Cuban Vaca Frita
Beef flank cooked until tender, shredded, then browned in a skillet with garlic, onion, pepper, and citrus. Serves 4; preparation times are estimates.
Vaca frita is distinguished by shredded, browned beef served without ropa vieja’s sauce. This version cooks the beef in a pressure cooker and finishes it in a skillet; hands-on preparation and cooling times are estimates.
Ingredient allergens
Allergen listThere are no verified associations for these ingredients yet.
Method
- 01
Cook the beef
Put the beef flank in the pressure cooker with enough water to cover it. Add the bay leaves, oregano, cumin, a pinch of salt, and one garlic clove. Cook for 30 minutes once the cooker reaches pressure.
Ready to continue when: The beef is tender and separates easily with a fork.
30 min - 02
Cool and shred
Take the beef out of the cooker and let it cool until it can be handled. Shred it into fine strands with two forks, removing any remaining fat or tough tissue.
Ready to continue when: The beef is shredded into fine strands with no tough pieces remaining.
20 min - 03
Sauté the aromatics
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the remaining garlic cloves, onion, and green bell pepper. Sauté for about 2 minutes, until they begin to soften.
Ready to continue when: The onion and pepper are starting to soften, and the garlic is fragrant but not burnt.
2 min - 04
Brown and finish
Add the shredded beef and stir to combine it with the aromatics. Cook, turning occasionally, until the strands are browned and crisp at some edges. Stir in the lime juice and parsley, then remove from the heat.
Ready to continue when: The beef has browned, crisp edges, and the parsley is evenly distributed.
13 min
Ingredients
Sources and review
Content researched, cross-checked and automatically validated. Sources consulted:
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- Experiencia cubana en organopónicos, una opción para la seguridad alimentaria en Nicaragua | Revista Ciencia y Tecnología El Higo doi.org/10.5377/elhigo.v1i2.8649
- - YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3rn-YZFxT4
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- Vaca frita cubana: receta tradicional crujiente y jugosa | Cocina Cubana - CiberCuba www.cibercuba.com/cocina/recetas/vaca-frita-cubana
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- Valoración del bajo peso, sobrepeso y obesidad en los niños y niñas de la escuela fiscal mixta Dora beatriz Canelos de la parroquia Sidcay. Cuenca 2010 | OpenAlex openalex.org/W151432759
- Vaca Frita: Plato Tradicional de la Cocina Cubana raquefamily.com/vaca-frita/
- Vaca Frita - Receta Auténtica Cubana | 196 flavors www.196flavors.com/es/vaca-frita/?srsltid=AYCX9vJsyHTJFgOpdkCK8XsUk5Hx5daXdXFYEOkNIbN1Fw4eTb…
- Vaca frita: origen, ingredientes y alérgenos www.menuella.com/es/food-wiki/vaca-frita
- Vaca frita - EcuRed www.ecured.cu/Vaca_frita
- Vaca frita: receta cubana tradicional de falda de res | Cocina Cubana - CiberCuba www.cibercuba.com/cocina/recetas/vaca-frita
- Recomendaciones para una dieta sostenible y saludable como sustento a la elaboración de las guías alimentarias del Ecuador | OpenAlex openalex.org/W2890356768
State: Published after documentary validation; no “Tested” label is shown.