Eggs with Pastırma (Turkish Air-Dried Cured Beef)

Slice 5 pieces of pastırma into a pan. Add 1/2 tablespoon of butter and 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil, then sauté the pastırma briefly. Crack 5 eggs on top, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and cover with a lid. Once the eggs are cooked, remove from the heat. Serve hot. Enjoy! 

About This Recipe

The history of pastırma traces back to the culinary culture of the nomadic Central Asian Turks. Living as both nomads and warriors, the Central Asian Turks would always take salted pieces of beef and other animal meats with them so they could keep moving on horseback without losing time or going without nourishment. They would carry these meats sometimes pressed inside leather pouches, and sometimes tied to their horse's saddle and pressed between their legs. During these journeys that lasted weeks, these compressed, salted pieces of meat would transform into pastırma. Nutritionally, these salted cuts of meat — known as pastırma — were greatly beneficial to the warriors.

The famous Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi described pastırma in his travel writings with these words: "Nowhere else can one find the cumin-spiced beef pastırma known as 'lahm-ı kadit' and the musky meat sucuk (Turkish spiced beef sausage). They are sent to Istanbul as gifts."

From ancient times to today, the beloved pastırma — whether enjoyed on a flatbread you can't get enough of — is now here in its most practical form: our Eggs with Pastırma recipe is incredibly delicious. Bon appétit in advance…