“From Sun-Dried Beef to Beloved Tacos: My Story of Machaca”

Machaca a breakfast and lunchtime favorite

Machaca tacos are a beloved tradition across northern Mexico, especially in Sinaloa, Sonora, and Nuevo León. I remember my tio Leon bringing my mom bags of Machaca after one of his frequent trips to Culiacán. She prepared it with sautéed tomato, onion, garlic, and chile poblano, then served it in in her soft flour tortillas over melting cheese, the tacos were simple yet completely satisfying. For me, they were a taste of Sinaloa transplanted to California, a reminder of her roots and of how food carries culture across borders. To this day, when I make machaca tacos, I’m not just cooking dinner, I’m recreating those moments of warmth and belonging, carrying forward both her story and the flavors of northern Mexico.

The name machaca comes from the Spanish verb machacar, meaning “to pound,” a nod to the traditional process of pounding dried beef into shreds. Indigenous preservation methods, drying meat in the desert sun, were adapted to beef after the Spanish introduced cattle, creating this jerky-like staple that could last for months without refrigeration. While the term itself is Spanish, the practice of drying and pounding meat for preservation existed long before the Spanish arrived. Indigenous peoples of northern Mexico were already sun-drying meat, fish, and chiles as a survival strategy in arid desert climates. When Spanish cattle were introduced in the 16th century, the same preservation methods were applied to beef, and the word machaca became the descriptive name for the result.

While we may not be able to recreate the time intensive process of sun drying then smoking the beef in our modern kitchens, premade dried machaca is widely available in Mexico and the USA. Here in the Middle East it can be shipped to you directly via Amazon (link below). With today’s shortcuts, machaca tacos are a delicious addition to your weeknight table. Together, machaca and flour tortillas form a rustic yet deeply satisfying taco that remains a breakfast and lunchtime favorite across the Northern Mexican Region.

Machaca Tacos Sinaloa Style

Ingredients (Serves 4 – makes 8 tacos)

• 8 oz (225 g) premade machaca (dried, shredded beef)

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil or beef tallow

• 1 medium white onion, finely sliced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 large tomato, diced

• 1 chile poblano, roasted, peeled, seeded, and cut into thin strips (rajas)

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

• 8 fresh 6” flour tortillas

• 1 ½ cups Mexican melting cheese (queso chihuahua, queso menonita, or monterey jack as substitute)

Method

1. Prepare the poblano

Roast the chile poblano directly over an open flame or under a broiler until charred on all sides. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam 5 minutes. Peel off the skin, remove seeds, and slice into thin strips (rajas).

2. Sauté the aromatics

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds, until fragrant.

3. Build the sofrito base

Stir in the diced tomato and poblano strips. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook 3–4 minutes, stirring until the tomato begins to soften and release its juices.

4. Cook the machaca

Add the shredded machaca to the pan. Sprinkle in cumin, stir well, and cook 4–5 minutes, allowing the beef to absorb the sofrito flavors and soften. Taste and adjust seasoning. Just before serving, fold in the chopped cilantro for freshness.

5. Warm tortillas with a cheesy bead

Heat a comal or flat skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle about 2 Tbsp of cheese in a 6” circle on the hot surface. Place a flour tortilla directly on top of the melting cheese, pressing lightly so the cheese fuses into the tortilla base. Warm for 30–45 seconds until the tortilla is soft, pliable, and the cheese creates a golden, bubbly “cheesy bead.” Repeat with remaining tortillas.

6. Assemble tacos

Spoon a generous portion of the machaca mixture onto the cheesy side of each tortilla. Fold gently into a taco.

Purchase Dried Machaca beef here: https://amzn.to/3K7OKRZ

Machaca before preparation