Vaca Frita Recipe

Trim and score

Trim excess fat from the flank steak and, if thick, make a few shallow crosswise cuts so marinade penetrates. Pat the steak dry with paper towels.

Prepare marinade

In a bowl combine fresh lime juice, orange juice, minced garlic (6 cloves), chopped oregano, ground cumin, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Whisk until combined.

Marinate

Place the steak in a shallow dish or resealable bag and pour the marinade over it, making sure the meat is well coated. Refrigerate and marinate at least 2 hours or up to overnight (8–12 hours) for best flavor.

Braise the beef

When ready to cook, remove steak from refrigerator and let sit 20 minutes. Pour off and reserve the marinade. In a large deep skillet or Dutch oven, place the steak, reserved marinade, 1 cup beef broth, quartered yellow onion and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low, cover and simmer gently for 1 to 1¼ hours, or until the steak is very tender and can be shredded with a fork. Check occasionally and add a little more water or broth if liquid is evaporating too quickly.

Shred the beef

Remove the beef from the braising liquid and let cool slightly. Reserve the braising liquid. Using two forks or your hands (with tongs), shred the beef into bite-size strips or shreds, removing any large pieces of connective tissue.

Crisp the beef (vaca frita)

Heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil or lard in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering (or heat 2 tbs neutral oil if using less fat). Add the shredded beef in batches, spreading it in a single layer and pressing gently so pieces contact the pan. Fry, turning occasionally, until the edges are deeply browned and crisped, about 4–6 minutes per batch. Transfer crisped beef to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. If beef seems dry, spoon a tablespoon or two of reserved braising liquid over during frying to moisten and create small sizzling bites.

Make the sofrito

Discard most of the frying fat leaving about 1–2 tablespoons in the pan. Over medium heat, add the 2 minced garlic cloves, sliced onions and sliced bell peppers. Sauté until softened and slightly caramelized, about 5–7 minutes. Season lightly with a pinch of salt.

Combine beef and sofrito

Return the crisped shredded beef to the pan with the sofrito and toss to combine, heating through for 1–2 minutes so flavors meld. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Stir in chopped cilantro just before removing from heat.

Serve

Serve vaca frita over warm cooked white rice or with warm tortillas. Garnish with lime wedges so diners can squeeze fresh lime juice over the beef. Offer extra chopped cilantro on the side.

Plate 3/4 cup of cooked white rice per serving and top with a generous portion of vaca frita and sofrito. Alternatively, fill warmed tortillas with the beef mixture and garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.