title: Carne seca
text: # Carne seca
  
      See also carne-seca, a Brazilian dried meat.
  
  Carne seca ("dried meat" in Spanish) is a type of dried beef used in Mexican cuisine.
  
  ## Regional variants
  
  ### Northern Mexico
  
  In northern Mexican cuisine, particularly the states of Chihuahua, Sonora, and Nuevo León, carne seca is cooked in a dish called machacado (named machaca in other states), which includes tomatoes, onions, chile verde, and eggs. Sometimes, potatoes are included or used in lieu of eggs.
  
  ### Southwestern United States
  
  **Arizona**
  
  In Arizona, according to Marian Burros of The New York Times, carne seca is a popular meat filling used by Tucson-area Mexican restaurants in enchiladas, chimichangas, and tacos, and is sometimes mixed with eggs.
  
  **California**
  
  According to The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink, the newly arrived Anglo-Californians had acquired the taste for carne seca from their Californio neighbors during the 19th century California Gold Rush era.
  
  **New Mexico**
  
  In New Mexico, the term carne seca in New Mexican cuisine refers to a thinly sliced variant of jerky, the style influenced by Hispano, Navajo, and Pueblo communities resulting in a crispy consistency reminiscent of a potato chip or a cracker.
  
  