Vaca frita, Cuban crispy shredded beef
Shredded beef fried until crisp at the edges, then tossed with lime, garlic and plenty of soft onion.
- Time3 hr
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.52 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Put the beef, halved onion, bay leaves and salt in a pan. Cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer with the lid on for 2 hours, until the beef shreds easily.
120 min - 2
Lift out the beef and cool for 10 minutes. Shred it with two forks into thin strands.
- 3
Mix the shredded beef with the garlic, lime juice, cumin and pepper. Leave for 15 minutes.
15 min - 4
Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the sliced onions for 10 minutes until soft and golden. Tip onto a plate.
10 min - 5
Wipe the pan, heat the remaining oil until very hot and fry the beef in two batches for 5 minutes each, pressing it down, until browned and crisp at the edges.
5 min - 6
Return the onions to the pan, toss together for 1 minute and serve with rice and black beans.
1 min
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.