Cuba’s Boldest Beef Dish Is Salty, Garlicky, and Utterly Underrated

The phrase tasajo refers to 2 issues: dry-cured beef (sometimes flank or spherical steak) and the title of the dish it is served in. Its origins hint again to early preservation methods, when meat was cured closely with salt and sun-dried to final with out refrigeration. The result’s daring and intense: unapologetically salty, wealthy in umami, and distinctly fibrous.

Tasajo is deeply rooted in Cuban delicacies, however has variations throughout Latin America. In Cuba, the salted and dried steak is rehydrated after which cooked—both fried till crisp and chewy or simmered in tomato sauce till tender.

It is a type of dishes that sparks dialog and combined reactions—generally delight, generally hesitation, however at all times curiosity. In my Cuban household, it was a dish reserved for particular events—or every time my mother occurred to identify the cured beef on sale on the market. I knew to brace myself for the wealthy, salty, meaty aroma and the inevitable query from the kitchen as soon as it was prepared: “¿Quién lo quiere frito y quién lo quiere en salsa?” (Who desires it fried and who desires it in sauce?). My reply was at all times each, which is why I’ve included instructions for pan-frying the shredded beef and simmering it in tomato sauce in my recipe under.

The place to Purchase Tasajo

Tasajo is not accessible in each US grocery retailer, however you possibly can often discover it in Latin markets, particularly in cities with giant Caribbean or Central American communities. In Miami, the place I dwell, it is a staple—offered both within the refrigerated meat part or, generally, unrefrigerated in sealed luggage.

Should you’re not close to a Latin grocer, on-line retailers typically carry it. Search for cured beef labeled tasajo or cecina de res (a associated product, although thinner and generally smoked). When shopping for tasajo, examine the lower if doable: Leaner cuts, akin to flank steak, are excellent, as they rehydrate extra rapidly and evenly and yield a toothsome however not robust consequence.

Tasajo’s Distinct Taste and Texture

At first chew, tasajo proclaims itself: It is salty, meaty, and loaded with taste that may solely come from centuries of meals preservation know-how. It’s not the sort of beef that melts into shreds like ropa vieja or brief ribs—tasajo holds its form and resists the fork simply sufficient to make each chew satisfying.

Throughout Latin America, the time period “tasajo” varies in which means. In Oaxaca, for instance, tasajo refers to a thin-sliced cured beef that is sometimes grilled and served with tlayudas or topped with salsa. In Cuba, tasajo is at all times cured after which rehydrated earlier than being seared or simmered. Tasajo wasn’t an on a regular basis dish in my family rising up. It is prep took time—first trimming, then soaking or boiling, and at last resting earlier than frying. It additionally carries a little bit of household lore. Traditionally, it was generally produced from horsemeat—an origin that also causes some of us to lift an eyebrow at this time (although relaxation assured, what’s offered now’s beef). Nonetheless, that previous is sufficient for some to steer clear. For example, my sister refused to eat it for years due to it is origin story, and as soon as she lastly tried it as an grownup, realized she favored it.

I’ve included each conventional Cuban preparations for tasajo in my recipe under: one during which the meat is pan-fried and the opposite during which it’s simmered. Fried tasajo is crisp and chewy, with edges that brown and curl within the skillet. In sauce, it softens and soaks up the sweetness of tomatoes and sautéed aromatics. Each strategies are deeply satisfying in numerous methods, and each start with the identical soaking method to rework the robust, cured lower into one thing tender and flavorful.

Soaking and Marinating the Meat

Conventional recipes typically name for an in a single day soak of the cured meat to rehydrate it and draw out extra salt that in any other case would make it inedible. Whereas this methodology works, I needed to streamline the method with out sacrificing taste or texture. So I examined a number of variations:

• In a single day soak in chilly water (traditional methodology)
• Rinse in scorching water + boil, altering the water as soon as + marinate
• Soak + refrigerate in onion and garlic marinade post-boil

In the end, I discovered that the second methodology—massaging the meat beneath scorching (120°F) water, adopted by boiling it in two rounds of recent water—eliminated simply as a lot salt and rehydrated the meat simply as successfully as soaking it in a single day. Then, as an alternative of soaking, I rested the cooked beef in a single day in a mix of sliced onions, garlic, lime juice, and black pepper. This relaxation interval within the lime juice permits the acidic combination to tenderize the robust meat. Whereas tasajo will not ever shred as effortlessly as ropa vieja, the in a single day marination offers it a texture that is pleasantly chewy with out being robust.

Dealing with Tasajo at House: Ideas for Success

Whereas I grew up consuming and cooking this Cuban beef delicacy, I acknowledge not everyone seems to be aware of making ready this cured beef. Right here is a few recommendation when cooking it.

Gloves make a distinction. For the reason that cured beef is salty and sticky, I like to recommend utilizing disposable gloves to make the method of eradicating the outer salt and fats layer simpler and cleaner. I additionally suggest utilizing them when shredding the meat post-boil.

Control saltiness. Even after soaking and boiling, tasajo can nonetheless pack a salty punch. That’s regular—and a part of its taste profile. But when it nonetheless tastes too assertive after boiling, a fast rinse beneath cool water may also help dial it again.

Don’t anticipate brief rib texture. This meat is of course lean and hard. It’ll by no means be buttery delicate, and that’s OK. After frying or stewing, tasajo turns into pleasantly tender, whereas holding onto a slight chew that makes it really feel substantial.

Serve Tasajo

Whether or not fried till deeply browned or simmered in tomato sauce with garlic and peppers, tasajo delivers most taste with humble components. Its richness and saltiness pair superbly with easy sides and a squeeze of lime. It is typically served alongside steamed white rice, Cuban black beans, and one thing candy and starchy to stability the salt—boiled, roasted, or mashed boniatos (Cuban candy potatoes) are conventional, however candy plantains make a superb stand-in if boniatos aren’t accessible.

Tasajo is probably not essentially the most well-known cured beef within the culinary world, however for many who grew up with it—or for curious cooks trying to discover conventional Cuban flavors—it is completely definitely worth the effort. It is a dish that carries historical past in each chew: from the preservation traditions of colonial Cuba to the household kitchens of Miami and past. With a number of considerate tweaks to the standard methodology, this recipe makes tasajo approachable and scrumptious for contemporary kitchens, whether or not you are revisiting a childhood favourite or making an attempt it for the primary time.

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