How Do I Prepare Beef Tapa

Simple beef sirloin becomes delicious beef tapa with just a few marinating ingredients.

Beef tapa is a traditional Filipino breakfast dish. You can buy beef tapa in vacuum-sealed bags to have handy for a quick breakfast, but making your own beef tapa is simple and much tastier. The ingredients are simple, and the cooking doesn't take long. You just need to remember to plan ahead so you have time to marinate the meat. If you prepare the marinade the night before you plan on cooking, the beef will be ready to cook for breakfast in the morning.

Things You'll Need

• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 3 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 lb. beef sirloin
• 1 gallon-sized zippered plastic bag
• Serrated knife
• Wok or frying pan
• Oil for frying
• Paper towels
• Fried eggs
• Sliced tomatoes

Instructions

1. Prepare the marinade. In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, salt, pepper, garlic and soy sauce. Stir the ingredients together until the salt and sugar are dissolved.

2. Prepare the beef. Slice the beef sirloin into thin strips. It may be helpful to use a serrated knife for cutting the thin strips.

3. Marinate the beef. Pour the marinade into a gallon-sized zippered plastic bag. Add the beef to the bag. Place the bag full of marinade and beef into a shallow pan to catch leaks in the refrigerator. Put the beef into the refrigerator and allow it to sit for at least 12 hours.

4. Cook the beef. Heat a wok or frying pan and add 2 to 3 tbsp. of oil. When the oil is hot, add enough beef to cover the bottom of the wok or frying pan, but don't add all the beef at once. Flip the beef over using a fork or spatula to evenly cook both sides. When one batch of beef is done cooking, remove it from the pan and drain it on paper towels to soak up excess oil. Cook the next batch in the pan, adding oil if necessary.

5. To serve the beef tapa, place a scoop of rice on each plate, top it with several strips of beef tapa, and add side dishes of fried eggs and sliced tomatoes.

Tips & Warnings

• For more tender beef, add a little water to the frying pan before adding the beef.

References

• Pinoy Recipe: Filipino Beef Tapa Recipe
• Drexel University: Filipino Culture
• Filipino Recipes: Beef Tapa