Perfect Machaca Recipe - The Salty Marshmallow (2024)

FAQs

Is machaca salty? ›

Traditionally, it is dehydrated in the sunlight and needs hot and dry weather, so it is mainly made in the North.

Traditional Machaca is a Northern Mexican type of dried meat, often made from beef or pork. Slices or strips of meat are traditionally rubbed with simple spices and left outside to dry under the desert sun. After a few days of air-drying, the meat maintains a jerky-like taste and texture.

You should have a mix of light fluff, crumbs, and small pebble-size pieces. The shredded machaca can be used right away in a recipe that calls for it, refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or frozen in zipper-lock bags with the air pushed out for up to 1 month.

Cook, stirring every few minutes, until tomatoes have broken down and coated the machaca in a sauce and the machaca has rehydrated and softened, about 10 minutes; if your tomatoes are not juicy enough, you can moisten the stew with just enough beef or chicken stock to barely cover the tomatoes and beef.

In Mexico, it is still sold for cooking and snacking; this is done primarily in the north and in small-scale operations. Most machaca dishes now are made from beef that has been well-cooked, shredded, and then cooked in its juices until the desired consistency is achieved, which can be soupy, dry, or medio.

Many people associate machacado with being high in calories and saturated fat, but that's not the whole story. In fact, machacado is a good source of protein, iron, and B vitamins, making it a healthy addition to a balanced diet. As well as only being 110 calories per 22 grams of protein!

These days, the drying and rehydrating steps aren't as necessary, so machaca is much more similar to shredded beef, but it still has that characteristic spice and seasoning blend that gives it an extra-special flavor.

Machaca: Shredded dry beef, also known as carne seca. Becomes machacado when mixed with egg, etc. Mollejas: Sweetbreads. Ojo: Eye.

Dried beef, also called chipped beef, is beef that has been partially dried, salt-cured and thinly sliced. You can easily enjoy this cured meat as an appetizer, snack or meal. Dried beef has a rich past but is a relatively obscure meat product in most parts of the country today.

machaca [f] MX. dried meat.

What is Mexican beef called? ›

Carne Asada – Marinated, grilled, sliced beef, cooked so there is some charring to impact flavor.

As long as it has been stored properly, unopened jerky is safe to consume after the best-by date. But it won't taste as good as fresh jerky. As a general rule of thumb, commercial beef jerky is best enjoyed within 1 year.

"An authentic Mexican recipe from the book "Mexican Cookery" by Barbara Hansen. This delectable shredded beef is perfection! Wonderful served stuffed into a warm flour tortilla.

As it relates to the softness of the jerky—the less moisture, the tougher the jerky. Too much moisture, however, and the jerky can mold. The goal is to strike the perfect balance for your preference. The most important thing when making jerky at home is to make a jerky that is fully-cooked and shelf-stable.

It's more authentic to what you might find in Mexico but in Phoenix, where I'm from, machaca is a bit moister and soupier and I greatly prefer it this way. It is often beef brisket or chuck, well cooked, shredded then cooked again, with onions and chilies. It's also usually very spicy, which is just how I like it.

Corned beef is processed red meat made by brining brisket in a salt and spice solution to flavor and tenderize it. While it provides protein and nutrients like iron and vitamin B12, corned beef is relatively high in fat and sodium. It's also a source of certain compounds that may increase your risk of cancer.

It only includes curing agents, giving it a salty flavor. Smoking adds another depth of flavor to dried beef. The concentrated smoky, salty, meaty flavor of chipped beef makes it a great add-in for countless dishes. You may also enjoy eating it straight from the package.

Though beef jerky is a nutritious snack, it should be consumed in moderation. It's very high in sodium, with a 1-ounce (28-gram) serving providing roughly 22% of your daily sodium allowance, which is set at 2,300 mg per day ( 5 ).

Corned beef, or salt beef in some Commonwealth countries, is salt-cured brisket of beef. The term comes from the treatment of the meat with large-grained rock salt, also called "corns" of salt. Sometimes, sugar and spices are added to corned beef recipes. Corned beef is featured as an ingredient in many cuisines.