Literally “dried meat,” carne seca is beef squared. Served in bite-size strips, it is glistening mahogany and fairly dripping flavor, dry and yet wildly succulent, rugged and pure pleasure to chew. A specialty of Sonoran Desert country and product of a time when refrigeration was unavailable, it traditionally is marinated then air-dried, after which it is shredded, spiced, and sautéed. In concert with grilled onions, chopped tomatoes, and hot chile, it is an echt-Southwest dish. In Mexico and on Mexican restaurant menus, it often goes by the name machaca, and it is a very close cousin to beef jerky.
Tacos are a natural home for carne seca, as is Tucson’s awe-inspiring topopo salad, in which the verdurous flavor of lettuce and vegetables offers profound contrast to the chewy shreds of dark beef. It also is a natural top-ping for a tostada grande, aka “Mexican pizza,” which is a crisp foot-and-a-half-wide tortilla blanketed with molten cheese and strewn with green chiles, guacamole, and refritos. With scrambled eggs, it is a breakfast of champions.