Vaca Frita (Crispy Shredded Beef with Lime and Onion)
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats.
Beef chuck simmered until very tender, flattened and shredded, marinated with lime, garlic and cumin, then fried in batches until crisp and browned. It is tossed with softened onions and a last squeeze of lime, the way it is served in Cuba.
Based on the listed ingredients, none of the 14 major EU allergens. Always check product labels.
Method
- 1
Simmer the beef. Put the beef, bay leaves and 1½ tsp fine salt in a large casserole or saucepan and add cold water to just cover. Bring to the boil, cover, turn the heat to medium and simmer for 1½-2½ hr, until the beef is very tender.
- 2
Shred. Lift the beef onto a large board with a slotted spoon (keep the broth for another dish). Leave for about 15 min, until cool enough to handle, then flatten it with a meat mallet or potato masher so the fibres loosen into a mix of fine shreds and larger pieces. Discard any gristle and tough stringy bits.
- 3
Season. In a large bowl, whisk 1 tbsp of the lime juice with the garlic, ½ tsp of the salt, the pepper and cumin. Add the beef, toss well, and pull it into bite-size pieces with your hands.
- 4
Cook the onion. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and the remaining ⅛ tsp salt and cook for 5-7 min, until soft and translucent. Move to a platter and cover with foil. Don't wipe out the pan.
- 5
Crisp the beef. Add the remaining 3 tbsp oil and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches, spread the beef in a thin layer and leave undisturbed for 3-4 min, until crisp underneath, then turn and cook for 2-3 min more, until browned and crisp all over. Move to the platter and repeat, adding 1 tbsp oil if the pan is dry.
- 6
Finish. Return the onion and beef to the pan and stir over medium heat for about 1 min, until hot. Turn off the heat, stir in the remaining 1 tbsp lime juice and serve straight away with lime wedges, and black beans and rice if you like.
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in a hot frying pan until piping hot, which also re-crisps it. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why this label?
27 g protein for 460 kcal = 5.9 g per 100 kcal, so protein gives about 23% of the energy. High Protein needs at least 20% (5 g per 100 kcal), the condition in the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
EU nutrition claims
- Low sugars: 2.7 g sugars per 100 g (limit ≤ 5 g)
Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 68 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
0.1 g per serving
0.2 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 0.4 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- large casserole or saucepan with lid
- slotted spoon
- large chopping board
- meat mallet or potato masher
- large bowl
- whisk
- large frying pan
- spatula
- serving platter
- foil
Nutrition per serving Calculated from USDA FoodData Central
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 460 kcal |
| Protein | 27 g |
| Carbohydrate | 5.7 g |
| of which sugars | 1.8 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.1 g |
| Fat | 36.3 g |
| of which saturates | 12 g |
| Fibre | 0.8 g |
| Salt | 1.16 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
5.9 g meets High Protein (≥ 5 g, 20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
