Counter 09 · Latin Grill
Cuban Vaca Frita
Flank steak simmered until tender, shredded, soaked in garlic and lime mojo, then pan-fried hard with onions until the strands turn crisp and caramelized. Crunchy, tangy and deeply beefy.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 30 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Medium
Vaca frita translates to fried cow, and it is the crisp cousin of ropa vieja. The beef is simmered first, pulled into fine strands and pressed flat into a very hot pan so the edges fry in their own fat. The garlic and lime mojo goes on just before frying so the citrus caramelizes against the skillet. Resist stirring; let a crust form before turning. Serve it the way every Cuban cafeteria in Miami does, with white rice, black beans, fried sweet plantains and extra lime wedges.
Method
-
Place the flank, bay leaf, bell pepper, halved onion, 3 garlic cloves and 1 tsp salt in a large pot and add water to cover by 1 inch.
-
Simmer, partly covered, for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the beef shreds easily. Let it cool in the liquid for 20 minutes.
-
Shred the beef along the grain into thin strands and blot them dry with paper towels.
-
Mash the remaining 5 garlic cloves with the last teaspoon of salt into a paste, then stir in the lime juice, cumin and black pepper. Toss with the beef and sliced onion and let it marinate 20 minutes.
-
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half the beef and onions and press flat with a spatula.
-
Cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes, until the underside is crisp and dark brown, then flip in sections and cook 3 to 4 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining oil and beef.
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