Beef Tapa

Beef tapa is the salty-sweet cured beef that anchors the most beloved of Filipino breakfasts — tapsilog, the trio of tapa, sinangag garlic rice, and a fried egg. The meat marinates in soy sauce, calamansi, and lots of garlic, then pan-fries until the edges caramelize into something irresistible. Tapsilog is so beloved it has its own name, a portmanteau of tapa, sinangag, and itlog, and its own place on every breakfast menu in the country.

Salty, sweet, and garlicky through and through

Each slice is chewy-tender with a sticky, caramelized glaze from the brown sugar, brightened by calamansi and punched up by a serious amount of garlic. Against the crisp fried egg and garlicky rice, it is a perfect salty-savory breakfast balance. It is the breakfast that sticks with you all morning, in the best possible way — pair it with sliced tomatoes if you want a little brightness, and make extra tapa while you are at it, since it keeps for days and makes a great lunch.

Craving more? Explore all Filipino Kitchen recipes.

Want the full story on the sauces behind this dish? See our Beginner’s Guide to Asian Sauces & Seasonings.

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