Cuban Vaca Frita (Shredded Fried Beef)

What is Cuban vaca frita?

This authentic Cuban Vaca Frita (or shredded fried beef) is a traditional Cuban dish that's bursting with flavors of garlic, lime, and onions. It gets pan-fried and the crispy edges combined with the soft onions make it a meal to remember!

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What does vaca frita mean?

It literally means "fried cow". Seems pretty self explanatory to me! lol

How to make Cuban Vaca Frita:

This recipe consists of 3 main parts: simmering the meat, marinating the meat, and frying the meat. Each step is easy to do and just require a bit of time but the end results are well worth it! You can also simmer and shred the meat a day ahead to save some time.

This recipe is made with a flank steak. It's a great cut of meat for giving you the shredded stringy texture that vaca frita is known for. You'll want to cut the flank steak into pieces that are about 2-3 inches wide, against the grain.

This might seem like an odd order to do things (simmering THEN marinating), but it's how you make a traditional vaca frita recipe and there is definitely no lack of flavor! You'll want to start by adding the meat and simmering seasonings to a pot and covering everything with water and beef broth.

How long do you simmer flank steak?

The flank steak gets simmered for about 90 minutes. Depending on the thickness of your flank steak pieces, you may need to go a bit shorter or longer on the time. You'll know when it's done when it easily shreds apart with 2 forks. The meat will not look or taste very exciting at this point but it'll get there! I promise!

Can you make vaca frita ahead of time?

If you are prepping your vaca frita the day before serving, you'll stop after shredding the meat. Add it to an air-tight container and store in the fridge until ready to continue. (Do NOT marinate over night or the lime will break down the meat too much.)

The next step in this vaca frita process is the marinating. This only takes 30-45 minutes max. You'll add your shredded beef to a bowl along with the garlic, lime juice, olive oil, and salt. This is where you get that big boost of traditional Cuban flavors!

Once your meat has marinated, it's time to fry! This part is quick and easy. You'll first add olive oil and sliced onions to the hot skillet. I like to add these first so they have a little bit longer to soften. A stainless steel pan works best for getting a good crispy browning on this dish. If you only have non-stick, that's ok but it may just take a bit longer.

After cooking the onions for just a couple of minutes, you can move them to one side of the pan and add in the marinated meat. If your pan is smaller, you may want to do this in a couple batches. You just want a thin layer of meat in the pan so it all has a chance to crisp. You can also use a spatula to press the meat down to help it crisp.

Once the meat has browned on one side, you can turn it over with the same spatula and brown more of the meat. When you have finished browning all of the meat, stir it back together with the onions and you're ready to serve!

What to serve with vaca frita:

Traditionally, Cuban vaca frita gets served with white rice and black beans. I have a quick black bean recipe and also my great grandmother (Abuela Mercedes') recipe for traditional cuban black beans.

Other Recipes You'll Love:

• Ropa Vieja - Cuban Shredded Beef
• Easy Cuban Red Beans (Frijoles Colorados)
• How to Make White Rice
• Cuban Flan

Cuban Vaca Frita (Shredded Fried Beef)

Coco and Ash

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Marinating Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  

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Simmering

• 2-3 pounds flank steak
• 2 teaspoons adobo seasoning (found here)
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cups beef broth
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 cups water

Marinating

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• juice from 2 limes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 large garlic cloves (minced)

Frying

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large white or yellow onion (sliced into strips)

Instructions

 

Simmering

• Cut your flank steak into pieces that are about 2-3 inches wide (see photos).
  2-3 pounds flank steak
• Add the meat to a large dutch oven or stock pot and sprinkle with the adobo, cumin, and oregano.
  2 teaspoons adobo seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon cumin
• Cover the meat with the water and beef broth and add in the bay leaves.
  2 cups beef broth, 4 cups water, 3 bay leaves
• Bring everything to a full boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for about 90 minutes or until the meat easily pulls apart.
• Remove the meat from the liquid (discard the liquid). Shred the meat using 2 forks.

Marinating

• Add the shredded meat to a bowl and add in the marinade ingredients.
  2 tablespoons olive oil, juice from 2 limes, 1 teaspoon salt, 6 large garlic cloves
• Allow the meat to marinate for 30-45 minutes (do not go longer as it can break down the meat too much).

Frying

• After marinating the meat, heat a large skillet over medium/high heat.
• Add in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the sliced onions to the skillet and stir while cooking for about 2 minutes.
  2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 large white or yellow onion
• Move the onions to one side of the pan to make room for the beef. (Don't forget to stir the onions every few minutes to cook evenly.)
• Add the beef to the skillet in small batches so you don't over crowd the pan. Spread it into a thin layer allow to cook for 3-4 minutes without moving it. Use a spatula to flip the meat over and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

  (You can add more oil to the pan if the meat or onions seem to be drying out)
• When all the beef has been fried, mix it together with the cooked onions. and serve with white rice and back beans!

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment!