What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear Cuba? Okay, Cigars! We’ll give you that one. But on the food front, the most popular dish in Cuba, also their national dish, is the very juicy and delicious Ropa Vieja.
This traditional dish comprises fine shredded, long strands of beef coupled with veggies. The veggies and beef, mixed in the sauce, look like a bundle of colourful ropes, or rags. Ergo, the name Ropa Vieja. Its origin can be traced back to the middle ages, apparently originating in Spain.
In today’s episode of Caribbean cuisine trails, we will discover the brilliant Ropa Vieja.
- Total Time: 285 mins (4 ¾ hours)
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cooking Time: 4 ½ hours
- Dish Type: Main Course
- Cuisine: Cuban
- SERVING: Serves 8
INGREDIENTS
- Steak: 2 pounds (Chuck or Flank)
- Onion: One Large, thinly sliced
- Bell Pepper: One large each of green, red, and yellow, thinly sliced
- Cloves: 4, minced
- Garlic: 4, minced
- Oregano: 2 teaspoons, dried
- Cumin: 2 teaspoons, ground
- Sweet Paprika: 2 teaspoons
- Smoked Paprika: 1 teaspoon
- Allspice: 1/8 teaspoon, ground
- Cloves: 1/8 teaspoon, ground
- Kosher salt: 2 teaspoons
- black pepper: ½ teaspoon, freshly ground
- Dry White Wine: ½ cup
- Chicken/Beef broth: 1 Cup
- Crushed tomatoes: 16 Oz.
- Tomato paste: 6 Oz.
- Bay leaves: 2
- Carrot: One large, halved
- Celery: 1 large stalk, halved
- Olives: 1 Cup
- Red Peppers: ½ cup, thinly sliced
- Pimientos: ¼ cup
- Capers: 2 tablespoons
- Parsley: 1/3 cup, chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
Pat the beef dry and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat some oil in a Dutch oven over high heat.
Add the beef once very hot and let it brown on the sides generously.
Once browned, shift the beef to a plate. (Do not clear the drippings in the pot, they are key to the flavour.)
Add the sliced vegetables to the pot and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until caramelized.
Add the garlic and spices and cook for another minute.
Add the white wine and bring it to a rapid boil, deglazing the bottom of the pan (scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan).
Add the broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and bay leaves. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Return the roast to the pot along with the pieces of carrots and celery.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 3-4 hours or until the beef is fork-tender and falls apart easily.
Discard the celery, carrots and bay leaves.
Transfer the beef to a plate and shred it.
Stir in the olives, roasted red peppers, capers and pimientos.
Simmer uncovered to thicken the sauce for 30 minutes.
Stir in the parsley and add salt and pepper to taste.
Your Ropa Vieja is ready to be served!
