{"id":23778,"date":"2026-09-11T10:24:46","date_gmt":"2026-09-11T17:24:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/?p=23778"},"modified":"2026-09-11T10:29:45","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T17:29:45","slug":"carne-seca-from-scratch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/carne-seca-from-scratch\/","title":{"rendered":"Carne Seca from Scratch"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"pl-[var(--msg-block-inset,0.5rem)] pt-4 pb-4\" data-find-omitted=\"\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col font-sans\">\n<div class=\"relative overflow-hidden bg-surface-2\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col gap-lg\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col gap-sm\">\n<h2 class=\"text-title font-medium text-primary\">Homemade Carne Seca (Machaca)<\/h2>\n<p class=\"text-body text-secondary\">Traditional Northern Mexican-style dried, seasoned shredded beef \u2014 eat as jerky or fry with eggs\/onions\/peppers for machaca<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<section>\n<h3 class=\"mb-3 text-[16px] leading-[20px] font-medium text-primary\">Ingredients<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"space-y-1 text-body text-primary\">\n<li><span class=\"text-primary\">2 pounds beef flank steak or eye of round, trimmed of fat<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text-primary\">1 lime, juiced<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text-primary\">4 garlic cloves, minced<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text-primary\">2 tablespoons salt<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text-primary\">1 tablespoons black pepper, freshly ground<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text-primary\">2 tablespoons chili powder<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text-primary\">1 teaspoons ground cumin<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text-primary\">1 teaspoons smoked paprika<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text-primary\">1 teaspoons dried oregano (Mexican if available)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text-primary\">2 tablespoons white vinegar<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"text-primary\">0.5 teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"-mt-xs\">\n<h3 class=\"mb-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] font-medium text-primary\">Steps<\/h3>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col gap-4\">\n<div class=\"flex items-start gap-sm\">\n<p><button class=\"flex size-7 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full text-body font-medium transition-colors bg-neutral text-secondary hover:bg-neutral-hover\" aria-label=\"Mark as complete\">1<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex min-h-7 flex-1 flex-col justify-center text-body text-primary\">\n<div><span class=\"font-medium\">Slice the beef thin: <\/span>Partially freeze the <span class=\"text-primary\">2 pounds beef flank steak or eye of round, trimmed of fat<\/span> for 45 minutes to firm it up, then slice against the grain into thin strips, about 1\/4 inch thick. Thin, even strips dry more evenly.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex items-start gap-sm\">\n<p><button class=\"flex size-7 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full text-body font-medium transition-colors bg-neutral text-secondary hover:bg-neutral-hover\" aria-label=\"Mark as complete\">2<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex min-h-7 flex-1 flex-col justify-center text-body text-primary\">\n<div><span class=\"font-medium\">Make the marinade: <\/span>In a bowl, whisk together <span class=\"text-primary\">1 lime, juiced<\/span>, <span class=\"text-primary\">4 garlic cloves, minced<\/span>, <span class=\"text-primary\">2 tablespoons salt<\/span>, <span class=\"text-primary\">1 tablespoons black pepper, freshly ground<\/span>, <span class=\"text-primary\">2 tablespoons chili powder<\/span>, <span class=\"text-primary\">1 teaspoons ground cumin<\/span>, <span class=\"text-primary\">1 teaspoons smoked paprika<\/span>, <span class=\"text-primary\">1 teaspoons dried oregano (Mexican if available)<\/span>, <span class=\"text-primary\">2 tablespoons white vinegar<\/span>, and <span class=\"text-primary\">0.5 teaspoons cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)<\/span> until combined into a wet rub.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex items-start gap-sm\">\n<p><button class=\"flex size-7 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full text-body font-medium transition-colors bg-neutral text-secondary hover:bg-neutral-hover\" aria-label=\"Mark as complete\">3<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex min-h-7 flex-1 flex-col justify-center text-body text-primary\">\n<div><span class=\"font-medium\">Marinate the beef: <\/span>Toss the beef strips thoroughly in the marinade, making sure every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight for deeper flavor.