

states of Arizona, California, and New Mexico. The dish is known primarily in the north of Mexico, and the southern regions of the U.S. A very popular breakfast or brunch dish is machaca with eggs, associated with miners in the State of Chihuahua. This preservation technique is a boon when access to. Machaca is almost always served with flour tortillas, which tend to be large, up to 20 inches in diameter. Chata Dried Beef (Machaca) 99g Machaca is a Northen Mexican type of dried meat, often made from beef. Prepared machaca can be served any number of ways from tightly rolled flautas, to tacos, to burritos, or on a plate with eggs, onions and with peppers (chiles verdes or chiles poblanos). Carne seca is an alternative name for machaca in Tucson and Sonora. In Tucson and south, the preparation is almost always dry, and approximates more closely the taste and texture of the original dish prepared from dried meat. Most machaca dishes now are made from beef that has been well-cooked, shredded then cooked in its juices until the desired consistency is achieved, which in Phoenix can be soupy, dry or medio. In Mexico, it is still sold for cooking as well as snacking however, this is done mostly in the north and in small-scale operations.

While drying meat is one of the oldest forms of preservation, the drying of beef with chilis and other native spices was developed by the ranchers and cowboys of northern Mexico.Īfter the arrival of refrigeration, dehydration was no longer needed for preservation. The reconstituted meat would then be used to prepare any number of dishes. Machaca is a dish prepared originally most commonly from dried, spiced beef or pork, then rehydrated and pounded to make it tender.
