BreakfastMedium

Machaca with Eggs

Name: Machaca with Eggs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Vegetable oil; 1 clove Garlic; 250 g Shredded dried beef; 0.5 White onion; 1 Poblano chilli; 2 Serrano chilli; 6 Egg; 2 Tomato; 0.25 tsp Black pepper; 0.5 tsp Salt; 8 Flour tortilla

35 min (15 prep + 20 cook) Medium 4 servings Norte de Mexico

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 4 Feb 2026 · Updated: 10 Mar 2026

Shredded dried beef sauteed with eggs, tomato, onion and chillies. A classic northern Mexican breakfast.

About this recipe

Machaca con huevo is a hearty breakfast from northern Mexico, particularly beloved in Sonora, Chihuahua and Nuevo Leon. It features machaca (dried, salted shredded beef) sauteed with scrambled eggs, tomatoes, onion, chillies and spices. Served piping hot with flour tortillas and charros or refried beans, it is the ultimate comfort food to start the day.

History & Origin

Machaca con huevo is an emblematic breakfast of northern México, particularly the states of Sonora, Chihuahua and Nuevo León. The technique of sun-drying and shredding meat (machaca) was developed by the indigenous peoples of the Sonoran desert as a preservation method in the extremely hot climate where fresh meat spoiled rapidly. During the era of the nineteenth-century cattle ranches, northern cowboys adopted machaca as portable food for their long journeys. The word 'machaca' comes from the process of pounding the dried meat with stones until it shreds. Today it is served as a hearty breakfast rolled in large flour tortillas in burrito style, accompanied by frijoles charros and red salsa, and is a morning ritual in northern cities such as Monterrey and Hermosillo.

Estimated cost

£24.17

Total cost

£6.05

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

472

Calories

24g

Protein

35g

Carbohydrates

22g

Fat

Fibre

864mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
If using packaged dried machaca, shred the meat by hand into fine strips. If it is very dry, soak it in warm water for 5 minutes and drain well.
💡 Authentic machaca from northern Mexico is salted, sun-dried beef that is shredded by hand. In Europe, you can find it at online Mexican grocery shops.
2
Dice the tomato into small cubes, finely chop the onion, mince the serrano chilli and slice the poblano chilli into thin strips. Mince the garlic.
3
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and garlic for 2 minutes until translucent.
4
Add the shredded machaca and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the meat is lightly browned and fragrant.
5
Add the poblano chilli strips, serrano chilli and tomato. Cook for a further 3 minutes until the tomato releases its juices.
6
Beat the eggs in a bowl with the salt and pepper. Pour them over the machaca and vegetable mixture.
7
Gently stir with a spatula over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the eggs are just set but still moist. Do not overcook.
💡 In northern Mexico, machaca con huevo is typically eaten in burritos: rolled up in a large flour tortilla.
8
Serve immediately with warm flour tortillas, charros or refried beans, and red or green salsa on the side.