Tamaulipan cuisine: grilled meat, stuffed crabs and northern border

What is it?

Tamaulipan cuisine is the gastronomic tradition of the state of Tamaulipas, on the northeastern border of Mexico with the United States on the Gulf of Mexico. It is a dual cuisine that combines the ranching of the semi-arid north with marine products of the coast, giving rise to dishes such as Tampico-style grilled meat (an iconic creation of a Mexico City restaurant in 1939 inspired by Tampico), Tampico stuffed crabs, crab chicharrones, Victoria gorditas, Tampico-style enchiladas, mochomos (shredded browned meat), Victoria flautas and northern flour tortillas with frijoles charros. It is consumed daily in Tampico, Ciudad Victoria, Matamoros and Reynosa, with strong Tex-Mex influence in the border area and Huastec heritage in the south of the state.

Origin and history

Tamaulipan cuisine inherits from the Huastec peoples of the south of the state (ancestral growers of maize and zacahuil), from the Pame and Huachichil peoples of the centre, and from the influence of colonial ranching in 17th- and 18th-century haciendas. The founding of Nuevo Santander by José de Escandón in 1748 (with villas such as San Carlos, Santander, Burgos, Camargo, Reynosa, Mier and Matamoros) organised the territory around cattle raising. Tampico, founded in 1823 on the remains of ancient Pánuco, became one of the main oil and fishing ports of the Gulf from the late 19th century. Tampico stuffed crabs are a local legacy of the 19th-20th centuries. Tampico-style grilled meat was actually created by José Inés Loredo at his Tampico Club restaurant in Mexico City in 1939 (not in Tampico), according to Larousse Cocina, inspired by the Huastec-coastal tradition; it consists of cecina or steak grilled and served with mole enchilada, refried beans, guacamole and chilli strips. Mochomos and machaca are traditional in the north of the state. The border with Texas and constant migration have generated a strong Tex-Mex fusion with burritos, fajitas and chimichangas.

Characteristic ingredients

Beef is the star in grilled cuts, cecina, mochomos (browned shredded meat with onion and chilli) and machaca with egg. Pork appears in chicharrones, frijoles charros, roasts and carnitas. The most-used chillies are ancho, guajillo, chipotle and chiltepín (wild in the Sierra de Tamaulipas). The Huastec cuisine of the south stands out with zacahuil (a giant tamale up to one metre wrapped in banana leaf with pork or chicken in chile guajillo), Huastec enchiladas, bocoles (small gorditas) and Huastec chile pasilla. The blue crabs of Tampico are the basis of stuffed crabs (with tomato, olives, capers and raisins), golden crab chicharrones, crab tamales and consommé. Gulf prawn, Tampico oysters and fish such as snook and red snapper are eaten fresh. Victoria gorditas are fried in lard and stuffed. The piloncillo of the Huasteca produces alegrías, candied pumpkin and typical sweets. Beer and sotol are northern drinks, along with sugar-cane aguardiente from the Huasteca.

Cultural significance

Tamaulipan cuisine is the identity of the northeastern border and the Huasteca. Tampico-style grilled meat is one of the most internationally imitated Mexican dishes, present on menus from Madrid to Tokyo under the name 'Tampiqueña'. Tampico, a historical port city, sustains a vibrant cuisine of crab, oyster and fish that attracts gastronomic tourism. Festivities such as the Tampico Carnival (one of the most important of the Gulf), the festivities of the Magical Town of Mier and the Huastec festivities in Tampico Alto, Tantoyuca and Tempoal include traditional food as a cultural axis. The Tamaulipan Huasteca preserves the pre-Hispanic zacahuil, declared cultural heritage by the state government. Extensive cattle ranching sustains the rural economy of the centre and north of the state. Tex-Mex border cuisine (burritos, fajitas, chimichangas, melted cheese) has roots in Tamaulipas and became popular in Texas with migration. Historic restaurants such as Loredo in Tampico and Mexico City preserve the original tampiqueña recipe.

Frequently asked questions

Is Tampico-style grilled meat really from Tampico?

Not exactly. Although it bears the name of Tampico, it was created by José Inés Loredo at his Tampico Club restaurant in Mexico City in 1939, inspired by the Huastec-coastal tradition of grilled cecina. Today it is an emblematic dish of Tamaulipas and of all Mexican cuisine, served with mole enchilada, refried beans, guacamole and strips of chile poblano.

What are mochomos?

It is a dish of northern Tamaulipas and Chihuahua: cooked beef, finely shredded and then browned in lard with onion, garlic and red or ancho chilli until crunchy and dry. It is served in flour tacos with guacamole, refried beans and salsa. The name comes from the mochomo ants, comparing the grainy texture of the meat to those ants.

What does Tamaulipan cuisine taste like?

It has robust northern flavours (grilled beef, lard, chile ancho) combined with fresh coastal notes (crab, lime, tomato, coriander) and Huastec heritage (chile pasilla, maize, pork in zacahuil). The border brings melted cheese, cumin and flour tortillas. It is an abundant, substantial and diverse cuisine because of the mixture of landscapes of the state.

Where does Tamaulipan cuisine originate from?

It originates from the state of Tamaulipas, on the northeastern Mexican border with Texas, on the Gulf of Mexico. It combines Huastec heritage (south of the state), the ranching tradition of Nuevo Santander founded by José de Escandón in 1748 (centre-north), Tampico fishing (created in 1823) and Tex-Mex fusion of the border with Texas, especially in Matamoros and Reynosa.