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    Home >> Cuban

    Cuban Vaca Frita - Latin Style Flank Steak

    Published: February 5, 2014 • Modified: August 8, 2022 • by Author: Analida • Word count:743 words. • About 4 minutes to read this article. • This post may contain affiliate links.

    482 shares
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    Cuban Vaca Frita: slow cooked beef then seared and shredded then service with rice, beans and plantain. | ethnicspoon.com

    Vaca Frita! Fried Cow? Holy Cow!!

    Vaca Frita, a  dish made with flank steak, was brought to the United States by the Cuban immigrants. Its rich flavors and funky name has made it a favorite of Americans, especially in Miami and other southern cities that host a large Cuban  population.

     

    a white plate with cuban vaca frita and parsley garnish

    Jump to:
    • Cuban cuisine
    • My first Cuban meal
    • Cuban Vaca Frita Recipe Card

    Cuban cuisine

    Cuban food has diverse influences, from European to African to Antillean. As with Latin American food, Cuban food is humble, yet incredibly flavorful. Again, the ingredients are basic, easy to obtain and also inexpensive.  I will most certainly be including more Cuban recipes in this blog. Stay tuned!

    Vaca Frita is a close cousin to Ropa Vieja (check  blog), with one basic difference: Ropa Vieja is cooked only once while Vaca Frita is cooked twice: once when the meat is stewed and again when pan-fried, hence its colorful name!

    The origins of  Vaca Frita are also akin to those of  Ropa Vieja, which hails from the Canary Islands (off the western coast of north Africa.) Most likely these beef recipes  became popular  in the plantations where slaves were given the toughest cut of meat. The ingenuity of these people in turning a not so palatable cut of meat into something flavorful and tender is nothing short of amazing.

    My first Cuban meal

    My first brush with Cuban food was many years ago. While I was growing up my family owned a condo in Miami for business reasons. I would often tag along on these business trips. Even at an early age, and with an undeveloped palate, I found Cuban food to be exploding with flavor.  Vaca frita became an instant favorite of mine. My family has since sold the condo, but my husband and I travel to Florida on occasion, and one of my first items on the agenda, is to eat Vaca Frita, accompanied of course by black beans and rice!!

    I think you will find Vaca Frita to be a nice addition to your family mealtime. If you are not fond of rice and beans, french fries or  mashed potatoes are a great alternative side dish.

    If you love Latin food then you have to try some of my all time favorite dishes or bookmark them for later. Here are some of the most popular ethnic dishes, their history and ingredients to make at home.
    Mexican Pork Carnitas: Make this in the slow cooker and then broil for crispy goodness.
    Cuban Ropa Vieja: A true comfort food of slow cooked beef served over rice.
    Recaito: This is the ingredient used in many Latin soups, stews and black beans.
    Sofrito: You need to have this base ingredient for Latin style beans and shredded chicken.
    Tilapia Ceviche: A citrus cured fish or shrimp appetizer with some kick.

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    Sign up for my free recipe newsletter to get new recipes in your inbox each week!  You can also find me sharing more inspiration in Pinterest and Facebook

    vaca frita cuban flank steak
    5 from 2 votes
    Print

    Cuban Vaca Frita Recipe Card

    Cuban vaca frita is a classic dish and you will love the crispy bits of beef that is pan seared to finish the flavorful beef dish.  This is season, slow cooked and tenderized with all the aromatic flavors and then seared. This is truly one amazing Latin American dish! 

    Course Main dish
    Cuisine Cuban
    Keyword authentic, flank steak, pan fried steak, slow cook
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
    Total Time 2 hours
    Servings: Change to adjust-> 5 servings
    Calories 324 kcal
    Author Analida Braeger

    Ingredients

    • 2 lbs flank steak
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 6-8 springs cilantro tied with kitchen twine
    • 1 tsp peppercorns
    • 3-4 garlic cloves minced
    • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 cup onion thinly sliced
    • 1 lime cut into wedges

    Seasonings:

    • 1 tsp salt paleo diet: sea salt
    • 1 tsp oregano
    • 2 tsp cumin
    • ½ tsp black pepper

