Shopping at a carniceria can be an adventure in learning new food terms and making new friends. Speaking a little Spanish helps, but isn’t necessary. What is helpful is knowing what the various meat cuts are in Spanish. You probably won’t find too many pot roasts or porterhouses, but you will find lots of flat, thin cuts suitable for marinating, grilling and braising, along with spices, chiles, tortillas and other staples of Mexican cooking.

Aracherra—Skirt steak or hanger steak for fajitas

Carne molida de res—ground beef

Carne molida de puerco—ground pork

Con hueso—bone-in

Costillas—ribs (pork or beef)

Diezmillo—chuck steak or roast

Milanesa—beef cutlet, pounded thin

Paleta de res—beef shoulder (chuck)

Palomilla—round steak or top sirloin, good for asada

Patas—feet, either beef (for menudo) or pork

Pechugas—chicken breasts

Picada de res—chopped beef

Pulpa—boneless round steak

Ranchera—flap steak, good for asada

Trozos or trocitos—cubes of beef or pork, stew meat

Sin hueso—boneless