Cuban Style Beef Recipes

ROPA VIEJA (CUBAN BEEF)

Steps:

• Cut flank steak in half across the grain. Mix salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Season both sides generously with the salt mixture.
• Heat olive oil in a pot over high heat. Add steaks and cook until outsides are well browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove steaks to a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add red onion, garlic, and more of the salt seasoning. Cook and stir until starting to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, cloves, and allspice. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Pour in white wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth.
• Return beef and accumulated juices to the pot. Season with salt and add bay leaves. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until beef is almost fork-tender, not falling apart, about 2 hours.
• Remove pot from heat and let stew cool to room temperature, at least 45 minutes. Refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight, for best results.
• Remove beef to a plate and set stew over medium heat. Tear beef along the grain into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-wide shreds; place back in the stew. Add bell peppers, poblanos, smoked paprika, capers, olives, and sugar. Stir together and reduce heat to medium. Simmer until peppers are soft and meat is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off heat, remove bay leaves, and stir in cilantro.

CUBAN BEEF STEW

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in oil, stirring frequently, until transparent. Stir in cubed meat, and cook until browned.
• Stir in red bell pepper, bay leaf, cumin, and oregano; cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir in sherry, tomato sauce, vinegar, olives, raisins, and capers. Pour in enough water to just cover meat. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, and cover. Simmer until fork tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add more water if the stew becomes too thick.
• Stir potatoes into the stew. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, covered, until potatoes are almost tender. Uncover, and cook until done.

CUBAN-STYLE BEEF

Steps:

• Cook and stir onion in dressing in large skillet on medium-high heat 3 min. Add meat; cook 5 min. or until evenly browned, stirring occasionally.
• Add potatoes, corn, tomato sauce and water; mix well. Cook on medium-low heat 10 to 15 min. or until meat is done, stirring occasionally.
• Sprinkle with cheese and cilantro.

CUBAN ROAST BEEF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
• Mix the first 7 ingredients to make a stuffing.
• Make an incision 1 1/2" to 2" deep along the length of the roast.
• Stuff the stuffing into the incision.
• Salt and pepper the roast.
• Brown the roast on all sides in bacon fat in a large heavy casserole Add all the rest of the ingredients and cook in the oven for 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is very tender.
• Check once or twice to make sure that the liquid is not boiling away.
• Add water or unsalted stock as necessary.

SHREDDED SLOW COOKER CUBAN BEEF

Steps:

• Cut roast into 4 quarters and season liberally with salt and pepper. Place a large cast iron pan over high heat and coat with olive oil; heat until smoking. Place meat in the hot pan and turn to sear on all sides until a crust forms, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer seared meat to a slow cooker.
• Add bitter orange marinade, garlic marinade, onion, garlic, and cumin to the slow cooker. Make sure meat is mostly covered in marinade.
• Cook on Low for 6 hours; shred meat in the slow cooker using tongs or a fork. Continue cooking on Low for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Add additional salt or cumin if desired.