Home ropa vieja

Ropa Vieja

post-title

Ropa Vieja

Best known for being the national dish of Cuba, ropa vieja actually originated in Spain. This classic beef stew features shredded flank steak tossed in a flavorful sauce of tomato, onion, and pepper. While many traditional recipes simmer the beef in stock until tender before shredding and incorporating it into the separately made sauce, our one-pot version cooks the beef and the sauce together.

Ingredients :

  • 2 lb. flank steak
  • 3 tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more
  • 4 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
  • 2 bell peppers, seeded and sliced
  • 1 yellow onion, halved lengthwise and sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp. cumin
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 1 cup pimento-stuffed olives, halved crosswise
  • Cooked rice and black beans, for serving
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions :

  1. Cut steak into 4 rectangular pieces. Pat dry with paper towels; season both sides with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
  2. In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Working in batches, cook steak until browned on both sides, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
  3. In same pot over medium heat, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Cook bell peppers, onion, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, paprika, cumin, and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and spices are aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes more.
  4. Add wine, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juices and bay leaves. Mash down on tomatoes to break up, then nestle beef into stew. Add water to cover beef, if needed, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until steaks are tender enough to shred, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Transfer steaks to a plate and finely shred with 2 forks.
  5. Stir shredded steak back into stew. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until liquid has reduced to a sauce that coats steak, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in olives; season with salt.
  6. Spoon ropa vieja over rice and beans. Top with cilantro.
Related Recipes