Vaca Frita Recipe (Cuban Crispy Shredded Beef)
This classic Cuban recipe is a big staple in Cuban cuisine.
Vaca frita translates to “fried cow”. This delicious dish originated from Cuba. The idea is you soften the meat by boiling it low and slow until you can shred it with two forks. You then marinate and pan fry it to perfection.
I loved this recipe so much that I also use the same technique with chicken to make Vaca Frita de Pollo (Cuban Shredded Chicken).
Is Ropa Vieja the same as Vaca Frita?
As I explained in my Cuban Ropa Vieja (Shredded Beef Recipe) recipe, both ropa vieja and vaca frita are close cousins. Both are marinated with similar ingredients, cooked similarly, and use the same cut of meat.
Ropa vieja, however, is cooked in a tomato-based sauce after the meat has softened and shredded while vaca frita is pan-fried.
Let me show you how to bring this recipe to life!
Ingredients You’ll Need
I like keeping the ingredients simple for this recipe. For example, several Cuban recipes have green bell peppers however I omitted them from this recipe. You can, of course, add the chopped green peppers if you prefer.
- Flank steak. You can also use chuck roast if you prefer.
- Bay leaves. To boil the meat initially.
- Fresh lime juice. Don’t use the bottled stuff!
- Neutral oil. You can use olive oil however I prefer using canola or vegetable oil. Use what you have!
- Garlic. You can use garlic powder however I prefer fresh garlic.
- Complete seasoning. This is a blend of spices like oregano, cumin, garlic, onion, salt, and black pepper.
- Salt + pepper to taste.
- White onion. Sliced thin so they can soften evenly.
- Lime wedges. I like to include a few for serving because there’s nothing better than crispy fried shredded beef with a squeeze of lime. YUM!
Recommended For This Recipe
Dutch Oven
I use a 6-quart Dutch Oven often when I’m making soups and stews and even when I’m cooking other recipes that require long hours of cooking.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Soften the meat. In a Dutch oven or large pot, add flank steak, bay leaves, salt, and enough water to cover the meat in the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook at medium-low until the meat is tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours (In a pressure cooker, this takes about 30-40 minutes). Strain the beef broth and save it for another recipe.
- Shred the meat. Transfer the flank steak to a platter. Using two forks or your fingers, shred the meat until you get that pulled, shredded look.
- Marinate the meat. Yes, in this recipe, we marinate the meat AFTER cooking it. Trust me here. In a large bowl, add shredded meat with fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons of oil, minced garlic, complete seasoning, and salt + pepper to taste. Gently toss and marinate the meat at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Start the cooking process. In a large skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Remove meat from the marinade. Discard marinade. Add the shredded beef to the skillet in an even layer. Do this in batches so as to not crowd the pan.
- Pan fry for 5 minutes, undisturbed, pressing down with a spatula until the meat is crispy. 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. Careful not to burn it!
- Saute the onions. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in the sliced onions and saute with the meat until onions have softened about 4-5 minutes.
5 star review
“Easy to follow and if you do it just like the recipe says you will end up with a mouthful of flavor that reminds us why we love Cuban food!”
—Randy
Storage Tips
- Beef broth. The strained beef broth made after boiling/cooking/softening the flank steak can be stored in the freezer for future use.
- Shredded meat. The boiled then shredded meat can also be done ahead of time if you plan on serving it the following day. After completing step 2 below, refrigerate the shredded beef in an airtight container until the following day then bring it to room temperature when you’re ready to pan-fry.
- Leftover vaca frita. Any leftovers can be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
What To Serve with Vaca Frita
You can serve Cuban vaca frita with:
Vaca Frita Recipe (Cuban Crispy Shredded Beef)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs flank steak, cut in 4 pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 2 limes
- 6 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon complete seasoning
- Salt + pepper to taste
- 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, add flank steak, bay leaves, salt, and enough water to cover the meat in the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook at medium-low until the meat is tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours (In a pressure cooker, this takes about 30-40 minutes). Strain the beef broth and save it for another recipe.
- Transfer the flank steak to a platter. Using two forks or your fingers, shred the meat until you get that pulled, shredded look.
- In a large bowl, add shredded meat with fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons of oil, minced garlic, complete seasoning, and salt + pepper to taste. Gently toss and marinate the meat at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Pan fry for 5 minutes, undisturbed, pressing down with a spatula until the meat is crispy. 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. Careful not to burn it!
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in the sliced onions and saute with the meat until onions have softened about 4-5 minutes. Serve with white rice, black beans, and lime wedges. Enjoy!
So good! Reminds me of our favorite Cuban restaurant back home!
I used flank steak and it was AMAZING!!!!!!
Also, what can I use instead of flank steak? They don’t have that cut in my area
You can also use chuck roast if you prefer!
What is a neutral oil? Is it olive oil or vegetable oil?
Neutral oils are canola oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil.
My Cuban boyfriend said he would’ve thought this was his mom’s cooking if he didn’t know I made it! Very delicious. I did end up needing to use more oil for the frying but otherwise very great recipe!! Added some mojo and it was perfect! :)
Yes, it is chewy, but the chewiness is because of the Maillard effect caramelizing the meat and giving it amazing flavor. Five stars for this recipe! I served it to guests this evening and there were raves all around, from a crew that’s not afraid to call it like they taste it
I made it tonight, and it was very tasty. It came out a little chewy even though i only marinated it for 25 minutes (lack of time). I also made the non-msg Sazon Completa recipe, very good! Thank you so much!
Can I make it in an air fryer?
No, I’d recommend making it the way it is stated in the recipe for best results. :)
I am also cuban , i am making the recipe now, can i marinate the meat for longer? What will be the maximum? Thank you
Since it’s flank steak, the max would be no more than 2 hours. If you were to marinate it longer, you run the risk of the citrus breaking down the fibers of the meat into an undesirable texture. Hope that helps!
Hi!
Thank you for your reply. I had to make a decision before your reply and i left it in the marinade a little over 2 hours. It was delicious but a little chewy. I cooked it in Le Creuset according to your recipe , maybe next time I will cook it a little longer and marinate it for just 30 minutes.
Everyone loved the flavor! Thank you!
It was super yummy. I didn’t use the complete seasoning because it has msg. So I generously used oregano and was very happy. I’d be thrilled if you could figure out a homemade version of complete seasoning to try
Here you go! https://asassyspoon.com/homemade-cuban-complete-seasoning/
Excellent recipe. Easy to follow and if you do it just like the recipe says you will end up with a mouthful of flavor that reminds us why we love Cuban food!
So happy you loved it, Randy!
Love the recipes. Thanks so much!
You’re so welcome!