Tacos de escabeche
Tacos de escabeche are Yucatecan tacos of turkey or chicken seasoned with recado de escabeche, a grey paste of garlic, black pepper, oregano and clove, and cooked in a tart broth of sour orange; the style is linked to Valladolid and the east of the state.
Description
Escabeche in Yucatán is not the vinegar pickle of Spain but a broth-based poultry dish with a sharp, peppery seasoning. Its base is recado de escabeche, one of the regional spice pastes; the Yucatán state tourism site describes it as a grey, aromatic paste of garlic, pepper, oregano, onion, x'catik chile and clove. Chicken or turkey is rubbed with the paste and grilled or roasted, then served in a broth seasoned with more of it, either in pieces or shredded.
Shredded and piled into fresh tortillas, the meat becomes a taco. Por Esto! lists escabeche among the tacos that most tempt people in Yucatán, describing chicken or turkey marinated with vinegar, spices and onion and calling it a favorite at celebrations, family meals and traditional stands.
Escabeche oriental
The best-known version is pavo en escabeche oriental, the eastern-style turkey escabeche. Table Journey's Mérida dining guide explains that the name refers to the eastern Yucatecan towns of Valladolid and Tizimín, where the dish took shape, and calls it one of the oldest turkey preparations of the region, a Maya technique softened by contact with Spain. The turkey is roasted whole and served in a broth of toasted spices, among them allspice, oregano, cumin and cloves, sharpened with sour orange. In Valladolid it is a fixture of the Sunday market lunch.
Serving
The classic garnish is red onion charred on the grill, along with grilled x'catik chiles, pickled habanero and lime. When served as a plated dish, the broth comes in a bowl with warm corn tortillas on the side, and diners make their own tacos at the table. At taco stands the meat is shredded in advance, moistened with a little broth and topped with the softened onions.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg turkey thighs or bone-in chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons recado de escabeche (or 10 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 4 cloves, 4 allspice berries and 1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground with 2 tablespoons vinegar)
- Juice of 3 sour oranges (or 1/2 cup orange juice plus 1/4 cup lime juice)
- 1 head garlic, charred
- 2 red onions, thickly sliced
- 4 x'catik or güero chiles
- 1.5 liters water
- Salt
- 16 corn tortillas
- Pickled habanero and lime wedges
Steps
- Rub the poultry with two-thirds of the recado mixed with half the citrus juice and salt. Marinate 1 hour.
- Simmer the poultry in the water with the charred garlic and the rest of the recado until tender, about 1 hour for turkey, 40 minutes for chicken.
- Lift out the meat and grill or broil it until browned at the edges. Shred it, discarding skin and bones.
- Grill or broil the onions and chiles until soft and charred. Add the onions to the broth with the remaining citrus juice and simmer 5 minutes.
- Moisten the shredded meat with some broth. Fill warm tortillas and top with onions, a chile and pickled habanero. Serve broth on the side.
Recado de escabeche is sold in Yucatecan markets and by online Mexican grocers.
Where to try it
- Taco Mesa, Orange, California
Reviews
Reviews and tips open at launch. Readers will be able to share where they found the best version of this and how they make it at home.
See also
References
- "Día del Taco 2026: estos son los que más antojo provocan en Yucatán". Por Esto!. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "365 Flavors of Yucatán – No. 080 Escabeche Seasoning". Yucatán Travel (Yucatán state tourism). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
- "Where to eat Pavo en escabeche oriental in Mérida". Table Journey. Retrieved 2026-10-10.