chuletones de vaca vieja

English translation: Mature beef, mature cow, 'old cow'

15:31 Jan 23, 2020
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Cooking / Culinary / MENU FROM A RESTAURANT
Spanish term or phrase: chuletones de vaca vieja
Esta opción aparece en el menú de un restaurante.
Mi duda es cómo traducir "vaca vieja"

¿alguna sugerencia?

Gracias!
sabela prieto
Spain
English translation:Mature beef, mature cow, 'old cow'
Explanation:
These are literally 'old cows', rather than meat from young cows that has been aged post-slaughter.

I agree that 'old cow' does not sound so great, but it is the meaning here.

https://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-mature-meat-old-cows-2019...
Selected response from:

Sarah Leonard
Spain
Local time: 08:25
Grading comment
Thanks a lot!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +1Mature beef, mature cow, 'old cow'
Sarah Leonard
4old beef chops
patinba
4 -1aged beef steaks
neilmac
3beef chops from mature stock / older stock
Jessica Noyes


  

Answers


47 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Mature beef, mature cow, 'old cow'


Explanation:
These are literally 'old cows', rather than meat from young cows that has been aged post-slaughter.

I agree that 'old cow' does not sound so great, but it is the meaning here.

https://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-mature-meat-old-cows-2019...


    https://www.salterandking.co.uk/collections/old-cow-beef
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/features/old-cow-why-meat-geeks-have-gone-mad-for-17-year-old-steak/
Sarah Leonard
Spain
Local time: 08:25
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks a lot!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  neilmac: I'm OK with "mature beef", but I'd think twice about using anything with "cow"…
1 hr

neutral  patinba: As you say, the cow is old, but mature mens aged, and that is not the case here.
2 hrs
  -> Aged beef is usually called just that, 'aged beef', I think that the term 'mature' indicates that the animal itself was 'mature' or old.
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30 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
aged beef steaks


Explanation:
Chuleton is a large steak or T-bone, depending on the cut. I wouldn't use the literal translation "old cow" unless it was supposed to be amusing, as it might cause offence. The general term for meat from cattle is beef, regardless of whether the animal was male or female.

New menu and dry aged beef steaks - - Bistecca Bistro
New menu and dry aged beef steaks. October 3, 2017. Recently to our flagship dish, which is Tuscan Bistecca, 1 kg of T-bone beef steak, we have added new ..

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Note added at 2 hrs (2020-01-23 17:51:51 GMT)
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Although Sarah is right when she says aged beef usually refers to cuts of meat aged post-slaughter, I'm using "aged" as a euphemism, because "old"doesn't strike me as appetising. When translating menus, my usual main criterion is to make things sound attractive to the diner. In my opinion "aged beef steaks" sounds better, and that's why I would use it. I stand by my suggestion.

Example sentence(s):
  • How to enjoy aged beef slow-cooked over charcoals right in front of your eyes in Pamplona Spain

    https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/spanish-english/chulet%C3%B3n
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 08:25
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 169

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Sarah Leonard: 'aged beef' usually refers to cuts of meat that have been aged post-slaughter. The current trend of eating meat from older cows is a different thing.
17 mins
  -> That's a bit strong. When translating menus, I try to make things sound appetising - accuracy comes second.

neutral  patinba: Offence? I think the animal will be past caring :)
1 hr
  -> "Old cow" is an insult where I come from :-)
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
beef chops from mature stock / older stock


Explanation:
This avoids the term "cow," especially as the meet may be from a male animal.

Jessica Noyes
United States
Local time: 03:25
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
old beef chops


Explanation:
The New Trend in Steak: Old Beef - WSJ
Aug 5, 2019 - Dubbed “vaca vieja”—Spanish for “old cow”—it's a ribeye steak the menu described as being “8 years at harvest.” That's about four times older ...

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Note added at 8 hrs (2020-01-23 23:52:30 GMT)
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How To Properly Handle Beef - A Chef's Complete Guide
Jan 19, 2017 - Beef is considered a 'red' meat, meaning it has significant amounts of ... after they have bred for a few years, and are considered Old Beef.

Once a cow or bull is harvested, there are many steps involved in transforming it into the neat little packages of beef you buy at the store. First off, there are two types of beef you need to know about. That is Young Beef, and Old, or Heavy Beef. Young Beef is what is used for the best steaks and other upper-end cuts. Young beef has more marbling, is more tender and more delicately-flavored than a full-grown animal. The majority of animals are slaughtered young, around 18 months old, or when they reach 1200-1500 pounds in weight. These constitute the bulk of Prime, Choice, and Select Grades of beef. Older animals can be slaughtered after they have bred for a few years, and are considered Old Beef. These usually end up as Standard Grade. One other category is veal production, in which unweaned calves are purposely made anemic. They are slaughtered at around 8 months of age, or around the time when they would normally be weaned.

Old beef can be tougher, stronger-flavored, and heavier in texture, but still perfectly fine to eat. In fact, there are those that prefer Heavy Beef, especially for smoking and BBQing.

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Note added at 8 hrs (2020-01-23 23:54:05 GMT)
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so "heavy beef" would also work, though not so clear.

patinba
Argentina
Local time: 04:25
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 48

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  neilmac: This sounds like an insult as well (here comes old beef chops)… :-)
27 mins
  -> Well, it was good enough for the Wall Street Journal...

neutral  Sarah Leonard: I agree neilmac, and I don't think "old beef" sounds too appetizing ;)
2 hrs
  -> That is as may be, but it is what it is called.
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