Best Vaca Frita Recipe 455 Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

VACA FRITA (PAN-FRIED BEEF)



Vaca Frita (Pan-Fried Beef) image

This is one of my favorite Cuban foods. It reminds me of the countryside. I like this with black bean soup and rice and either platanos maduros (fried ripe plantains) or tostones (fried pressed plantains). You could also serve with black beans and rice cooked together. A spicy Cabernet Sauvignon would go well with this dish.

Provided by fandreu

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     Latin American     Caribbean

Time 1h30m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 large onions
1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak, cut into 4 pieces
1 green bell pepper, quartered
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, smashed
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 lime, cut into wedges

Steps:

  • Cut 1 onion in half and thinly slice the remaining onion. Set aside.
  • Combine flank steak, halved onion, bell pepper, and bay leaf in a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer until meat is easily shredded with 2 forks, about 20 minutes. Transfer flank steak to a work surface and let cool, about 10 minutes. Strain beef broth and save for another use. Shred cooled meat using 2 forks and place into a separate bowl.
  • Mix garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt in another bowl. Apply paste onto the meat, along with lime juice, olive oil, and sliced onion. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add butter. Working in small batches, spread shredded beef in a thin layer into the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, turning once or twice, until sizzling and crispy, about 7 minutes per batch. Transfer to a platter and serve with lime wedges.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 221.2 calories, Carbohydrate 8.4 g, Cholesterol 38.3 mg, Fat 14.6 g, Fiber 1.6 g, Protein 14.6 g, SaturatedFat 4.5 g, Sodium 267.7 mg, Sugar 3.1 g

VACA FRITA RECIPE - (4.5/5)



Vaca Frita Recipe - (4.5/5) image

Provided by montero766

Number Of Ingredients 16

Main Ingredients:
2 pounds flank steak
2 whole bay leaves
6 black peppercorns
3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, sliced
2 small limes, cut into wedges
juice from one lime (or two tablespoons lime juice)
2 medium green bell peppers, sliced
Seasoning Ingredients:
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoon salt

Steps:

  • Instructions: Place the steak in a pot or deep pan, and just enough water until the beef is covered. Add the bay leaves and peppercorns. Cover the pot, and simmer until the meat is tender, about 1 ½ hours. Remove pot from heat, and allow the contents to cool down. When the steak is still warm but not especially hot, remove it from the pot. On a plate or in a nonreactive container, shred the beef using two forks, or pull the beef apart using your fingers. Add the seasonings, sherry and lime juice, and mix them into the beef using your hands. Set aside. Add two tablespoons of olive oil to a frying pan over medium heat. Add onions, bell peppers, and sautee until the onions are tender (about 5-8 minutes). Turn the heat up to medium-high, then add the shredded beef. Cook the beef for 5-15 minutes, until it is crispy. Remove from heat and serve with lime wedges. It can be served by itself, with white rice on the side, or with moros y cristianos. Serves 4-6. Cooking Variations For some, it is common to place the cooled pot in the fridge after the meat has simmered, and let it marinate overnight before frying the following day. The leftover beef broth can also be used for soups or other recipes. Rather than shred the beef, some Cubans will simply cut the meat (with the grain) into small strips after simmering. In that case, after cutting the beef you will want to pound it with a mallet until the pieces are about half as thick as before. Not everyone cooks vaca frita with bell peppers, so it's not uncommon to leave them out. And although some cooks will add a splash of lime juice to the beef immediately after cooking, adding lime wedges means people can squeeze juice on as they see fit.

VACA FRITA



Vaca Frita image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 20m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

3 pounds flank steak
2 bay leaves
1 carrot, cut into 3 pieces
1 tomato, cut in half
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, julienned
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 1/4 cups lime juice
Salt and pepper

Steps:

  • To a large pot, add steak, bay leaves, carrot, tomato, cumin, and oregano and cover with water. Boil the meat until it becomes tender, then remove from the liquid, and shred the meat. Into a very hot saute pan pour 1/8 cup olive oil, then add the meat, making sure to spread it out evenly. Flip it over and cook until both sides become crispy. In a separate pan, add the remaining oil and cook the onions until caramelized, then mix in the meat, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

VACA FRITA



Vaca Frita image

Enjoy this crispy shredded beef steak recipe that's garnished with cilantro - a hearty Cuban dinner.

Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Entree

Time 1h30m

Yield 5

Number Of Ingredients 14

2 lb beef flank steak or skirt steak
6 cups water (enough to cover steak)
1 large onion, cut into fourths
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup fresh lime juice or sour orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Fresh cilantro leaves, if desired

Steps:

  • In 6-quart Dutch oven, mix beef ingredients. Heat to boiling over high heat. Cover; simmer about 1 hour or until beef is tender. Remove beef from liquid; reserve liquid.
  • Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion in oil 15 to 20 minutes or until onion is light golden brown; remove from skillet and set aside. In same skillet, cook garlic 1 to 2 minutes; remove from skillet and set aside.
  • Using 2 forks, shred beef. In same skillet heat oil over medium-high heat and add shredded beef to skillet; cook over medium-high heat about 10 minutes or until crispy. Stir in chopped cilantro, lime juice and salt. Add cooked onions and garlic; mix well. Place shredded beef on plates. Serve with reserved liquid. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 370, Carbohydrate 8 g, Cholesterol 130 mg, Fiber 1 g, Protein 54 g, SaturatedFat 3 1/2 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 790 mg, Sugar 3 g, TransFat 0 g

VACA FRITA (SHREDDED BEEF)



Vaca Frita (Shredded Beef) image

A wonderful Cubano recipe that can use a variety of beef cuts - flank steak is too dear for me but skirt steak & bottom round roast have responded well for me. Serve with white rice & lime wedges - the little key limes if you can get them. Found in the Miami Herald & adapted from !Sabor! A Passion for Cuban Cuisine.

Provided by Busters friend

Categories     Meat

Time 3h30m

Yield 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 bay leaf
2 lbs flank steaks
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup sour orange juice (or 1/4 cup each lime and orange juices)
1/4 cup lime juice
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium onions, thinly sliced

Steps:

  • Bring 2 quarts salted water to a boil in a large stock pot. Add the bay leaf and meat, reduce heat, cover and simmer 2 hours.
  • Drain the meat and let it cool to room temperature on a plate lined with paper towels. Use your hands to shred it along the grain into strips.
  • Season the meat with salt and pepper and place it in a shallow, nonreactive dish. Pour on the citrus juices and let it marinate at least 30 minutes. Drain the meat and set it aside.
  • Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and heat until it is almost smoking. Add half the meat and half the garlic; sauté, stirring often, 7 to 10 minutes. Add half the onions and sauté about 5 minutes, until the edges of the beef become crispy.
  • Transfer the mixture to a large plate. Repeat sautéing with the remaining ingredients. Serve with rice and lime wedges.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 269.3, Fat 16.2, SaturatedFat 4.8, Cholesterol 46.5, Sodium 353.4, Carbohydrate 5.5, Fiber 0.5, Sugar 2.6, Protein 24.5

Related Topics