Easy Vaca Frita (Edit recipe)

Strands of delicious flank steak get fried to crisp perfection in this easy Vaca Frita recipe. It's Whole30, Paleo and Gluten-Free.

5 minutes

1 hour and 40 minutes

Difficulty:

Intermediate

Show nutritional information

This is our estimate based on online research.
Calories:	242
Fat:	15 g
Carbohydrates:	1 g
Protein:	28 g
Cholesterol:	40 g
Sodium:	392 mg
Fiber:	0 g
Sugars:	0 g
Calculated per serving.

by Primal Gourmet

View original recipe

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1.5 lb Flank Steak, cut into 2 inch strips *with the grain
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Garlic Powder
.5 tsp Black Pepper, freshly cracked
1 Green Bell Peppers, quartered
2 Yellow Onion, medium, 1 halved, 1 thinly sliced
8 cloves Garlic, 5 left whole, 3 finely chopped
2 Bay Leaf
2 Tbsp Lime Juice
.5 tsp Whole Black Peppercorns
3 Tbsp Avocado Oil

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Process

Cook Mode

Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results

Season the flank steak with salt, garlic powder and pepper. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate anywhere from 1 hour to overnight.
In a cold stock pot or sauté pan, combine the flank steak, green pepper, halved onion, whole garlic cloves, bay leaves, lime juice, and peppercorns. Cover with water and place over high heat to bring to a boil. Drop the heat to medium-high to maintain a steady simmer and cook, adding more water if too much evaporates in the process, until the meat can be easily shredded with a fork, 1.5 to 2 hours.
Transfer the meat to a bowl and let cool. Strain the cooking liquid and reserve. Using your hands or two forks, shred the meat into thin strings. Set aside.
Preheat a cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add avocado oil and heat until shimmering. Add the shredded meat to the hot oil in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until a crust forms, around 2 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, season with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the onions are slightly soft and translucent, around 4 minutes. Add ¼ cup of the reserved stock and stir to coat (remaining stock can be frozen for up to 6 months). Taste the vaca frita for seasoning, adjust with salt as desired, and serve immediately.