Pati Jinich tesajo

beef

Tasajo

Tasajo

Recipe Yield

6 Servings

Cooking time

2 hours 50 minutes

Rate this recipe

4.25 from 8 votes

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

  1. 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.

    1. Pati Jinich

      Jul 28

      So happy to hear Francis! Stay tuned, season 11 is premiering mid-september, yay!

  2. 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.

    1. Pati Jinich

      Dec 24

      Thanks so much Jelly Tots, so glad you found it useful!

  3. Marie t

    Oct 14

    Idk is tasajo flank steak or from a different part of the cow. Organs back and head

    1. Pati Jinich

      Oct 19

      Yes Marie, I make my tasajo with Flank Steak 😉

  4. 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!

    1. Pati Jinich

      Oct 04

      Good memories John, let me know how it came out!

      1. John

        Oct 20

        Salio riquissimo, gracias!

        1. Pati Jinich

          Oct 22

          Yay!!!!! Gracias a ti 😉

  5. Cathy g

    Jun 17

    Wel that sounds easy enough.

    1. Pati Jinich

      Jun 18

      Hope you give it a try Cathy!

  6. 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 💗💗💟💜💜🤖

    1. Pati

      Aug 27

      Oh I hope you love the sandwich, Rose!

  7. 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.

    1. 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!

  8. Evan Thomas

    May 18

    Can I use skirt steak as a substitute?

    1. Pati

      May 18

      Sure!

  9. 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

  10. Shirley D. ATENCIO

    Jan 26

    Luv this Site! Great infro!

    1. Pati

      Jan 29

      Thank you Shirley!

  11. 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!

    1. 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.

  12. 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.

    1. Pati

      Dec 27

      Thank you so much Hans and Donna! I’m so glad you enjoyed the whole meal!

  13. 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?

    1. 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.

    2. 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.

  14. 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!

    1. Pati

      Dec 21

      This made my day…thank you so much Queli!

  15. 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!

    1. 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.

    2. 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 .

  16. Tim

    Oct 25

    Like a fast beef jerky!

    1. Pati

      Oct 25

      Hahah yes…much faster.

  17. Janine

    Oct 19

    Can’t wait to try this out on my Mexico City native hubby !!

    1. Pati

      Oct 20

      Oh I hope he likes it :).

  18. Martha Munguia

    Oct 19

    easy, simply delicious.

    1. Pati

      Oct 20

      Yay!

  19. Gabrielle

    Oct 11

    Such a delicious and simple use of a good piece of beef. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.

    1. Pati

      Oct 12

      Thank YOU Gabrielle for trying the recipe!

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