Beef tapa is my favorite Filipino breakfast. My friends and I joke that a silog breakfast (tapa or some other filipino breakfast protein, garlic rice, and a fried egg) is a "King's Breakfast" because it's just that good.
Every Filipino family has their own ratio and their own methods, but the soul of beef tapa is always the same: sweet, savory, a little tangy. This is the Filipino version of a a diner breakfast plate.
For more Filipino classics, my Arroz Caldo, Pancit Palabok, Beef Salpicao are worth your time.
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Notes on Ingredients
- Beef: Sirloin is the standard cut for tapa. It's tender and not too pricey for a breakfast meal. You want slices around ½ inch thick, cut against the grain. Other good cuts to consider: pre-sliced thin beef packaged for hot pot (this is actually ideal and saves you a step), or ribeye if you want more fat marbling and don't mind the higher price point. Other good cuts:
- Thinly sliced beef - you can get this prepackaged normally used for hotpot.
- Ribeye steak - if you want more fat marbling and don't mind the higher price point.
- Soy sauce: I use a dark soy sauce but any standard soy sauce works too.
- Lemon juice: In the Philippines, calamansi is the traditional choice. If you can find it fresh or frozen at a Filipino or Asian grocery store, definitely use that! It's hard to find here in New York so I use lemon which is a good substitute.
- Garlic: We mince 3 cloves and use it in the marinade.
- Sugar: Brown sugar is used here for that caramelization.
- Fresh red chilies: I use the spicy thai red chillies but you can also use chili flakes as a substitute too. I would taste your chili before adding it to the marinade since heat levels vary.
- Neutral oil: I use avocado oil as my high smoke point neutral oil of choice here to cook the beef tapa on a skillet.
*See recipe card below for full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Prepare Beef Tapa
- Freeze the beef and slice: Place the sirloin in the freezer for 30 minutes. It firms up just enough to easily make clean and even slices. Then slice into ½ inch pieces against the grain.
- Prep the marinade: Mince the garlic and thinly slice the fresh chilies. Add minced garlic, sliced chillies, soy sauce, lemon juice, sugar, and black pepper to a bowl with the sliced meat until well coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Cook: Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat and heat up the avocado oil. Add the beef with its marinade in a single layer. Cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the marinade reduces into a glossy sauce that clings to the beef.
- Serve: Transfer to a plate and top with sliced scallions (optional). Serve with garlic rice, a fried egg, and a small dish of spiced vinegar on the side.
Isabelle's Tips
- Cut the beef against the grain. Look for the lines running through the meat and slice perpendicular to them. This shortens the muscle fibers so each bite stays tender.
- Overnight makes a difference. Letting it marinate overnight lets the flavors sink in and it also helps tenderize the meat. I start the marinade the evening before I want to serve it.
- This method gives you a saucier tapa. Cooking the beef with its marinade will give you a glossy sauce once reduced.
- The Tapsilog timing. Start the garlic rice first since it takes the longest. Cook the tapa next, then fry the eggs last so everything lands on the plate hot at the same time.
What to Serve with Beef Tapa
Garlic fried rice: Non-negotiable for a Filipino breakfast!
Spiced vinegar. White or cane vinegar with sliced chili, and onions. This dipping sauce cuts through the richness of the beef and balances the whole dish.
Atchara: Pickled green papaya gives a sweet sour crunch to the dish.
Fresh tomatoes and/or cucumbers: Sliced and plated on the side.
Make It a Meal Prep Breakfast Staple
Beef tapa freezes well so you can prep this in advanced for a ready to go breakfast.
Marinate in bulk, freeze in portions. Double the marinade, divide the raw marinated beef into single meal zip-lock bags, and freeze for up to 2 months. Move a bag to the refrigerator the night before you want it and should be ready to cook in the morning!
Freeze cooked tapa too. Already cooked tapa reheats well in a dry skillet.
Storage Tips
Cooked beef tapa keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat. The microwave works too. Raw marinated beef freezes for up to 2 months.
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Thanks so much!
Isabelle
Beef Tapa
Equipment
- Large skillet or cast iron pan
- Sharp knife and cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 pound beef sirloin
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice about 1 lemon
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 to 2 fresh red chilies thinly sliced
- ½ tablespoon avocado oil
- sliced scallions for serving, optional
Instructions
- Place the sirloin in the freezer for 30 minutes. It firms up just enough to easily make clean and even slices. Then slice into ½ inch pieces against the grain.
- Mince the garlic and thinly slice the fresh chilies. Add minced garlic, sliced chilies, soy sauce, lemon juice, sugar, and black pepper to a bowl with the sliced meat until well coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat and heat up the avocado oil. Add the beef with its marinade in a single layer. Cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the marinade reduces into a glossy sauce that clings to the beef.
- Transfer to a plate and top with sliced scallions (optional). Serve with garlic rice, a fried egg, and a small dish of spiced vinegar on the side.
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