Ropa Vieja Aka Cuban Style Shredded 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.

AUTHENTIC CUBAN ROPA VIEJA (SHREDDED BEEF RECIPE)

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, add the meat with water and salt. Cook at medium-low until the meat is tender, about 2 hours. (In a pressure cooker, this takes about 40 minutes). Transfer to a plate. Shred meat and set aside.
• In a skillet, heat olive oil at medium heat. Add green pepper, onion, and pimientos. Sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
• Add dry cooking wine, tomato sauce, ground cumin, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the shredded meat to the skillet and stir to combine with the sauce. Cover and cook on low for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, without letting it dry out. Remove bay leaf and serve over white rice and sweet plantains. Enjoy!

SHREDDED STEAK WITH PEPPERS, ONIONS AND TOMATOES (ROPA VIEJA)

Steps:

• Cut the flank steak into large pieces and place them in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the adobo and the Worcestershire sauce to make a paste. Rub the paste into the meat, add the beer, and let marinate for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
• Transfer the meat, as well as the marinade to a large pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the meat is tender, about 3 hours.
• Remove the meat from the pot and reserve the cooking liquid. Using 2 forks, shred the meat and set it aside.
• Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, peppers, scallions, and tomatoes and cook until they are soft, 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and meat to the pan along with 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid. Cover and simmer until the juices cook down, about 15 minutes.
• Combine all ingredients.

ROPA VIEJA (CUBAN MEAT STEW)

Steps:

• Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season meat with Adobo. Add steak to pot and cook in batches, flipping once, until well browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer meat to a plate. Lower heat to medium. Stir in onions and peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add sofrito and garlic to pot; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in 3 cups of water, tomato sauce, Sazon, beef bouillon and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil. Return beef to pot. Lower heat to medium low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Stir in olives and capers. Cover pot; simmer until meat shreds easily with fork, 1 - 1 1/2 hours, adding more water in 1/4 cup measurements, if pot becomes dry. Transfer meat to work surface; shred meat with two forks. Bring remaining sauce to a boil. Mix meat and cilantro into sauce. Serve with white rice.