When I was a kid, they would put the beef strips that had been marinated on welded wire and leave them in the sun to dry. If you cut these too thick, they were chewy, but if you pounded them thin enough, they were sweet and crunchy when they were fried.
But the beef tapa I make doesn´t have to be dried. When I’m feeling up to it, I’ll put some in the dehydrator (we bought one a few years ago to keep up our beef jerky habit!) and see how it tastes.
Not often, but only when I go back to the Philippines for vacation do I eat rice for breakfast. That’s easier, and it gets me out the door faster: two slices of bread with cheese and coffee. But beef tapa makes for a good “breakfast for lunch”. Becca loves eating this as well. The secret is to pound the beef and get it as thin as possible.
I have tried a few recipes, and the one I am making now is what I like best. It seems like I got it from a column by Reggie Aspiras in The Inquirer, but I couldn’t find the original recipe when I searched for it on Google.
This is my favorite recipe, but I’ve made a few small changes to suit my tastes. Almost always, I have everything I need in my pantry, even though it does call for more than most beef tapa recipes. It also doesn’t need calamansi, which is good because we can’t find that here in Switzerland.
How To Make Delicious Beef Tapa Flakes At Home The Complete Guide For Beginners
As a food blogger and home cook, I’m always looking for new and exciting dishes to make in my kitchen. Lately, I’ve become a bit obsessed with Filipino cuisine – the complex flavors, the variety of ingredients, and the creativity behind each dish never cease to amaze me. One Filipino recipe I’ve been dying to try is beef tapa – thin slices of beef marinated in a sweet and salty mixture, then fried or grilled to crisp, salty perfection. The end result is beef tapa flakes – bite-sized crispy morsels that are absolutely addictive.
In this complete guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to make incredible beef tapa flakes at home, including step-by-step instructions, tips and tricks, and serving suggestions. Whether you’re new to Filipino cooking or a seasoned tapa pro, read on to learn how to wow your tastebuds with this iconic dish Let’s get cooking!
What Exactly Are Beef Tapa Flakes?
Before we start cooking, let’s make sure we all understand what beef tapa flakes are. Tapa refers to thinly sliced cured beef that has been marinated and then fried or grilled. The process of curing, marinating, and frying transforms the beef into paper-thin, salty, and slightly sweet crispy strips.
Once cooked, the tapa slices are left to cool and then hand-shredded into smaller irregular flakes or strips. This is how they get the name “tapa flakes.” The small, crispy beef pieces make for a fantastic topping on rice dishes, soups, salads, and more. I especially love snacking on them straight from the bag!
The Origins of Beef Tapa Flakes
Tapa has its origins in Philippines, where it’s considered a national dish and breakfast staple. Early versions of the dish used salt to cure meats as a preservation method in the days before refrigeration. Over time, Filipinos started adding sugar, spices, vinegar and soy sauce to add extra depth of flavor.
The cured meats were thinly sliced and then grilled over an open flame, which resulted in smoky, salty, and slightly charred pieces. Tapa is now popular not just in the Philippines but around the world, with each region adding its own twist. No matter where you enjoy it, tapa delivers a wonderful blend of sweet, salty, and umami flavors in one crispy, addictive package.
Why Make Beef Tapa Flakes at Home?
If you’re wondering why bother making beef tapa flakes instead of buying them pre-made, here are some great reasons:
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Customize the flavors – When you make them at home, you control the mixture of spices, sugar, salt and soy sauce to match your tastes exactly.
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Save money – Pre-made tapa can be expensive, but doing it yourself only requires a few affordable ingredients.
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Enjoy fresher tapa – The pre-packaged stuff often contains preservatives. Homemade is peak freshness.
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Impress others – Not many people make tapa from scratch. Your friends and family will be thoroughly impressed.
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Learn a new skill – Curing, marinating and frying tapa is very satisfying. Adding this dish to your repertoire will expand your culinary skills.
Now that I’ve convinced you to take the homemade route, let’s get right into the easy step-by-step method.
Ingredients Needed For Beef Tapa Flakes
- 2 pounds beef sirloin or tenderloin, sliced very thinly
- 1 head garlic, minced
- 1⁄2 cup soy sauce
- 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1⁄4 cup vinegar (cane, rice wine or apple cider)
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Salt to taste
Make sure your butcher slices the beef against the grain into 1⁄8 inch thick slices. This is very important for getting perfectly thin and tender tapa flakes.
Equipment Needed
- Large mixing bowl
- Resealable plastic bags or container with lid
- Meat mallet or tenderizer
- Large frying pan or wok
- Spatula and tongs
- Paper towels
- Kitchen shears (for shredding once cooked)
Step-By-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps and you’ll have restaurant-quality beef tapa flakes in no time:
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If the slices are not thin enough, use a meat mallet to gently pound them and make them thinner. Be careful not to tear the meat.
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In a large bowl, mix the minced garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, black pepper and vinegar. Whisk well until the sugar and salt dissolve.
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Place the beef slices in a resealable plastic bag or container and pour the marinade over the meat. Make sure the beef is coated on both sides. Seal the bag or container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best flavor.
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Remove the marinated beef from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature before cooking, about 20 minutes.
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Heat 1⁄4 inch of oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. The oil should shimmer but not smoke.
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Working in small batches, fry the beef 2-4 pieces at a time for 1-2 minutes per side until lightly browned. Don’t overcrowd the pan.
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Transfer the cooked tapa slices to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Allow them to cool slightly.
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Once cool enough to handle, shred the tapa slices into smaller 1⁄2 to 1 inch pieces using kitchen shears.
