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Carne asada tacos are the first tacos in history. It is believed that the first tacos appeared in the 1500s, made with thin slices of meat cooked over hot coals. The meat was placed in a corn tortilla and topped with guacamole, onions, chili peppers, and lime – also known as the carne asada taco.
Over time, people started to make other versions in different regions, and nowadays we are witnessing a true taco-mania, and it all began with the simple carne asada tacos.
MOST ICONIC Carne asada tacos
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Entrecôte is a type of beef steak that's cut from between the ribs, but it's more commonly known as a thin and boneless rib-eye steak. The butchers cut bone-in rib-eyes with the bone on each side, but there are also six leftover boneless steaks from the meat between each bone-in rib-eye, and they're known as the entrecôtes.
Due to the fact that these cuts are thin, it makes them great for quick cooking on the grill or in a pan (high heat), but it's important not to overcook them. The steaks are juicy, tender, and generously marbled. This type of meat cut is popular in France and Europe, and the word entrecôte means between the ribs.
VARIATIONS OF Ribeye
MOST ICONIC Ribeye
Tassot is a traditional dish made with goat meat or beef as the main ingredient. Cubed meat is usually marinated in a combination of onions, orange juice, and lemon juice. It is then fried until it develops a crispy, brownish exterior. The dish is typically served with fried plantains, rice and beans or mushroom rice, and a spicy sauce known as ti malice on the side.
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A porterhouse steak is a large, thick cut of beef taken from the rear end of the short loin.
Although it is not linked to a specific country of origin, it is most commonly associated with British and American cuisines. It is named "porterhouse" because it was traditionally served in 18th-century porterhouses, which were inns or restaurants that served porter beer.
MOST ICONIC Porterhouse
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Created between 1840 and 1850, the Delmonico steak is a mystery that perplexes many. What you order in one restaurant may be different in another. Various food critics and food historians have come up with more than several differing opinions about this steak, and whether it is bone-in or -out, sirloin, or some other high-priced cut of beef.
Moreover, while the two original chefs de cuisine of Delmonico Restaurant in New York City have both confirmed the preparation method, they still manage to differ slightly. If you order a Delmonico steak at Delmonico's today, you'll get a boneless rib-eye steak that's brushed with butter and beef fat after it has been taken out of the broiler.
MOST ICONIC Delmonico Steak
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Burnt ends are a delicious specialty originating from Kansas City. The name refers to the unusually-shaped, tougher, fattier end pieces of barbecued brisket which were served as appetizers, placed into stews, or given to customers free of charge.
These smoky burnt ends capture melted fat during the barbecue process, making them incredibly flavorful. Nowadays, they are a staple menu item in the city, usually served cubed on their own or smothered in barbecue sauce. Burnt ends can also be used in sandwiches or combined with baked beans and french fries.
MOST ICONIC Burnt Ends
View moreT-bone steak is a popular cut of beef that comes from the short loin section of the cow. It is easily recognizable by the T-shaped bone that runs through the center of the steak, dividing two different cuts of meat. On one side of the bone is the New York strip (or striploin), known for its balance of flavor and tenderness.
On the other side is a small portion of the tenderloin (or filet mignon), which is incredibly tender but less flavorful than the strip side. The T-bone steak is prized for offering both of these cuts in one piece, providing a combination of tenderness and flavor in a single steak.
A variety of foods might be included in a surf and turf, but traditionally, it is an entrée that includes both a portion of meat and a portion of seafood. The meat is usually a steak, while the seafood might be anything from lobster to shrimps or prawns.
The origins of surf and turf are hard to pinpoint, but steak and seafood meals became popular throughout the United States during the 1960s. The meat is typically grilled and served with an accompanying thick sauce, while the seafood is usually grilled, fried, baked, or boiled, depending on the choice of seafood.
MOST ICONIC Surf and Turf
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Machaca is a traditional dish consisting of marinated and shredded beef. The meat is usually marinated in a mixture of garlic, salt, pepper, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, and chilis. Originally, the meat was dried, rehydrated, and pounded to make it tender again.
Although meat-drying is one of the oldest methods of preservation, drying the beef with native spices and chilis was invented by the people of northern Mexico. Today, shredded beef is often cooked with onions, garlic, bell peppers, and finely chopped tomatoes.
MOST ICONIC Machaca
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Ropa vieja is the national dish of Cuba, a hearty stew made with shredded beef, tomatoes, onions, and peppers. The stew is traditionally served with yellow rice and a glass of cold beer on the side. Like many Cuban dishes, this one also originated in Spain and was brought over to Cuba and the Caribbean territory by the Spaniards.
It is believed that the Sephardic Jews from the Iberian Peninsula invented the dish because they could not cook on the Sabbath, so they prepared this hearty stew a day in advance. Ropa vieja means old clothes, referring to an unusual story saying that a poor man once shredded and cooked his clothes because he could not afford to buy food.
MOST ICONIC Ropa vieja
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TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 40 North American Beef Dishes” list until March 21, 2025, 2,135 ratings were recorded, of which 1,624 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.