Parisa: The Cowboy Ceviche Recipe
Discover > Texas Recipes > Parisa: The Cowboy Ceviche Recipe
Who knew that a Texas-style ceviche – with an ingredient list featuring raw Texas beef (how long does beef last?), onion, cheese, lime juice, and various spices– could take you out of this world? But that’s the magic of Parisa.
When I first tried Parisa, I was both surprised and delighted by its bold flavor. This cowboy ceviche dish is a fantastic melting pot of sorts - the blend of cool mineral-rich beef, creamy cheese, and piquant green peppers together made it a truly unique combination. It certainly stands a cut above traditional appetizers and the contrast between ingredients left me wanting to go back for another bit.
This Texas dish has blended together local ingredients to create something truly unique and delicious. With its zesty flavor profile, it’s hard not to be captivated by the flavor offerings at play in this ceviche. Whether used as part of a light meal or starter course for any dinner event, Parisa is sure to please even the pickiest of eaters! Read on to get all the details about this one-of-a-kind delicacy!
Origins of Parisa
Originating in the Texas Hill Country in Medina County, Parisa is dubbed "cowboy ceviche" for its combination of raw meat, onion, cheese, lime juice, and various spices. This scrumptious recipe was brought to the area by French immigrants who settled in the Alsace region. Yet similar dishes exist beyond France's borders as steak tartare is a closely related dish; it consists of raw beef accompanied with condiments such as onions, capers and seasonings.
Further east in Germany you can find Mett; a variation of Parisa where raw ground pork is mixed with onion, salt and pepper – sometimes referred to as tiger meat! Whichever manner you may choose to cook up this delicious dish, Parisa is certainly a popularly enjoyed meal among many cities around the world.
With a bounty of fresh local produce, fresh meat and dairy, freshly-baked goods, and handcrafted wares (sometimes, a surprise musical guest too!), Hill Country Farmers Market surely adds another attraction to the Dreamland amusement park where they set up shop.
Texas-Style Tartare
For the most part, the European version and the Texas version of this dish are similar. The main difference between them is that the Texas variant has some finely chopped or ground sirloin blended with citrus zest such as lime or lemon, pungent aromatics of garlic and onions, shredded yellow cheese to give it an extra boost of flavor and seasonings for an extra kick. And, of course, because this is Texas, pickled jalapeños or Serrano chiles can't be missed! Not only does it add heat, but also some crunchiness. So if you're craving steak tartare and want something slightly different from the standard European version, then definitely try out its Texan counterpart for a more savory experience!
While it may sound peculiar, seasoned ground beef served on a cracker is actually a delicacy enjoyed in many parts of Texas. Wild Oats (how long do oats last?) in Houston have taken the dish to the high-end restaurant circuit, while regional cookbooks showcase its versatility. Despite its popularity among Texans, unless you come from the right part of the state, chances are you’ve never heard of it before. For people who haven’t experienced eating raw meat before, having ground sirloin on a cracker initially can be off-putting. However, by using fresh meat and adding an additional dose of citrus juice - similar to ceviche and other seafoods - you can safely tuck into this delectable snack with no worries.
Order Parisa from Silver Creek Meat and Gear in Hondo, The Country Mart in D'Hanis, and Dziuk's Meat Market in Castroville.
How to Make Restaurant-Quality Parisa at Home
Buy the highest quality beef possible.
Quality is key when it comes to making restaurant-style Parisa at home. To ensure the best experience, it's best to buy the highest quality beef possible. The superior choice of beef for Parisa is tenderloin – its coveted cuts like filet mignon and chateaubriand are known for their exceptional softness. This means you know you'll be biting into smooth, tender meat with no bits of gristle or chewiness. Sirloin may also be used. If you have a local butcher or specialty meat shop nearby, visit them to acquire the quality beef needed for your tartare experience!
Looking for the best Butchers in Texas? Browse TexasRealFood's list of local butchers that specialize in grass-fed, pasture-raised, and specialty meats.
2. Freeze your beef.
Freeze it. Not just the meat, but any mixing bowls or serving plates as well. That may seem counterintuitive, but it pays off in spades. By temporarily stashing the tartare in the freezer, the tenderloin firms up to make handling so much easier. And this extra step is critical for ensuring that each bite is delightfully cold and perfect. So don't be afraid to put your ingredients in the freezer for a bit—it's worth it!
3. Chop it by hand.
Hand-chopping the beef for a restaurant quality beef tartare (What wine goes well with beef tartare?) can be tedious, but it pays off. It is worth taking the extra time using a sharp chef's knife to cut the tenderloin into very thin slices and then into thin strips about 1/8" thick. The next step requires gathering several of these strips and dicing crosswise until you have 1/8" cubes–totaling a time consuming yet rewarding process. In the end you will have an exquisitely rustic Parisa filled with flavors that simply cannot be replicated with electric meat grinders!
4. Don’t forget the mix ins!
Start by making sure to keep the meat extremely chilled, as it should be served raw. Once it's been cut up, fold in your mix-ins - such as finely chopped citrus juice, onions and garlic for a pungent flavor, shredded cheese for richness and Serrano chiles for a bit of kick. The best Parisa is defined by its mix-ins - so don't be afraid to get creative and experiment with the ingredients! Serve with hearty slices of toasted baguette or saltine crackers and voila, you've just created restaurant-quality Parisa at home.
Parisa Recipe
Ingredients
1 pound piece of very lean beef : tenderloin or sirloin
1 cup 10% acidity white vinegar
8 ounces grated American cheese
8 ounces very finely chopped onion
3 cloves (how long do cloves last?) finely minced garlic
2 or 3 finely minced serranos
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
1.5 tbsp lime juice
If you can’t find these ingredients in your local markets, you can order white vinegar, salt, and pepper online!
Instructions
Sterilize the meat. Place uncut meat in a ziploc bag with vinegar in the freezer. Let sit for 15 minutes.
While beef is sitting in vinegar, mince your onions, peppers and garlic, and shred your cheese.
Remove meat from bag, and rinse in cold water. Discard vinegar.
Cut semi frozen meat into ⅛” cubes
Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Taste, and adjust seasonings if desired.
Serve on a plate, typically surrounded by saltine crackers or toasted buttered baguette slices.
The best places to get these items are from your local markets, but if you can’t find any nearby, you can easily order a grater and mixing bowl online!
Discover the finest farm-to-table experience at these six Dallas-based butcher shops, offering a wide range of fresh meats that are free from harmful hormones and antibiotics.
Parisa
Ingredients
- 1 pound piece of very lean beef : tenderloin or sirloin
- 1 cup 10% acidity white vinegar
- 8 ounces grated American cheese
- 8 ounces very finely chopped onion
- 3 cloves finely minced garlic
- 2 or 3 finely minced serranos
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
- 1.5 tbsp lime juice
Instructions
- Sterilize the meat. Place uncut meat in a ziploc bag with vinegar in the freezer. Let sit for 15 minutes.
- While beef is sitting in vinegar, mince your onions, peppers and garlic, and shred your cheese.
- Remove meat from bag, and rinse in cold water. Discard vinegar.
- Cut semi frozen meat into ⅛” cubes
- Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Taste, and adjust seasonings if desired.
- Serve on a plate, typically surrounded by saltine crackers or toasted buttered baguette slices.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
1125Fat
86 gSat. Fat
41 gCarbs
19 gFiber
3 gNet carbs
16 gSugar
8 gProtein
64 gSodium
3177 mgCholesterol
272 mgPercentages are based on a diet of 2000 calories a day.
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