Dishes like tsik (sometimes written dzik) capture the uniquely bright and bold simplicity of the Yucatan’s cooking. It’s a shredded beef salad of sorts, seasoned with the region’s famous habanero and citrus, studded with red onion and perfumed with cilantro. Piled into warm tortillas, tsik is the perfect answer to eating tacos in hot-weather places.
I’ve been told that in the old days you could go to the market in the Yucatan’s Mérida or Valladolid, or, perhaps, Uxmal and buy venado hecho pib–venison that was pit-roasted the way pork has been done for cochinita pibil for generations. That was the meat to make into tsik for tacos or for piling on tostadas. Nowadays, with growing restrictions on hunting Yucatan’s once-abundant wild deer, people make tsik with beef that’s simmered to tenderness–very tasty (and easily accessible). So I’m giving you those directions.
For those interested in recreating old-time flavors: You can make a version of venado hecho pib, by first seasoning 1 pound of venison (cut into 3-inch squares or sections) heavily with salt and pepper. (If you’re in the Yucatan, you can replace the salt and pepper with a liberal smear of recado blanco or recado de bistec that’s been softened with sour orange juice.) Lay the meat on a well-oiled hot grill and sear it on all sides. Collect the meat in a banana leaf (if frozen, defrost it; if fresh, pass it over the heat to soften it). Fold the banana leaf over the meat to create a neat package. Set 3 or 4 small heat-proof dishes in the bottom of a Dutch oven, then pour in an inch of water. Set a rack on the dishes, set the venison package on the rack, then set the top in place. Bake on the grill or in a 325-degree oven until the meat is fall-apart tender, usually 2 to 3 hours. Cool, shred and finish the tzik as described below.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound flank or skirt steak, cut into 2-inch squares or sections
- Salt
- 1 small red onion, chopped into small pieces (divided use)
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half
- 2 or 3 bay leaves
- 3 or 4 large radishes, cut into small pieces or thin strips (julienned)
- 2 or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 5 or 6 tablespoons fresh sour orange juice or lime
- 1 or 2 fresh habanero chiles, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
- 16 warm corn tortillas
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook and shred the meat. Collect the meat in a medium (2- to 3-quart) saucepan, add enough water to cover the meat by 1 inch, add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil over high heat. When the water begins to boil, reduce the heat to keep it at a gentle simmer. Skim off any grayish foam that rises during the first few minutes of cooking, then scoop in half of the onion, garlic and bay. Partially cover and simmer until the meat is pull-apart tender, about an hour or so. If there is time, let the meat cool in the broth for maximum juiciness, then remove it and pull into small strands. (Refrigerate the broth for another dish.) Scoop into a bowl.
Finish the tzik. Rinse the remaining onion under cold water, then shake off the excess and add it to the meat, along with the radish, cilantro and sour orange or lime. Stir to combine. Add as much of the habanero as you (and your guests) will enjoy. Taste and season with salt, usually a generous teaspoon. Pass the bowl at the table for everyone to make tacos with warm tortillas.
