Paleo Porn

Steamy Paleo Recipes

  • 
  • Start Here
    • New Here?
    • The History of Paleo Porn
    • Join the Paleo Porn Family
    • Meet Marla
    • Is It Paleo?
      • Is Quinoa Paleo?
      • Are Chia Seeds Paleo?
      • Are Pickles Paleo?
      • Is Sunflower Oil Paleo?
      • Is Cocoa Powder Paleo?
      • All Is It Paleo? Answers
    • Paleo-Friendly Restaurants
      • 100% Paleo
        • Picnik Austin (Austin, TX)
        • mmm…COFFEE! (Denver, CO)
      • Austin, TX
      • Chicago, IL
      • Denver, CO
      • Miami, FL
      • Nashville, TN
      • New York, NY
      • San Francisco, CA
    • Resources
    • Paleo Personal Care
    • How to Start a Food Blog
  • Recipes
    • Popular
      • Granola Bars
      • Baked Cauliflower Casserole
      • Cauliflower Garlic Mash
      • Pork Chops and Apples
      • Breakfast Casserole
      • Meatza
      • Bison Bacon Meatloaf
      • Ground Beef Stir Fry
      • Paleo Tortillas
    • All Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
  • Starr Fitness
  • Shop
    • Pigskin Paleo: Game Day Recipes
    • Paleo Porn T-Shirts
  • Coaching
  • 
Featured by As seen on

Paleo Porn

  • Start Here
  • Recipes
  • Starr Fitness
  • Our Cookbook
  • Resources
  • How to Start a Food Blog
  • Is It Paleo?
  • Paleo Restaurants
  • Cooking Coaching: Learn how to cook with real food

Lime Marinated Crispy Beef (Vaca Frita)

Beef makes an excellent main dish. Who doesn't like beef? It's rich, filling, and delicious, making it perfect for a festive occasion. by Marla Starr, updated November 6, 2016 Posted on January 26, 2015

Paleo Recipe Crispy Beef
Marla Starr
Marla Starr is the founder of Paleo Porn, co-author of Pigskin Paleo and Owner of Starr Fitness. Marla is a Certified Personal Trainer, 200HR Certified Yoga Instructor, a Certified Barre & SUP/SUP Yoga Instructor offering Personal Training & Small Group Fitness classes both in person and virtually. In addition to all of the above she is also the Executive Producer of Minimalism. Please enjoy all the recipes in the Paleo Porn recipe archives!

For Christmas dinner this year I chose a Cuban theme for the menu and Vaca Frita was the main dish. Vaca Frita is, simply put, lime-marinated crispy beef.

Vaca Frita Paleo Crispy BeefVaca Frita Paleo Crispy Beef

The Cubans would probably serve this over white rice, and you can certainly do that, depending on your tolerance for carbohydrates. For a purely Paleo meal, you can always substitute with cauliflower rice.

Plan Ahead

This is a good recipe to plan ahead, so you can let the meat sit in the marinade. As the instructions say, you can let it sit for as little as thirty minutes, but the longer it sits, the more the meat will absorb the flavors of the marinade. I usually recommend marinating meat for at least a couple hours.

Downsides to Crisping Meat

Any time we crisp meat, we create heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs). HCAs have shown some carcinogenic effects, while AGEs can increase insulin resistance and deplete our antioxidant stores.

The good news is that, by marinating the meat before crisping it up, we can largely prevent HCAs and AGEs from forming (source). As is so often the case, we can make our food more delicious while simultaneously making it healthier.

Vaca Frita Paleo Crispy Beef

Lime Marinated Crispy Beef (Vaca Frita)

Yield: 4-6 Servings

Ingredients

  • 2 yellow onions
  • 1 1/2lbs grass-fed flank steak, cut into 4 pieces
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 cup lime juice
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse ground sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Peel and cut one onion in half and slice the other.
  2. Place the beef, onion halves and bay leaf in a 5-quart deep saucepan with enough water to cover the ingredients. Place over medium high heat, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low to simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat and allow everything to cool. Discard the bay leaf and drain the beef & onion mixture, save the broth to drink or to use at a later time.
  4. When cool enough to handle, shred the beef by hand, pulling apart its fibers with your fingers.
  5. Add minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt to a large mixing bowl and mash with the back end of a large spoon to form a paste. Add the shredded beef, sliced onions, lime juice and olive oil to the bowl. Toss to combine. Set aside the bowl to marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to a couple hours. Add the remaining sea salt and black pepper and toss to combine.
  6. Heat a 10.25-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add just enough beef to the skillet to fill the bottom, without overcrowding. Sear for 3-4 minutes, undisturbed, to achieve a crisp texture. Toss the beef and allow it to cook another 2-4 minutes. Transfer cooked beef to a covered baking dish. You can keep it warm in a 250°F oven as you continue to repeat this step, until all the beef is cooked.
  7. Serve with white or cauliflower rice.
  8. Enjoy! :)

Our Supportive Family


Bringing you three new paleo recipes each week is no small investment of time and money, but we love it. If you also love Paleo Porn please consider a recurring monthly donation. For less than a single origin pour over you can help us continue to keep Paleo Porn 100% free.