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex items-start gap-sm\">\n<p><button class=\"flex size-7 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full text-body font-medium transition-colors bg-neutral text-secondary hover:bg-neutral-hover\" aria-label=\"Mark as complete\">4<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex min-h-7 flex-1 flex-col justify-center text-body text-primary\">\n<div><span class=\"font-medium\">Arrange for drying: <\/span>Remove strips from the marinade, shaking off excess liquid. Lay them flat on dehydrator trays or on wire racks set over baking sheets, without overlapping.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex items-start gap-sm\">\n<p><button class=\"flex size-7 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full text-body font-medium transition-colors bg-neutral text-secondary hover:bg-neutral-hover\" aria-label=\"Mark as complete\">5<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex min-h-7 flex-1 flex-col justify-center text-body text-primary\">\n<div><span class=\"font-medium\">Dry the meat: <\/span>Dehydrate at 155-160\u00b0F for 6 hours, or use an oven on its lowest setting (around 170\u00b0F) with the door slightly cracked, until the strips are firm, dry, and dark but still slightly pliable (not brittle).<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex items-start gap-sm\">\n<p><button class=\"flex size-7 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full text-body font-medium transition-colors bg-neutral text-secondary hover:bg-neutral-hover\" aria-label=\"Mark as complete\">6<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex min-h-7 flex-1 flex-col justify-center text-body text-primary\">\n<div><span class=\"font-medium\">Cool and store: <\/span>Let the dried beef cool completely to room temperature. Store in an airtight container or vacuum-sealed bag. It keeps 1-2 weeks at room temp, or 3-6 months refrigerated\/frozen.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex items-start gap-sm\">\n<p><button class=\"flex size-7 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full text-body font-medium transition-colors bg-neutral text-secondary hover:bg-neutral-hover\" aria-label=\"Mark as complete\">7<\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex min-h-7 flex-1 flex-col justify-center text-body text-primary\">\n<div><span class=\"font-medium\">Shred for machaca (optional): <\/span>To use as machaca, shred or pound the dried strips into fine threads using your hands, a mallet, or a food processor pulsed briefly. Fry the shredded meat with diced onion, tomato, and roasted green chile, then scramble in eggs if desired.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"bg-neutral\">\n<h3 class=\"mb-2 text-body font-medium text-primary\">Notes<\/h3>\n<div class=\"text-body text-secondary [&amp;_ul]:list-disc [&amp;_ul]:pl-4 [&amp;_ul]:my-1 [&amp;_ol]:list-decimal [&amp;_ol]:pl-4 [&amp;_ol]:my-1 [&amp;_li]:my-0.5 [&amp;_p]:my-1 [&amp;_p:first-child]:mt-0 [&amp;_p:last-child]:mb-0 [&amp;_strong]:font-medium [&amp;_em]:italic\">\n<p>For a smokier, more traditional flavor, you can dry the strips outdoors in the sun (covered with cheesecloth to keep bugs off) over 1-2 days instead of using a dehydrator or oven \u2014 this is the classic method. If you don&#8217;t have a dehydrator, a home oven works fine, just watch it closely since ovens run hotter than ideal drying temps.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"font-sans pr-sm text-right text-caption mt-sm\"><a class=\"cds-reset cds-text-link cds-text-link-underline inline cursor-pointer text-muted no-underline hover:underline focus-visible:underline\" href=\"https:\/\/support.claude.com\/en\/articles\/13641943-visual-and-interactive-content\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-cds=\"TextLink\" aria-describedby=\"_r_f6_\">Results from the web<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"prose\" data-cds=\"Prose\">\n<div class=\"_blocks_4za3l_47 standard-markdown grid-cols-1 grid [&amp;_&gt;_*]:min-w-0 whitespace-normal break-words print:block standard-markdown\" data-perf-reply-text=\"\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">This gives you the base flavor profile most carne seca brands use (garlic, lime, chili, cumin), scaled around a 2 lb cut of beef \u2014 close to that 16 oz finished-product weight range once it dries down. Adjust the chili powder and cayenne to taste if you want it spicier or milder.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Homemade Carne Seca (Machaca) Traditional Northern Mexican-style dried, seasoned shredded beef \u2014 eat as jerky or fry with eggs\/onions\/peppers for machaca Ingredients 2 pounds beef flank steak or eye of round, trimmed of fat 1 lime, juiced 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons salt 1 tablespoons black pepper, freshly ground 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/carne-seca-from-scratch\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Carne Seca from Scratch&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23778","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-grandpas-private-collection"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23778","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23778"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23778\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23782,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23778\/revisions\/23782"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grandpacooks.com\/recipes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}