Paleo vaca frita: slow-cooked beef that crisps at the finish

Vaca frita means 'fried cow,' and the whole pleasure of the dish is the contrast: beef braised until it falls apart, then shredded and pressed into a hot pan until the edges crisp and brown. It rewards a little patience, and the reward is worth the wait. This is a good batch-cook: one braise feeds several meals, and meals already made carry you through a busy week.

There is real nourishment in a long-cooked chuck roast. The connective tissue breaks down into glycine and gelatin, the same raw materials the gut lining uses to mend, and beef carries zinc, studied for its role in immune regulation and gut-barrier repair. The classic Cuban mojo leans on citrus, and here orange juice and a little vinegar carry that brightness without any nightshade, so the flavor stays vivid.

Source the beef from an animal raised well, and use the whole roast, this dish is built for it. The traditional mojo would reach for bitter orange and sometimes peppers, and this version reaches for sweet orange and vinegar instead, a clean, flavorful match. Plate it with lime and something green, take a breath, and eat it warm while the edges are still crisp.

Ingredients

• 3 lb beef chuck roast
• 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 8 cloves garlic
• 2 1/2 tsp sea salt, divided
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• Lime wedges, to serve

To serve: cauliflower rice and a simple salad.

Method

(Instant Pot)

Set the Instant Pot to saute and warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Soften the sliced onion for about 5 minutes.

Cut the roast into roughly 6 palm-sized chunks. Add them to the pot with the garlic, most of the salt, and the thyme, browning the pieces briefly on each side.

Pour in the orange juice, seal the lid, and pressure cook for 25 minutes. Release the pressure, lift out the beef, and shred it with two forks. Discard the cooking liquid.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spread the shredded beef, garlic, and onion in an even layer and let it fry undisturbed until the bottom begins to crisp. Add the apple cider vinegar.

Keep frying for 5 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the beef is browned and crisp at the edges. Serve with lime wedges over cauliflower rice with a salad.

Slow cooker and Instant Pot variation

This braise works beautifully hands-off in either pot.

In the Instant Pot, you can slow-cook instead of pressure cooking: brown the onion and beef on the saute setting as above, add the orange juice, then switch to the slow-cook setting and cook 4 to 6 hours until the beef shreds easily. Either way you finish with the skillet fry.

In a stand-alone slow cooker, soften the onion and brown the beef in a skillet first, then transfer everything with the orange juice and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Shred, discard the liquid, and crisp the beef in a hot skillet with the remaining oil and the vinegar to finish.

Stovetop variation

To braise on the stove, brown the onion and beef chunks in an ovenproof pot or Dutch oven, add the orange juice and a splash of water, cover, and simmer gently on low for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until the beef shreds easily, topping up the liquid if it runs low. This time is a sensible draft and wants checking. Shred, discard the liquid, and crisp the beef in a hot skillet as above.

*Adapted from grazedandenthused.com*