Vaca Frita Recipe (Cuban Crispy Shredded Beef) (2024)

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.

VIEW PRODUCT

Skillet

A 10-inch skillet perfect for cooking all kinds of dishes! It’s non-stick, with a wide flat bottom for frying, sautéing, or browning.

VIEW PRODUCT

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.

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:

• White rice (arroz blanco)
• Black beans
• Yuca
• Tostones
• Sweet plantains