Vaca frita has been a staple in Cuban kitchens for generations and lucky for us, Cuban immigrants brought this fabulous recipe to the United States…
Translating to “fried cow”, vaca frita pan fries flank steak and sweet onions that have been marinated in fresh lime juice, garlic and spices until it is crispy and delicious. It is pretty much perfection on its own, but when paired with black beans and rice or rolled into a taco, it becomes a flavorful, comforting meal that you are going to love.
Let’s get started…
The first step is to boil your beef. I know.. it sounds gross, but this step is important in tenderizing the meat before it is fried crispy.
Place about 3 pounds of flank steak (or lean chuck roast) into a large pot with 3 bay leaves and enough water to cover the meat. Place the pot over medium high heat and bring the water to a boil.
Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium or just below medium and simmer the beef for 90 minutes.
Once the beef is super tender, shred it into bite sized pieces and place it into a large glass bowl.
Add a large thinly sliced yellow onion, 1/3 cup of fresh lime juice, 1/4 cup of neutral oil, 4 large finely minced cloves of garlic, a tablespoon of sazon seasoning, a teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper in with the shredded beef and mix until everything is evenly distributed.
Let the beef sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before pan frying…
Place a large skillet over medium to medium high heat and add a few tablespoons of a neutral oil.
Once the skillet is warm, add a thin layer of the marinated beef and onions and press it down into the bottom of the skillet a bit. Let the beef and onions sear until the get nice and crispy. Flip the beef and onions and let the other side get crisp before transferring it onto a plate and repeating the process with the rest.
It is crispy, it is tender, it is full of bright citrus, sweet garlic and the perfect amount of seasoning. This vaca frita is a delicious canvas to pair with so many things. Traditionally it is served with black beans and white rice, but it is also fabulous in tortillas with some pico or over a bed of greens with some taco ranch dressing.
If you are looking for a delicious way to bring some interest into your beef recipe rotation or are a big fan of Cuban food in general (and who isn’t?) then I would love for you to give this vaca frita a try. You are going to love this crispy, citrusy beef so much!
Vaca Frita
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of flank steak
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
Marinade
- 1/3 cup of fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup of a neutral oil
- 4 large cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon of sazon seasoning
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
Instructions
- Slice the flank steak into 3-4 portions and place in a large pot or Dutch oven
- Add 3 bay leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and enough water to completely cover the flank steak
- Bring to a simmer and simmer for about 90 minutes or until tender
- Once tender, transfer the flank steak onto a cutting board and shred (discard water or save for future use)
- Place the shredded flank steak into a large bowl along with a thinly sliced yellow onion and add 1/3 cup of fresh lime juice, 1/4 cup of neutral oil, 4 large finely minced cloves of garlic, a tablespoon of sazon seasoning, a teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
- Mix until well combined and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes
- Place a large skillet over medium to medium high heat and add a thin layer of neutral oil
- Carefully transfer some of the marinated flank steak and onions into the skillet and pan fry until crispy
- Transfer the crispy flank steak onto a plate, set aside and continue frying in batches until all of the flank steak has been crisped up
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