    Instructions

    1. Season flank steak with all the seasonings and allow to rest for about 1 hour.
    2. In a large skillet saute the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the seasoned flank steak and brown lightly on both sides (about 2 minutes per side.) Add enough water to cover the meat.. Add bay leaves, cilantro sprigs and peppercorns.
    3. Simmer on low heat until tender (about 1.5 hours)
    4. Remove the meat from the liquid, place on a cutting board covered and allow to cool for about 20 minutes.
    5. Slice across the grain into several pieces (about 6). Pound each piece of steak with a meat mallet until it is about half the original thickness.
    6. Strain the liquid, and add the solids back in the pan with a little olive oil. Fry the steak pieces until slightly brown on both sides. Squeeze lime over meat. Rice and black beans are a great sides.
    Nutrition Facts
    Cuban Vaca Frita Recipe Card
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 324 Calories from Fat 126
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 14g22%
    Saturated Fat 4g25%
    Cholesterol 108mg36%
    Sodium 565mg25%
    Potassium 712mg20%
    Carbohydrates 6g2%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 39g78%
    Vitamin A 90IU2%
    Vitamin C 7.2mg9%
    Calcium 68mg7%
    Iron 3.6mg20%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    482 shares
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kim~madeinaday

      September 21, 2015 at 3:58 pm

      My husband loves Cuban food, I haven't tried enough to decide yet! This dish looks great!Thanks for linking on Merry Monday! Sharing your post today on my G+ Come back next Monday for another great party share! Party opens Sunday night! Have a great week!
      Best,
      Kim

      Reply
      • Analida

        September 23, 2015 at 6:15 pm

        Cuban food rocks! I will be posting more Cuban dishes.Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
    2. Kristen

      January 19, 2016 at 8:40 am

      How can you go wrong with this--looks fabulous! I would love this on a sandwich the next day too!

      Reply
      • Analida

        January 19, 2016 at 7:52 pm

        Kristen, it would be awesome on a sandwich. I must confess I've never done that, but why not?

        Reply
    3. Denise Wright

      January 19, 2016 at 1:16 pm

      Yum! I love how this is cooked twice. I bet it's tender yet has that nice browned flavor. I have never heard of this but now I sure want to try it. I love all your recipes! They are so usual to me. I'm half Lebanese so I've had some unusual middle eastern food but you have a bit of every thing on this site. Keep it coming!

      Reply
      • Analida

        January 19, 2016 at 7:51 pm

        Thanks Denise! I didn't know you were half Lebanese. I love Middle Eastern food, the flavors are amazing. I like to dabble in many foods of different cultures.

        Reply
      • Arlene

        October 27, 2019 at 3:29 pm

        Hi Analida! This flank steak dish looks amazing, but that is not the traditional Cuban vaca frita. For this dish, the flank steak is prepared as above for the first step, but then it is cooled, shredded, then pan fried to a crisp in small batches with sliced onions and garlic.

        Thanks!

        Arlene Rodriguez

        Reply
    4. Jade @ Jonesin' For Taste

      January 19, 2016 at 6:12 pm

      I can never get enough Cuban food! This is another dish i have to try.

      Reply
      • Analida

        January 19, 2016 at 7:50 pm

        Go for it Jade. Ins't Cuban food amazingly delicious?

        Reply
    5. Joy @ Joy Love Food

      January 19, 2016 at 6:35 pm

      Flank steak is one of our favorite cuts of beef, we usually grill it, this sounds like a wonderful preparation and we love Cuban flavors, so I will have to try it soon!

      Reply
      • Analida

        January 19, 2016 at 7:49 pm

        It's really yummy! Yes, flank steak is great!!! Let me know how it turns out.

        Reply
    6. Caroline | carolinescooking

      January 20, 2016 at 8:38 am

      Cuban food is still one I am learning on (it didn't really get to the UK while I was there and sadly I have never been) but I like all I come across and this too sounds delicious. our photos make it so tempting too!

      Reply
      • Analida

        January 20, 2016 at 7:32 pm

        Thanks Caroline! Yes, Cuban food is delicious, so full of flavor. My husband is the photographer, 🙂
        I admit my photography skills are not the greatest.

        Reply
    7. lovelife

      May 11, 2018 at 6:40 pm

      5 stars
      Seems I just gained 10 pounds by lusting after the meal. Can’t wait to have a share of this nice preparation.

      Reply
      • Analida

        May 12, 2018 at 10:56 am

        You are funny!
        Yes, sometimes I also feel that I gain weight just by looking at food! 🙂 I think you would like this dish; it is so flavorful.

        Reply
    8. Jay

      September 22, 2018 at 3:46 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent

      Reply
      • Analida

        September 23, 2018 at 8:57 am

        Thanks!

        Reply

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    Analida profile pictureI have been researching and creating ethnic recipes for over 20 years. I love to share "mostly healthy" easy and affordable ethnic recipes using fresh ingredients, with a bit of culture and food history sprinkled in.... Read more-->

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