How to Make Vaca Frita?

Since Vaca Frita is such an iconic and popular Cuban dish, the cooking process varies slightly from one house to the next. Some people season the meat before boiling it, some give a miss to the seasoning in the beginning. Some like to sear the meat before simmering it, some don’t.

We personally believe in lots of seasonings and flavors, and always prefer to sear meat before putting it in a stew pot for braising. It might seem like an extra step, but it’s so well worth it when you see the final result. Here is how we make our version of Cuban Shredded Beef:

1. Season the steak: Cut the flank steak into 4-5 large pieces. Season the meat with the seasoning ingredients and mix well until all the steak pieces are coated all over. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least for 4 hours, or overnight.

2. Sear the steak: Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium high flame. Once the oil is hot, sear the meat pieces, browning them all over. (Do not discard the marinade)

3. Boil/simmer the steak: Once you get some color on the meat, add in water till the meat is submerged, along with the remaining marinade, cilantro and thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender. Check on it from time to time, making sure that the water hasn’t dried up. If the water is evaporating and the meat is getting exposed, add in a little more water to keep the meat submerged.

4. Shred the steak: Once the meat is tender, take it out in a big bowl and shred it with the help of forks. Add ¼ cup of the braising liquid to the shredded beef. Mix well.

5. Fry the shredded steak: In a wide frying pan, heat 3-4 Tbsp olive oil and sauté sliced onion for 10-15 minutes, until it starts caramelizing. Add in sliced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Move the onions to the periphery and add the shredded meat to the middle of the pan.

Fry it undisturbed for 4-5 minutes over medium high heat. You can press down on the meat with a spatula to crisp it up a bit. Flip and pan-fry the other side of the meat for another 4 minutes, pressing down with a spatula, until the meat is sizzling and crisp, making sure it does not to burn, but just has brown crispy edges. Sometimes adding a little extra oil helps crisp the meat beautifully.

By this point, you can mix in the meat with the onion and garlic mixture. Cook till the meat is crisp to your liking. You can add a little bit of leftover braising liquid (about 2-4 tablespoons) to the meat for extra flavor. Serve immediately with a good dose of lime juice all over.

Tips and Tricks for the Best Vaca Frita-

If you want to make vaca frita quicker, you can always use a pressure cooker or instant pot to tenderize the meat. Normally, you can do that in 40-45 minutes in your instant pot or pressure cooker.

When searing the meat, don’t overcrowd the pan, as it would just steam rather than browning and crisping up.

When it comes to Cuban food, there is no such thing as “too much garlic”. Do not skimp on garlic unless you are not fan of it. But then again, you wouldn’t be looking for Cuban food… 🙂

Use plenty of fresh lime juice to bring all of the flavors together.

Very often, they use green bell peppers along with onions. If you want to bulk up this dish further, sauté sliced onion and bell peppers together.

What and How to Serve Vaca Frita?

Traditionally, Vaca Frita is served topped with sautéed onions and sometimes bell peppers. It is then served along with with rice and black beans.

Fried plantains like tostones or maduros are great with this crispy fried shredded beef.

You can serve vaca frita in tacos, burritos, or burrito bowls.

What is the Difference Between Vaca Frita and Ropa Vieja ?

Vaca Frita is actually very similar to the dish Ropa Vieja, which means “old tattered clothes” in Spanish. Yes, they have very funny translations, don’t they?

Both dishes are made with shredded beef like flank or skirt steak, or even brisket or chuck roast. However, Ropa Veija is stewed and tenderized in a tomato based sauce with lot of seasonings, then shredded in the sauce.