Monthly Donation

$3 / month
$7 / month

Start Now

One-Time Donation

You can also become a one-time supporter with a single donation:

Give Now

About the Author Marla Starr

Marla Starr is the founder of Paleo Porn, co-author of Pigskin Paleo and Owner of Starr Fitness. Marla is a Certified Personal Trainer, 200HR Certified Yoga Instructor, a Certified Barre & SUP/SUP Yoga Instructor offering Personal Training & Small Group Fitness classes both in person and virtually. In addition to all of the above she is also the Executive Producer of Minimalism. Please enjoy all the recipes in the Paleo Porn recipe archives!

Previous
Fried Plantains
Go to All Recipes
Next
Don't Tell the Paleo Police, We Eat Rice and Potatoes

Recipesyou may also like

Paleo Recipe Paleo Greek Salad Skewers

Bite-Size Paleo Greek Salad Skewers

I love the pool! I love Monday's! I love feta cheese! (Only one of those apply to this mini appetizer of Bite-Size Greek Salad Skewers.) by Marla Starr, updated February 3, 2015 Posted on January 22, 2013

Paleo Recipe Buffalo Liver Pate

Buffalo Liver Pâté

This Buffalo Liver Pate makes for a healthy snack that will be a hit at parties. by Marla Starr, updated November 6, 2016 Posted on December 23, 2014

Garlic Shiitake Cauliflower Rice

Garlic Shiitake Cauliflower Rice

Bland cauliflower rice is a disappointing prospect when it has the potential to be a hearty, tasty side dish. by Marla Starr, updated January 18, 2015 Posted on February 16, 2014

Paleo Onion Omelet

Paleo Onion Omelet

Need breakfast in a flash? With 5 ingredients and a healthy portion of protein in the morning, this Paleo Onion Omelet will become your go-to breakfast. by Marla Starr, updated January 31, 2015 Posted on February 21, 2012

Paleo Recipe Paleo Persian Eggplant Stew over Cauliflower Rice

Paleo Persian Eggplant Stew over Cauliflower Rice

Get both burners going on the stovetop simultaneously and you'll have this Paleo eggplant stew ready in no time. by Marla Starr, updated February 4, 2015 Posted on February 26, 2013

Paleo Recipe Paleo Pizza Recipe

Paleo Pizza

In our search for the perfect Paleo pizza, we discovered tapioca flour. It's not delivery, it's Paleo Porn Pizza! by Marla Starr, updated November 6, 2016 Posted on January 9, 2015

Paleo Recipe - Paleo Pot Roast

Paleo Pot Roast

With a short amount of time devoted to preparing this Paleo Pot Roast recipe, the oven will take care of the rest of the cooking for you. by Marla Starr, updated January 30, 2015 Posted on September 4, 2013

Paleo Pumpkin Chili

Paleo Pumpkin Chili

Pumpkin, the featured ingredient in this Paleo Pumpkin Chili creates a super smooth texture. by Marla Starr, updated February 3, 2015 Posted on November 19, 2012

Paleo Raw Oysters

Paleo Raw Oysters

For an appetizer that is both elegant and simple, this raw oysters recipe is a winner. by Marla Starr, updated June 24, 2015 Posted on March 27, 2014

Paleo Fish Tacos with Kimchi

Paleo Tacos with Kimchi

For a quick lunch or dinner whip up a batch of Paleo Tacos and bring them to life with some daikon kimchi. by Marla Starr, updated November 6, 2016 Posted on June 12, 2014

Paleo Recipe Paleo Tortillas

Paleo Tortillas

Think that 'going Paleo' means you won't ever get to eat Mexican food? Think again. These gluten-free Paleo Tortillas are your new best friend. by Marla Starr, updated December 2, 2016 Posted on August 15, 2014

Paleo Recipe Paleo Turnip Hash Casserole

Paleo Turnip Hash Casserole

Whip up a platter full of Paleo Turnip Hash Brown Casserole and you'll be prepared for a week's worth of Paleo breakfasts. Eat it warm or cold. by Marla Starr, updated March 31, 2015 Posted on February 12, 2013

Week of Zen
My Meditation Course

Week of Zen is a guided meditation course that can easily be implemented into your everyday life practice. No experience necessary.

Are you ready to feel calm, creative, connected, and conscious? Begin your Week of Zen today at https://weekofzen.com/

Our Documentary
Minimalism: A Documentary About The Important Things is NOW streaming on Netflix! You can watch Minimalism on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Vimeo & DVD. Details Here
/PaleoPorn 20K+
@PaleoPorn 4K+
@PaleoPorn 1K+
/PaleoPornTV
Paleo MX: Authentic Mexican Recipes
Authentic Mexican Recipes!

Our next cookbook, Paleo MX: Authentic Mexican Recipes is coming this Summer!

Tell Me More!

Paleo Burger Bar

Gluten-free, grain-free American-style fast food and diner staples

Tell Me More!

Paleo Porn Family

Join over 18,000 in The Family!

Family Members have early access to everything Paleo Porn and get one weekly email. But never fear, spam's not paleo!

  • Start Here
  • Paleo Recipes
  • Paleo Food List
  • Starr Fitness
  • Our Cookbook
  • Paleo Restaurants
  • Resources
  • About
  • Disclosure
SPYR
Copyright © 2023 SPYR
Paleo Porn® is a registered trademark of SPYR Media, LLC
Paleo Porn is powered by Bluehost