warm and hearty like the Camarones a la Crema (butterfly prawns in a creamy cheese sauce) or something light and fresh like our Cocktail de Camarones (butterfly prawns, pico de gallo, cilantro and coarsely diced avocado in a slightly spicy tomato broth). 

Still can’t decide what to get? Try one of our combination meals and try a few different options. There’s something on the menu for everyone! 

Come see us at our restaurant in Everett, WA and try some of our authentic Mexican food today!