Machaca con Huevo Recipe (With Variations)

Name: Machaca con Huevos (With Variations)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon pork lard (or vegetable oil); 1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion; 1 teaspoon finely diced fresh serrano chile pepper; 1/4 cup machaca (finely shredded); 1 small tomato (seeded and diced); Pinch of cumin; Pinch of salt; 3 eggs (beaten); 2 flour tortillas (hot); Optional: refried beans; Garnish: sliced tomatoes, smashed avocado

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Total: 15 mins

Servings: 2 servings

Yield: 2 tortillas

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Machaca, (muh CHA kuh) in its traditional form, is beef that has been marinated, cooked, shredded, and then dried—a kind of Mexican beef jerky. It developed in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States and remains popular in that region

It used to be that cooks had to rehydrate machaca before using it, but that step is no longer necessary; as refrigeration has become widely available, machaca rarely gets fully dried anymore.

One of the easiest ways to eat machaca is in the scrambled egg preparation called machaca con huevos. Look for the seasoned meat in the Latino foods section of a supermarket or a Mexican grocery store and whip up a flavorful, hearty, high-protein breakfast, brunch, or dinner. If you can't find authentic Mexican machaca, use a shredded beef jerky, or make the recipe with fresh shredded beef or pork.

Since machaca con huevos originated in northern Mexico, hot flour tortillas generally accompany it.

1 teaspoon pork lard, or vegetable oil
1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh serrano chile pepper
1/4 cup machaca, finely shredded
1 small tomato, seeded and diced
1 pinch cumin
1 pinch salt
3 large eggs, beaten
2 warm flour tortillas
Refried beans, optional
Sliced tomatoes, for garnish
1 mashed avocado, for garnish

Gather the ingredients.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Heat the lard or oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sauté the onion and serrano chile for about 20 seconds.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Add the machaca and cook for about 1 minute more.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Mix in the tomatoes and seasonings. Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside, keeping it warm.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
In the same pan, scramble the eggs until they just barely set.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the tomato and machaca mixture.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Let the eggs sit in the hot pan for an additional minute to finish cooking.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Serve machaca con huevos with hot flour tortillas and refried beans, if you like. Garnish with a scoop of smashed avocado and tomato slices. Serve and enjoy.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Recipe Variations

Use a jalapeño instead of a serrano chile pepper.
Omit the chili in the recipe (or substitute green pepper for the chili) and serve machaca and egg scramble with spicy guacamole or Mexican table sauce.
Omit the onion, tomatoes, and chili from the recipe, then serve a simplified machaca con huevos with a fresh pico de gallo salsa (same ingredients, different presentation).
Use machaca con huevos as a filling for burritos or tortas.
Fry the machaca with the other ingredients, omitting the eggs. Cook the eggs independently (scrambled or over-easy) and serve them alongside the prepared meat.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1327	Calories
57g	Fat
169g	Carbs
41g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories	1327
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 57g	73%
Saturated Fat 12g	60%
Cholesterol 290mg	97%
Sodium 1687mg	73%
Total Carbohydrate 169g	61%
Dietary Fiber 25g	91%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 41g
Vitamin C 62mg	310%
Calcium 199mg	15%
Iron 12mg	65%
Potassium 2168mg	46%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.