Vaca Frita (Cuban Shredded Beef)

Name: Vaca Frita (Cuban Shredded Beef)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 40 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 lb (907 g) beef chuck roast roast (falda de res), cut into 4 pieces, shoulder; 2 bay leaves; 2 tbsp fresh lime juice from 1 lime, plus lime wedges, for garnish; 5 medium (25 g) garlic cloves, grated finely minced; 4.25 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ; for table salt, use half as much by volume, divided; 0.5 tsp Ground Black Pepper, freshly; 0.25 tsp Ground Cumin; 0.25 cup (60 ml) olive oil, as needed plus more divided; 1 medium white onion (8 ounces; 227 g), halved thinly sliced; Cuban black beans and rice recipe, for serving

Learn how to make authentic Cuban vaca frita: tender beef simmered, smashed, marinated, and fried until irresistibly crisp and juicy.

Brooke1999

Prep10 min

Cook1 hr 40 min

Total1 hr 50 min

Servings6

Difficultymedium

Dinner / Supper

Ingredients

2 lb(907 g) beef chuck roast roast (falda de res), cut into 4 pieces, shoulder
2bay leaves
2 tbspfresh lime juice from 1 lime, plus lime wedges, for garnish
5 medium(25 g) garlic cloves, grated finely minced
4.25 tspDiamond Crystal kosher salt, ; for table salt, use half as much by volume, divided
0.5 tspGround Black Pepper, freshly
0.25 tspGround Cumin
0.25 cup(60 ml) olive oil, as needed plus more divided
1 mediumwhite onion (8 ounces; 227 g), halved thinly sliced
Cuban black beans and rice recipe, for serving

Instructions

1
In a large pot or Dutch oven, add beef, bay leaves, 1 tablespoon salt, and enough cold water to just cover the meat and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium; simmer until beef is very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.
2
Use a spider skimmer or large slotted spoon to transfer meat to a large cutting board.(Reserve the beef broth to use in other recipes.) Let sit until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Use a meat mallet or potato masher to flatten beef and loosen its fibers, forming a mix of fine shreds and larger pieces (see notes). Remove any large stringy fibrous pieces and gristle and discard.
3
In a large bowl, whisk to combine 1 tablespoon lime juice, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and cumin. Add shredded beef to bowl, toss to combine, and use hands to further shred into bite-size pieces; set aside.
4
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook until onion begins to soften and become translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer onion to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Do not wipe out skillet.
5
In now-empty skillet, add remaining 3 tablespoons oil and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches to prevent crowding the pan, spread beef in a thin, even layer. Cook uninterupted until bottom is crisped, 3 to 4 minutes, then us a spatula to flip beef, and continue cooking until beef is browned and crispy on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer cooked beef to platter with onions. Repeat with remaining beef, adding 1 tablespoon oil if the pan is too dry.
6
Return onions and beef to pan together and cook over medium heat, stirring to combine, until heated through, about 1 minute. Turn off heat and mix in remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice. Serve immediately with lime wedgesand black beans and rice, if desired.