Miami
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Miami: Little Havana Food Walking Tour with Tastings
Experience the thriving culinary scene of Miami's Little Havana and enjoy tasty, authentic Cuban cuisine. Learn about local history and culture as...
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History
Vaca frita translates as fried cow; the dish is a Cuban diner classic built on flank or skirt steak boiled until tender, then shredded and pan-fried with garlic and citrus until the edges char. It became central to Miami's Cuban dining-room canon in the 1970s, served with moros y cristianos (black beans and rice), maduros and tostones.
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Chicago
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Chicago: Gangsters and Food Tasting Walking Tour
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Charleston
Guided tour · 2.5 hours
Charleston: Small Group Food Tour, Savor the Flavors
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Make it at home
Ingredients
- 1 kg flank or skirt steak
- 2 large onions: 1 quartered for boil, 1 sliced for finish
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- Juice of 3 sour oranges (or 2 limes + 1 orange)
- Salt, black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Tostones and white rice, to serve
Method
- Place steak in a pot with quartered onion, bay leaf and water to cover. Simmer for 90 minutes until tender.
- Drain steak; cool. Shred along the grain with two forks into long strands.
- Marinate shreds in garlic, sour orange, salt and pepper for 30 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a heavy pan over medium-high. Add sliced onions, cook 4 minutes until soft.
- Add shredded beef in a single layer. Press down with a spatula. Cook undisturbed for 4 minutes until edges crisp, then flip and crisp the other side.
- Serve over white rice with tostones and a wedge of lime.
Tip from the editors. Press the beef down hard in the pan to crisp the edges. Crowd less, fry hot; otherwise the shreds steam instead of frying.
Where to eat vaca frita
Vaca frita in Miami
Versailles ★ 4.5
Versailles in Miami is the 1971 Cuban institution at 3555 SW 8th Street, open until midnight every night and 1am on weekends with the ventanita pouring.
TryCuban full plates and ventanita cafecito
TipWeekend 1am closing on the dining room; the ventanita stays open later. Order vaca frita and a cortadito.
La Carreta ★ 4.1
La Carreta in Miami is the Calle Ocho Cuban diner at 3632 SW 8th Street, a sister room to Versailles serving abuela-style plates and cafe con leche from 8am.
OrderLechon asado with moros y cristianos and a side of tostones.
TipThe ventanita pours strong cafecito at any hour; the dining room is quieter than Versailles next door.
Sergio's ★ 4.0
Sergio's in Coral Gables is the original family Cuban diner at 3252 SW 22nd Street, serving abuela-style Miami plates across South Florida since 1975.
OrderPan con bistec with crispy potato sticks and a cafe con leche.
TipOpen early for breakfast, late for after-show plates. The Coral Way location is the founding room.
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