Carnita Frita [Video+Recipe] Fried Beef or Pork

Carne frita, carnita frita, res frita, or puerco frito, is a classic Dominican fried meat, and a popular snack or picadera.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 pound beef (or pork fillet)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder))
• 1/2 tablespoon powdered sazón completo (or liquid sazón (see links to recipes above).)
• 1/2 tablespoon oregano
• 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons salt ((or more, to taste, amount divided))
• 2 cups vegetable oil

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- 1. Clean and cut the meat ---
2. 2Clean the meat, removing any excess fat, gristle or membranes.Slice it into thin strips, 1 cm (¼") thick, against the grain of the meat.
3. 3--- 2. Season the meat ---
4. 4Place in a bowl and season with pepper, garlic, sazon completo, oregano and the juice of 1 lemon.Cover and marinate for 20 minutes.
5. 5--- 3. Boil the meat ---
6. 6In a small pot, boil a little water, enough to cover the meat by half, about 1 cup.Add the meat and cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
7. 7--- 4. Fry ---
8. 8Remove from water and drain. Taste and season with salt to taste if necessary.Heat enough oil to fry in a heavy-bottomed pot. Wait until it is hot enough, 350 °F (180 °C).Fry the meat until it browns around the edges, about 3 minutes (it gets darker when removed from the pan). Do this in 3 batches. Remove from heat and place on a wire rack or absorbent paper for about 2 to 3 minutes.⚠️ Be careful of hot oil splatters when frying meat. We recommend using a splatter-guard (Amazon affiliate link).
9. 9--- 5. Serve ---
10. 10Serve hot. Find serving suggestions on the recipe.