Tapsilog, a popular Filipino meal, is a portmanteau of the dish’s three components: tapa (beef), sinangag (garlic fried rice), and itlog (fried egg). It’s one of many variations of silog (garlic fried rice plus fried egg), others of which include tosilog (made with pork), bangsilog (fish), and Spamsilog (Spam).
Tapa has origins in the pre-refrigeration era, when it was cured and dried in a fashion similar to beef jerky as a means of preservation, but today the meat is most often marinated before being fried or grilled. There are countless ways to make the marinade and prepare the protein (read more about silog and its variations here!), but the method below is my personal favorite.
While my recipe is fairly straightforward, there are a few ways to ensure a great result. First, make sure that the garlic in the tapa marinade is coarsely—not finely—chopped; otherwise, it will burn in the hot oil. Second, really drain the marinade from the beef (I like to press it firmly against a fine-mesh sieve to get rid of as much liquid as possible). Third, have a pair of long tongs handy when you start frying, as the oil will splatter when the meat cooks and you’ll want to stand back. Though silog is traditionally served for breakfast—occasionally alongside spicy vinegar, fresh tomato, cucumber, or atchara (a kind of pickled papaya)—it makes a savory, satisfying meal any time of day. —Arlyn Osborne
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What you’ll need
Whisk
$12 At Amazon
Large Nonstick Skillet
$50 At Amazon
Silicone Spatula
$13 At Amazon
Medium Bowl
$29 At Amazon
Mesh Sieve
$15 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
tapa
assembly
Preparation
tapa
Step 1
Pat beef dry with paper towels. Whisk garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, cornstarch, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt in a medium bowl. Add beef to marinade and toss well to coat. Cover and chill at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.
Step 2
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high. Drain beef in a sieve, letting as much excess marinade drip off as possible. Add half of beef to skillet, arranging in a single layer and cook, turning halfway through, until beef is cooked through and deeply browned in spots, about 3 minutes (be careful; the marinade will splatter). Transfer beef to a plate. Discard any garlic remaining in pan and repeat process with remaining beef. Keep warm. Clean skillet and set aside.
assembly
Step 3
Place rice in a large bowl and break up with a rubber spatula. Stir in 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; set aside.
Step 4
Heat oil in reserved skillet over medium-low. Cook garlic, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain garlic in a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl; transfer to a small plate.
Step 5
Pour 2 Tbsp. garlic oil back into skillet and heat over medium-high. Add reserved rice mixture and stir to coat in oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Set 1 Tbsp. fried garlic aside for serving and stir remaining fried garlic into rice. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.
Step 6
Heat remaining garlic oil in the same skillet over medium-high (you should have 2 Tbsp.; add vegetable oil to make up the difference if needed). Crack eggs into skillet and season with salt. Cook until whites are almost set, about 2 minutes. Carefully tilt skillet so oil pools on one side. Spoon oil over egg whites until fully set, about 1 minute.
Step 7
Divide rice mixture, meat, and eggs among plates and top with reserved fried garlic.
