Tapsilog
Tapsilog
The King of Filipino Breakfast Combos
About This Recipe
Tapsilog is the breakfast that built an entire fast-food category in the Philippines. The name itself tells you exactly what's on the plate: tapa (cured beef), sinangag (garlic fried rice), and itlog (egg). Walk past any carinderia at 6 AM and you'll see construction workers, students, and office employees all hunched over the same thing - a steaming plate of tapsilog with a cup of barako coffee on the side.
What separates a forgettable version from one you'll crave all week comes down to three things: the marinade needs time to work (skip the shortcut, marinate overnight), the garlic rice has to use day-old rice (fresh rice turns into mush), and that egg yolk better be runny. My lola used to say the yolk is the sawsawan you don't need to make separately. She wasn't wrong.
Ingredients
- 500g beef sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp calamansi juice (or lemon juice)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 3 cups day-old cooked rice (for sinangag)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced and toasted (for sinangag)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil (for sinangag)
- 1/2 tsp salt (for sinangag)
- 3 large eggs
- Vinegar with garlic and chili (for sawsawan)
Instructions
- 1
Marinate the Beef Tapa
Combine soy sauce, calamansi juice, minced garlic, brown sugar, and black pepper in a bowl. Add the thinly sliced beef and toss until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at minimum 4 hours. The longer the beef sits, the deeper the flavor gets.
- 2
Cook the Sinangag
Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Toss in the minced garlic and stir until golden but not burnt - about 30 seconds. Add day-old rice and break up any clumps with your spatula. Season with salt and keep tossing for 3-4 minutes until the rice is hot, slightly crispy on the edges, and every grain smells like garlic.
- 3
Fry the Tapa
Heat oil in a separate skillet over medium-high heat. Pull the beef from the marinade and shake off excess liquid. Spread the slices in a single layer - don't crowd the pan or the meat steams instead of searing. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until the edges caramelize and turn slightly charred.
- 4
Fry the Eggs Sunny Side Up
In the same pan with the beef drippings, crack the eggs gently. Lower the heat to medium-low. Cover with a lid for about 2 minutes so the whites set completely while the yolk stays runny. A runny yolk is non-negotiable here - it becomes the sauce that ties everything together.
- 5
Plate the Tapsilog
Scoop the garlic rice onto a plate, lay the tapa slices on one side, and place the egg right on top of the rice. Serve with a small dish of spiced vinegar on the side. Break the yolk over the rice, dip the tapa in the vinegar, and that's the proper way to eat this.
Tips & Variations
Best Beef Cuts for Tapa
Sirloin works great for most budgets. If you want something more tender, go for beef tenderloin or rib-eye. Slice against the grain and keep the pieces thin - about 3mm thick is the sweet spot.
Quick Marinade Shortcut
No time for overnight? Pound the beef slices thin with a meat mallet, then marinate for 2 hours. You lose a bit of depth, but the thinner cuts absorb flavor faster.
The Perfect Runny Egg
Use a non-stick pan and keep the heat low after cracking the egg. Cover with a lid and check at 90 seconds. The white should be firm, the yolk still jiggly when you shake the pan.