Beef Tapa
Beef Tapa is Filipino cured, pan-fried beef — thin slices marinated in soy sauce, calamansi, and garlic until deeply savory, then seared hot and fast. It’s the star of tapsilog, the classic Filipino breakfast plate of tapa, sinangag (garlic fried rice), and itlog (fried egg). Simple to make and endlessly satisfying, it’s a weekend breakfast favorite across the Philippines.
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Instructions
- In a bowl, combine beef, soy sauce, calamansi juice, garlic, brown sugar, pepper, and salt. Mix well and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
- Heat oil in a wide pan over high heat.
- Add the beef in a single layer, working in batches to avoid crowding, and sear for 2-3 minutes per side until browned and slightly caramelized at the edges.
- Continue until all the beef is cooked; the marinade should reduce and cling to the meat.
- Serve hot with garlic fried rice, a fried egg, sliced tomatoes, and atchara for the classic tapsilog plate.
Cook's Tip
Cook the tapa in batches over high heat instead of crowding the pan — too much beef at once steams in its own marinade rather than searing, so you lose the caramelized edges that give tapa its signature savory-sweet crust.