Ultimate Ropa Vieja (National Dish of Cuba)

Ultimate Ropa Vieja (National Dish of Cuba)

Shredded beef and vegetables that resemble a heap of colorful rags – that’s Ropa Vieja. From the Spanish term for “old clothes”, this is one of Cuba’s most popular and beloved dishes. So popular in fact that it’s one of the country’s designated national dishes.

This dish dates back to the Middle Ages of Spanish Sephardi, a loose adaptation of a dish that remains popular in southern and central Spain. Traditionally it was a way to stretch the leftovers of stews such as puchero or cocida, both of which are garbanzo-based dishes as is the original Spanish version of Ropa Vieja. This dish was later taken to Cuba where the Cubans made it their own.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chuck ask your butcher to cut it taller than wider so you get long strands of beef along the grain or flank steak (see discussion in this post about cuts of beef)
• 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
• 1 of each large green red and yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth chicken broth has a stronger/deeper flavor than beef broth
• 1 16 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 large carrot cut in half
• 1 large stalk celery cut in half
• 1 cup Lindsay Naturals Green Olives rinsed and drained (you can slice them if you prefer)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced Lindsay Roasted Red Peppers drained
• 1/4 cup Lindsay Pimientos drained
• 2 tablespoons Lindsay Capers rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Pat the beef dry and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Heat a little oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Once very hot add the beef and brown generously on all sides. Transfer the beef to a plate. (Do not discard the drippings and blackened bits in the pot, they are key to the flavor.)
3. 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).
4. Add the broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and bay leaves. Simmer for 5 minutes.
5. 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.
6. Transfer the beef to a plate and shred it.
7. 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.

Notes

For a variation on traditional beef you can also use pork or chicken (bone-in/skin-on for the most flavor or boneless breast or thighs).

Recipe Adapted From daringgourmet.com

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