Chuletón

Spain's signature steak — a thick bone-in rib steak, traditionally from old dairy cows (vaca vieja or buey) that have been retired from milking and finished on grass for several months. Aged extensively (often 30+ days), salted heavily, and grilled rare to very rare over hard wood coals. The Basque country is the heartland of the tradition (the Basque term is *txuleta*); the *asadores* of San Sebastián, Tolosa, and Getaria built international reputations around it. Distinguished from generic rib steaks by minimum thickness, breed/age specification (mature dairy cow), and the salt-and-coal preparation.