Ropa Vieja
Sign in to rate this recipe.
The Tale of Ropa Vieja
Story updated
Ropa vieja ("old clothes") gets its name from the shredded, threadbare look of the slow-cooked, pulled beef. A popular legend traces it to the Canary Islands, where a poor man supposedly stewed his old clothes until they turned into meat, though the story is more folklore than fact; the dish itself is now considered Cuba's national dish.
Ingredients
Scale:· 6 servings
- 2 lbs flank steak
- 1 onion, sliced, divided
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup pimento-stuffed olives
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1Place flank steak in a pot with half the onion, a bay leaf, and enough water to cover; simmer 1.5-2 hours until fork-tender.
- 2Remove the steak, reserve 1 cup of the cooking broth, and shred the meat with two forks along the grain.
- 3Heat olive oil in a large skillet and saute remaining onion, bell peppers, and garlic until soft.
- 4Stir in crushed tomatoes, wine, cumin, oregano, and remaining bay leaf, and simmer 10 minutes.
- 5Add the shredded beef and reserved broth, and simmer 20-30 minutes until the flavors meld and sauce thickens.
- 6Stir in olives and season with salt and pepper.
- 7Serve hot with white rice and fried plantains.
Want Cook Mode, your own recipe photos, and unlimited calculators?
Get Home Cooking ProComments
Loading comments…
Sign in to leave a comment.