Ingredients
- 2 pounds flank steak
- 2 to 3 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt
- Vegetable oil for cooking
To Prepare
- Cut the flank steak against the grain into slices of about 1/4-inch thick, or as thin as you can. One by one, place the slices between two sheets of parchment or wax paper. Use a meat pounder to pound them very thin, less than 1/8-inch, or until you start to see the bottom sheet of paper through the meat (but not so thin that it is completely breaking apart).
- As you move along, place the pounded slices on a cooling rack set on top of a large sheet pan or chopping board. Once done, sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons salt on one side. Flip over and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
- Leave to air dry and cure for at least 3 hours and up to 8 hours. (Alternately, you can leave at room temperature for 2 hours and refrigerate for the remaining time.)
- When ready, pre-heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, brush the meat with vegetable oil and cook in batches for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Rest under aluminum foil until ready to use.
Comments
42comments inTasajo
Francis Addicks
Jul 09
TY PATI FOR YOUR FANTASTIC TASAJO REVIPE. IM PULLING IT OFF MY GRILL AS WE SPEAK. IJust love your recipes and shows I’ve watched all ten seasons I CAN NOT WAIT FOR MORE. Say hi to JUJU.
Pati Jinich
Jul 28
So happy to hear Francis! Stay tuned, season 11 is premiering mid-september, yay!
Jelly Tots
Dec 23
It is a nice article about three reasons about tasajo. I agree with all your points that you have stated here, love this blog. Thank you very much for sharing this article. Thank you! Such a nice and superb article.You must also check out Biltongplus.co.nz it has some great insights too.
Pati Jinich
Dec 24
Thanks so much Jelly Tots, so glad you found it useful!
Marie t
Oct 14
Idk is tasajo flank steak or from a different part of the cow. Organs back and head
Pati Jinich
Oct 19
Yes Marie, I make my tasajo with Flank Steak 😉
John
Sep 28
So I used to eat tasajo on tlayudas when I lived it Oaxaca in the 90’s, usually after a late night at the disco. I knew it was beef but never knew which cut or how to prepare it. Can’t wait to make this, thank you for posting!
Pati Jinich
Oct 04
Good memories John, let me know how it came out!
John
Oct 20
Salio riquissimo, gracias!
Pati Jinich
Oct 22
Yay!!!!! Gracias a ti 😉
Cathy g
Jun 17
Wel that sounds easy enough.
Pati Jinich
Jun 18
Hope you give it a try Cathy!
Rose. R. Kravagna 🌹🌹💗💗
Aug 24
Patti Blake state is my favorite cut of meat and I can’t get enough of it 😴🎊💜
I saw your episode and that sandwich you had with your son look fabulous especially with that salad you made with nopalitos
🌺🌹🌹. Even the desert looks muy. delicioso- !!!!
Thanks Pati 💗💗💟💜💜🤖
Pati
Aug 27
Oh I hope you love the sandwich, Rose!
Anonymous
Aug 22
I love your show and all the Mexican culture you bring out. Your so passionate about you love for Mexico. I love it. Thank you! Q.
What does tasajo mean ? Oh one more where can I find avocado leaves? You used them in a salsa recipe. I would like to try using avocado leaves too.
Pati
Sep 11
Tasajo is a word used to mean “a piece of meat” and that is just the name that has been given to meat that is prepared this way, thinly sliced and salted. You can find avocado leaves either online or your local Latin Market. Have fun cooking!
Evan Thomas
May 18
Can I use skirt steak as a substitute?
Pati
May 18
Sure!
Stephanie peterson
Mar 23
Hols pati I just saw your episode yesterday where you made a turkey using ur yukaton inspired recipe where could I find that recipe? I love your show
Pati
Mar 26
Here you go Stephanie: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/recipe/thanksgiving-turkey/
Shirley D. ATENCIO
Jan 26
Luv this Site! Great infro!
Pati
Jan 29
Thank you Shirley!
Nancy
Jan 02
Hola Pati, Feliz Año Nuevo! I watch your show with my soon to be 5 year old son. We just watched the episode where you make the Tasajo and Natilla and he asked me to make it for him, he is such a fan of yours. Love watching the show with him because he learns about my culture and gets to see how beautiful Mexico is. Saludos!
Pati
Jan 03
Oh wow thank you so much Nancy! Please say hola to your son for me!!! Wishing you and your son a wonderful 2018.
Hans & Donna Stuttz
Dec 27
Pati, I wanted to thank you for you segment of Tasajo. I am American along with my wife . We absolutely love Mexican qusine . I love watching your shows with my special wife . We love cooking together.You are program to record each episode . You have passion for your culture. The Tasajo technique of pounding the meat is fantastic . I smoked it on my charcoal grill. Because I didn’t have a pan grill skillet . It was so so tender . I made the whole meal . I love to cook. The Natilla was so good. I call it ……..a pillow of cloud heaven. From my wife and I we thank you.
Pati
Dec 27
Thank you so much Hans and Donna! I’m so glad you enjoyed the whole meal!
Mark pressler
Dec 17
What about the safety of leaving the meat out for 3+ hours? And is there a difference in the result if you use the fridge after 2 hours?
Pati
Jan 04
I leave it out for more than a few hours, but you can definitely leave it out for 2 hours and then bring in the fridge. It will be just as awesome.
Alice
Jun 19
Trust me, with all that salt, nothing bad will grow in a couple of hours! Just keep it on a clean surface and it will be fine.
Queli
Dec 15
Pati, you’re dishes and show are marvelous! I’m Mexican and my mother made the best meals growing up that literally took days to prepare. I’m so happy that you have made them achievable for this busy mom. I’m making these delicious tortas I saw on your show this weekend! Thanks again!
Pati
Dec 21
This made my day…thank you so much Queli!
Ross
Nov 05
Wow. We just watched this episode. That torta looks so good. So very very good.
Did you use 1.5 teaspoons of salt on each side of the whole batch of beef – total 3 tsps or was this amount of salt per each strip of beef.
Many years ago when I was a kid in the Midwest, my grandmother made us “Dried Beef Gravy” over mashed potatoes. I realize that the military had a derisive term for it “…. on a shingle (toast)”, but I loved her dish. The dried beef of 50 years ago seems to me not the same as the processed stuff that comes in pouches these days. 🙁
Maybe this is the similar to the dried beef as grandma used. Someday I will give this recipe for tasajo a try.
The photo of the torta was so GREAT I sent the URL of the torta webpage to friend that likes good food.
Thanks Pati!
Pati
Nov 07
Your grandmother’s dish sounds so interesting…I hope you enjoy this as well! I use 1.5 tsp on each side for the entire batch.
Alice
Jun 19
The stuff in pouches is beef jerky, seasoned with a bunch of spices, salt, and most of the time, sugar, as well as possibly preservatives. You can still buy the dried chipped beef in a little jar. I think it is made mostly by drying, but maybe has salt. Look for it in the area that has canned fish and meat .
Tim
Oct 25
Like a fast beef jerky!
Pati
Oct 25
Hahah yes…much faster.
Janine
Oct 19
Can’t wait to try this out on my Mexico City native hubby !!
Pati
Oct 20
Oh I hope he likes it :).
Martha Munguia
Oct 19
easy, simply delicious.
Pati
Oct 20
Yay!
Gabrielle
Oct 11
Such a delicious and simple use of a good piece of beef. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Pati
Oct 12
Thank YOU Gabrielle for trying the recipe!