See also carne-seca, a Brazilian dried meat.
| Carne seca | |
| Region: | Northern Mexico and Southwestern United States |
| National Cuisine: | Mexican cuisine |
| Type: | Meat |
| Main Ingredient: | Beef |
Carne seca ("dried meat" in Spanish) is a type of dried beef used in Mexican cuisine.
In northern Mexican cuisine, particularly the states of Chihuahua, Sonora, and Nuevo León, carne seca is cooked in a dish called machacado (named machaca in other states), which includes tomatoes, onions, chile verde, and eggs. Sometimes, potatoes are included or used in lieu of eggs.[1]
In Arizona, according to Marian Burros of The New York Times, carne seca is a popular meat filling used by Tucson-area Mexican restaurants in enchiladas, chimichangas, and tacos, and is sometimes mixed with eggs.[2]
According to The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink, the newly arrived Anglo-Californians had acquired the taste for carne seca from their Californio neighbors during the 19th century California Gold Rush era.[3]
In New Mexico, the term carne seca in New Mexican cuisine refers to a thinly sliced variant of jerky, the style influenced by Hispano, Navajo, and Pueblo communities resulting in a crispy consistency reminiscent of a potato chip or a cracker.[4]