Denise, here's the Vaca Frita recipe adapted for the PC. I followed CI's suggestion and used chuck eye roast and added my own twist to the rest. In Cuba we used the same meat for both Vaca Frita and Ropa Vieja. So I am thinking since I have a 10 qt PC, that I might make a double batch using the Vaca Frita PC part of the recipe and use part for Ropa Vieja and part for Vaca Frita. You don't get the nicer beef broth with the carrots, onions, etc. but since only ½ cup reserved beef broth is needed for the Ropa Vieja it would be worth if. (I froze about 2 cups of the broth the last time I made it.) As a rule, I measure spices generously, not leveled. Can add more orange or lime to taste. I always use pie dishes instead of shallow bowls.
EXPORTED FROM LIVING COOKBOOK
ALINA'S VACA FRITA-CUBAN SHREDDED BEEF FOR PC*****
Use a well-marbled roast in this recipe. When trimming the beef, remove big chunks of visible fat and gristle leaving it in big chunks so it can be easily removed later when shredding the beef. You can use beef fat or olive oil in place of the bacon fat.
Servings: 4 Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Preparation Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 50 minutes
Inactive Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
3 lbs. boneless beef chuck-eye roast
1¾ cups water, divided
1 tsp. granulated garlic
2 tsps. Kosher salt, divided
1/2 Cara Cara orange juiced
2 limes, divided
1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 TBS. bacon fat, divided
1 large onion
2 TBS. dry sherry
Pull roast apart at seams, trim, and cut into 1½" cubes. Do not discard big chunks of fat. Wash orange thoroughly and cut in half. Cut that half into quarters and juice into a small bowl. Save the juiced quarters. Reserve the other orange half for another use.
Place beef including chunks of fat, 1 tsp. granulated garlic, 1½ cups water, and 1½ tsps. kosher salt and juiced orange quarters into pressure cooker (at least 6 qts.) Bring to pressure and cook for 15 minutes. Let pressure fall naturally for at least 5 minutes.
While beef cooks, peel and mince garlic, and then combine with olive oil, and cumin in a bowl. Wash limes thoroughly and use a microplane to zest and juice 1 of the limes into orange juice bowl. and stir to combine. Cut second lime into wedges. Peel and slice the onion thinly.
Once the cooker has depressurized, remove the chunks of beef with a slotted spoon onto a shallow bowl or pie plate. Take another similar plate and transfer chunks of beef a few at a time and shred with two forks. Leave chunks of fat and gristle in first plate and discard when done and set aside empty plate.
Heat 1½ tsps. of bacon in a 12" skillet over high heat. When fat begins to sizzle, add onion and ½ tsp. kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden brown and charred in spots, 5 to 8 minutes. Add sherry and ¼ cup water and cook until liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Transfer onion to the empty plate.
Return skillet to high heat, add 1½ tsps. more of the beef fat, bacon or olive oil, and heat until it begins to sizzle. Add enough of the beef to almost cover the pan in one layer. Do not crowd or beef will steam instead of crisping. Turn beef after 2 minutes to continue crisping for another 2 minutes or, until dark golden brown and crusty, about 4-5 minutes total. Remove the beef and add to onions. Tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat the process until all the beef has been crisped.
Reduce heat to low and push beef to sides of skillet. Add garlic mixture to center and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden brown, about 30 seconds. Return beef and onions to skillet and stir well to combine garlic with beef and onions. Remove pan from heat, add orange juice mixture, and toss to combine. Taste and add more lime juice if desired. Serve immediately with lime wedges.
Recipe Type: ALINA'S ADAPTATION, Beef, Cook's Illustrated, Cuban Food, Lime, Main Dish, Onions, Orange, Pressure Cooker
Source: Cook's Illustrated 9/1/2013
Web Page: http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/...=MCSCZ00L0
EXPORTED FROM LIVING COOKBOOK
ALINA'S VACA FRITA-CUBAN SHREDDED BEEF FOR PC*****
Use a well-marbled roast in this recipe. When trimming the beef, remove big chunks of visible fat and gristle leaving it in big chunks so it can be easily removed later when shredding the beef. You can use beef fat or olive oil in place of the bacon fat.
Servings: 4 Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Preparation Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 50 minutes
Inactive Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
3 lbs. boneless beef chuck-eye roast
1¾ cups water, divided
1 tsp. granulated garlic
2 tsps. Kosher salt, divided
1/2 Cara Cara orange juiced
2 limes, divided
1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 TBS. bacon fat, divided
1 large onion
2 TBS. dry sherry
Pull roast apart at seams, trim, and cut into 1½" cubes. Do not discard big chunks of fat. Wash orange thoroughly and cut in half. Cut that half into quarters and juice into a small bowl. Save the juiced quarters. Reserve the other orange half for another use.
Place beef including chunks of fat, 1 tsp. granulated garlic, 1½ cups water, and 1½ tsps. kosher salt and juiced orange quarters into pressure cooker (at least 6 qts.) Bring to pressure and cook for 15 minutes. Let pressure fall naturally for at least 5 minutes.
While beef cooks, peel and mince garlic, and then combine with olive oil, and cumin in a bowl. Wash limes thoroughly and use a microplane to zest and juice 1 of the limes into orange juice bowl. and stir to combine. Cut second lime into wedges. Peel and slice the onion thinly.
Once the cooker has depressurized, remove the chunks of beef with a slotted spoon onto a shallow bowl or pie plate. Take another similar plate and transfer chunks of beef a few at a time and shred with two forks. Leave chunks of fat and gristle in first plate and discard when done and set aside empty plate.
Heat 1½ tsps. of bacon in a 12" skillet over high heat. When fat begins to sizzle, add onion and ½ tsp. kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden brown and charred in spots, 5 to 8 minutes. Add sherry and ¼ cup water and cook until liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Transfer onion to the empty plate.
Return skillet to high heat, add 1½ tsps. more of the beef fat, bacon or olive oil, and heat until it begins to sizzle. Add enough of the beef to almost cover the pan in one layer. Do not crowd or beef will steam instead of crisping. Turn beef after 2 minutes to continue crisping for another 2 minutes or, until dark golden brown and crusty, about 4-5 minutes total. Remove the beef and add to onions. Tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat the process until all the beef has been crisped.
Reduce heat to low and push beef to sides of skillet. Add garlic mixture to center and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden brown, about 30 seconds. Return beef and onions to skillet and stir well to combine garlic with beef and onions. Remove pan from heat, add orange juice mixture, and toss to combine. Taste and add more lime juice if desired. Serve immediately with lime wedges.
Recipe Type: ALINA'S ADAPTATION, Beef, Cook's Illustrated, Cuban Food, Lime, Main Dish, Onions, Orange, Pressure Cooker
Source: Cook's Illustrated 9/1/2013
Web Page: http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/...=MCSCZ00L0
When you were talking about this I thought I must make it