Beef Tapa

I realize that this is another beef entry.   I think it’s only right that I post this after my entry on Beef Steak Tagalog (Bistek) because it was through a bistek disaster (well, sort of!) that I discovered for myself how to make Beef Tapa.   You see, we were supposed to have Bistek one night and I totally forgot that I had  a pan of beef simmering in its marinade on the stove.  When I finally came back to earth and remembered I was cooking bistek, the marinade has already dried up in the pan and the beef was already in danger of getting burnt.   It was an “aha” moment, all right!  To save face, I told hubby I changed my mind and cooked beef tapa instead.  Kidding!

My very first accidental beef tapa was marinated in the very same marinade I use for Beef Steak Tagalog, which is, as a rule of thumb: 1/3 cup soy sauce and the juice of 1 lemon per pound of beef.  These days, whenever I make beef tapa, if only to distinguish it from bistek, I add lots of minced garlic to the marinade and a tablespoon or so of brown sugar.  To cook, you can either just let the beef simmer in the pan with the marinade until it dries up or you can just fry the marinated beef in hot oil.

If I have leftover rice in the fridge, I make fried rice in the same pan where the Beef Tapa was cooked.    That’s exactly how I cooked the rice you see on these photos.  This is best served with eggs for that oh-so-yummy TapSiLog (tapa, sinangag, itlog).  I think I was out of eggs when I made these beef tapa meal, which is why instead of eggs, I had a side of vegetables…that’s TapSiLay for you, where “lay” stands for gulay (vegetables).  Hee hee.

With that I say, eat meat in moderation, ok?  Even if you have bcbsnc coverage.

I hope you’re having a great week because I sure am! Cheers!