This Filipino Beef Tapa Recipe is one of the most favorite breakfasts in the Philippines. Thinly sliced beef, marinated to perfection, is pan-fried until it glistens with caramelization and is tender and juicy. It is sweet, savory, and slightly salty and tangy, to create a perfect balance. When it is served with garlic fried rice and a sunny side egg it is also known as tapsilog, and this dish is delicious in every bite.
Beef tapa is very easy to make. If you buy pre-sliced sirloin beef, it will save you time. All you need to do is marinate the thinly sliced meat with soy sauce, minced garlic, sugar, lemon juice, and black pepper for a few hours. Once it's been marinated you can drain the marinade, be sure to get rid of as much liquid as possible, and pan-fry in batches.
Whenever I order this for breakfast at the street food market or karenderya, it is often called tapsilog because is served with Garlic Fried Rice and fried eggs. My favorite breakfasts aside from Beef Tapa are Chicken Tocino and Fried Tuyo both are served with Filipino Garlic Fried Rice.
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Ingredients
I make some helpful ingredient notes with substitutions for you to make this dish easier. The full ingredients with exact measurements and a printable version are in the recipe card below this post.
- Beef - I use sirloin meat that is sliced thinly. It is ok to use other cuts of beef such as flank steaks. Be sure to slice the meat across the grain to ensure a tender chew
- Soy sauce - Use regular soy sauce.
- Lemon juice - It is a natural meat tenderizer and adds tangy flavor. You can substitute this with white vinegar, calamansi, or lime juice.
- Sugar - The level of sweetness depends on your preference. For a pound of beef, I just use one tablespoon of sugar. You can start adding more if you want sweeter.
- Garlic - Authentic tapa uses fresh minced garlic, but you can use garlic powder for your marinade if that's what you have. Be sure to use less if using powder as it is more potent than fresh garlic.
Instructions
Step 1. If you buy a larger part of meat, you need to slice it into thin slices. Buying a lump of sliced meat is more expensive so if you want to save money, buy a large cut of meat. Always cut the meat against the grain with a chopping board and sharp knife.
Step 2. In a mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, lemon juice or vinegar, sugar, minced garlic, and black pepper. Stir until well blended. Taste the marinade and adjust the seasoning if you want.
Step 3. Add the meat to the marinade. Massage the meat to make sure that the beef is coated with the marinade. Marinate for a minimum of 2 hours in the refrigerator. Before frying, squeeze the meat to get rid of as much marinade as you can.
Step 4. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Once heated, pour enough cooking oil to fry the beef tapa. Fry the meat in single layers, be sure not to overcrowd the pan. Sear the beef for 2-3 minutes on each side or until it's browned and slightly caramelized.
Note: Cooking times may vary depending on the thickness of the beef slices.
Helpful Tips
- To make sure your beef tapa is tender and not dry, be sure to cut the meat across the grain and marinate it with lemon juice or vinegar.
- Do not overcook the meat, otherwise, it will become chewy and dry.
- Do not overcrowd to pan and simply fry them in single layers to achieve evenly seared and caramelized Tapa.
Storage and Reheating Tips
- Storage - Store the cooked beef tapa after it is cool in a glass container with a lid in the refrigerator. Cooked beef tapa can last for 5-7 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheating - To reheat the leftover beef tapa, re-fry it in a frying pan with a few tablespoons of cooking oil. Be sure to not overcook it. To make it faster, you can use a microwave. Cover with a damp paper towel in the microwave for a minute or until warm through.
- Freezing - Make a huge batch and transfer the beef with the marinade. Be sure that the beef is well coated and transfer it into a ziplock bag or freezer-friendly container with a lid. It is convenient to freeze the marinated Filipino Beef tapa and cook it when needed.
Your questions and answers
Beef Tapa is a Filipino dish that is a popular choice for breakfast. This dish is made from thinly sliced beef that is marinated in a flavorful mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and spices. It is typically sweet, savory, and slightly tangy in taste and often served with garlic fried rice and fried egg.
The traditional beef tapa is cured to preserve the meat such as beef, pork, venison, or horse meat to use for a longer period of time. They cure it with salt and spices as a preservation method. Nowadays, we just marinade the meat and use a refrigerator to preserve it in the freezer for a few months.
The best cut of meat to make the best Filipino Beef Tapa are sirloin, flank steak, or thinly sliced beef tenderloin. You can use other cuts of beef as long as you slice them thinly.
Marinating the beef for at least 2 hours will ensure the best flavor of beef that is infused with the marinade. You can marinate it up to overnight in the refrigerator.
Yes, you can freeze the marinated beef tapa. It's a convenient way to prepare a batch in advance and cook it when you are ready. Just make sure to store it in an air-tight container or freezer bag to prevent freezer burn.
You can reduce the saltiness of Beef Tapa by using low-sodium soy sauce or reducing the amount of soy sauce in the marinade. This allows you to control the sodium content to your liking.
Yes, you can make this dish gluten-free by using tamari, coconut aminos, or gluten-free soy sauce.
Beef tapa is famous for tapsilog which means tapa, sinangag (fried rice), and itlog (egg) this trio is often served together. Beef tapa can be eaten with cooked Rice, pickled green papaya (atchara), and sliced Tomato Salads such as Mango and Pineapple Salad and Salted Egg with Tomato Salad as a side dish. Vinegar or ketchup are usually used as a condiment.
More Filipino Breakfast Recipes
Looking for other Breakfast Recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Beef Tapa:
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Filipino Beef Tapa Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef sirloin thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil for frying
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, thinly slice the meat across the grain.
- In a mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, minced garlic, and black pepper. Mix until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the sliced beef into the marinade and make sure the beef is coated into the marinade. Marinate the meat for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
- When ready to fry, squeeze the meat to get rid of as much marinade as you can.
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Once heated, pour enough cooking oil to fry the beef tapa. Fry the meat in single layers, be sure not to overcrowd the pan. Sear the beef for 2-3 minutes on each side or until it's browned and slightly caramelized.
- Serve with fried rice and fried egg known as tapsilog.
Notes
Recipe Notes
- To make sure your beef tapa is tender and not dry, be sure to cut the meat across the grain and marinate it with lemon juice or vinegar.
- Do not overcook the meat, otherwise, it will become chewy and dry.
- Do not overcrowd to pan and simply fry them in single layers to achieve evenly seared and caramelized Tapa.
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