Tzik de Venado (Yucatecan Venison Salpicón)
Yucatecan venison salpicón with radish, sour orange and habanero chilli.
About this recipe
Tzik is the Yucatecan venison salpicón: finely shredded cooked meat mixed with radish, red onion, coriander, habanero chilli and sour orange juice. Fresh, acidic and fiery, it is served at room temperature as a snack or starter in Yucatán and Campeche.
History & Origin
Tzik de venado is one of the oldest dishes in Maya cooking, eaten before the arrival of the Spanish. The word tzik in Yucatecan Maya means 'respect' or 'reverence', which hints at the ceremonial value the deer held in the Maya worldview: the fawn was a sacred animal linked to the gods of the hunt. The preparation was simple in origin: meat boiled in water and shredded, mixed with available wild herbs and vegetables and sharpened with sour orange juice - a citrus the Maya adopted as their own after colonisation. The habanero chilli, native to the Yucatán Peninsula, contributed the region's characteristic heat. Today tzik is prepared mainly with white-tailed deer and served in Yucatecan fondas as a starter before main courses of cochinita or poc chuc.
Estimated cost
£12.41
Total cost
£2.07
Per serving
* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets
Nutritional information per serving
280
Calories
36g
Protein
10g
Carbohydrates
8g
Fat
2g
Fibre
420mg
Sodium
* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.
Method
- 1
Cook the venison in water with garlic, bay leaves, pepper and salt for 1½–2 hours over low heat until very tender. Leave to cool in the broth.
- 2
Shred the meat very finely with your fingers or two forks. The texture should be fine threads, not chunks.
- 3
Slice the red onion into very thin half-moons. Chop the coriander and slice the radishes thinly. Finely chop the habanero chilli (remove seeds for less heat).
- 4
Mix the shredded meat with the onion, coriander, radishes and habanero. Pour over the sour orange juice and mix well.
- 5
Season with salt and leave to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes for the flavours to meld. Serve with tostadas or tortillas and avocado.
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Founder, Recetas Mexas
Mexican from Puebla, IT professional and foodie. Author of 1000+ authentic Mexican recipes adapted for home kitchens worldwide. Based in Madrid since 2018.
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