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You can keep cooking the tapa in batches until all the meat is cooked, shredded, and drained. Spread out the flakes on a baking sheet to allow them to further crisp up.
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Enjoy the beef tapa flakes immediately, or let them cool completely and then store in an airtight container for 2-3 days. The flakes stay crispy for quite a while.
Cooking Tips and Tricks
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Use a thermometer to maintain the oil temperature between 350-375°F. This prevents over or under-cooking.
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Don’t overload the pan when frying. Cook just 2-4 slices at a time so the meat browns properly.
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Let oil drain off well and allow them to dry further on paper towels or a rack. This keeps the flakes ultra crispy.
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Let the just-cooked tapa cool for 5-10 minutes before shredding. Shredding beef that is too hot will make the flakes mushy.
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To re-crisp leftovers, simply re-fry the flakes in hot oil for 1 minute or until crunchy again.
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Cook a test slice before marinating all the meat, to ensure your preferred thickness and marinade flavor.
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Use a thin spatula to carefully flip the slices and prevent tearing.
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Use tongs to flip and remove slices once they firms up during frying.
The Perfect Marinade Ratio
The marinade is crucial for full flavor development. While you can tweak ingredients to your taste, here is a ratio that I love:
- 3 parts soy sauce
- 3 parts brown sugar
- 1 part vinegar
- 1-2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1-2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
This strikes the ideal balance of salty, sweet and tangy notes.
Serving Suggestions For Beef Tapa Flakes
Now that you’ve mastered the art of making beef tapa flakes, let’s discuss the many delicious ways you can serve and enjoy them:
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Classic Tapsilog – Beef tapa flakes with garlic fried rice and fried egg is the quintessential Filipino breakfast.
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On Nachos – Sprinkle over tortilla chips and melted cheese for next-level nachos.
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Beef Tapa Pizza – Top pizzas with flakes instead of pepperoni for a tasty twist.
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Baked Potatoes – Loaded baked potatoes get even better with tapa flakes and sour cream.
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Omelettes or Frittatas – Mix flakes into egg dishes for a savory crunch.
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Salad Topper – Toss crunchy flakes on green, potato, pasta or grain-based salads.
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Snacking – Keep a batch handy for quick high-protein snacking anytime.
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Soup Topping – Ladle beef tapa flakes into your favorite soups like ramen or pho.
The possibilities are endless! I recommend making a big batch so you have these tasty bits ready to sprinkle onto whatever you’re eating.
Storing and Leftover Tips
Properly stored, beef tapa flakes will keep well for 2-3 days at room temperature in an airtight container. For longer shelf life, store the container in the fridge for 5-7 days max.
To re-crisp leftovers, briefly fry them in hot oil for 1 minute until crunchy again. You can also use the microwave – place flakes on a plate and microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in between, until crispy.
If you notice the flakes losing their crunch, it’s best to use them up
Let´s make beef tapa!
A note on the beef slices. It will be easier for you to slice the beef once it has been in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour (depending on how big the piece of beef is). Then you need a very sharp knife to slice it as thinly as possible. Remove any excess fat if you are not a fan. You should also cut the beef across the grain. I don´t really know how to show that, so here is a very nice informative article from Serious Eats on how to slice against the grain. Comes complete with pictures to show you how it looks.
I also then give the beef strips a good pounding with a meat tenderizer. This ensures thin, tender slices of beef. Also, I don’t know much about beef cuts; I just buy whatever big piece is on sale at the store. So unless you have a nice steak (which shouldn’t be turned into beef tapa anyway!), pounding the beef strips will make them soft.
Get a head of garlic and pound it. I use a mortar and pestle as it then goes quite fast. You may use a knife on the chopping board as well, of course. This much garlic—about 1/3 cup—is too much. If you want the beef tapa to taste less garlicky, use about half a head of garlic instead. Remove the skins.
In a bowl, mix together the beef strips, pounded garlic and all other marinade ingredients. Mix and massage well with your hands. Really get in there.
Ideally, marinate for an hour in the fridge before frying. I do the same thing: once the beef is marinated, I put the rest into freezer bags and freeze it ahead of time.
We no longer just eat beef tapa for breakfast; it’s now a part of many other dinners too. I´ve also made these into beef shawarma and beef noodles. I will share those recipes soon as well.
BEEF TAPA | SUPER EASY RECIPE | Misstalynee
FAQ
How do you make beef tapa rodics?
What meat is used in tapa?
What does tapa mean in Tagalog?
How to cook a beef tapa at home?
Here’s how to cook the perfect beef tapa at home: Heat the oil in a wide pan over high heat. The pan must be hot enough to brown and cook the beef quickly. Use a cooking tong to pick up the beef pieces and directly place them in the hot pan. This is the easiest way to separate the meat from the marinade.
How do you cook beef tapas in a frying pan?
Pour a bit of oil into the pan. Once the oil is hot, lower the heat to medium and continue frying the beef tapa on both sides until they’re cooked. Place them on a serving plate and garnish with some spring onions, if desired. Serve. Cook Filipino fried rice (sinangag) and fried egg separately. Place a small amount of fried rice on a plate.
How do you cook Tapa?
Heat oil in a wide pan. Add beef in a single layer and cook until liquid expelled from the meat is almost absorbed. Add more oil and cook until the meat is lightly browned and caramelized. Remove from pan and cut into serving portions. Serve hot. What is the taste of tapa?
What is beef tapa?
Beef tapa is a type of cured meat of thin slices of tender beef. A popular breakfast that is usually served with a sunny-side up egg and fried rice. Using a mallet or any blunt object, pound each cut of meat until meat is flattened to about a quarter inch thick. Place the beef into a bowl and sprinkle with the baking soda. Mix until well blended.