Ropa Vieja

Name: Ropa Vieja
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 2 h 25 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 700 g beef flank steak or brisket; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 large onion (~200 g), thinly sliced; 1 red bell pepper and 1 green bell pepper (~150 g each), deseeded and sliced; 4 garlic cloves, finely minced; 400 g canned crushed tomatoes; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 100 ml dry white wine; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried oregano; 2 bay leaves; 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Ropa vieja — 'old clothes' in Spanish — is Cuba's national dish: beef braised until it falls into shreds, then cooked in a sofrito of tomatoes, peppers, onion, and garlic that permeates every fibre. The dish arrived in Cuba from the Canary Islands and has roots in medieval Sephardic Jewish cooking, where it was made from leftover Sabbath beef. Over centuries it became inseparable from Cuban identity. The technique is two stages. First, the beef simmers in salted water until completely tender and the fibres separate easily — at least ninety minutes. Then the shredded meat finishes in the sofrito, absorbing the sweet, acidic tomato sauce and the cumin and oregano that give it its Cuban character. The sauce must be thick enough to coat each strand, not pooled beneath them.

Total time2h 25m

Active time25m

Servings4

DifficultyMedium

Cost$$

Add to my meal plan

❤️

Rich in protein

Filling and nutritious

🕐

Slow simmered

Low and slow cooking

🍲

One-pot

Minimal washing up

⭐

Traditional recipe

Authentic taste

Ingredients 4 servings

700 g beef flank steak or brisket
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion (~200 g), thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper and 1 green bell pepper (~150 g each), deseeded and sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
400 g canned crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
100 ml dry white wine
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

How to make it

1Place the beef in a pot, cover with cold salted water, bring to a boil, skim, reduce heat, and simmer covered for 1.5–2 hours until the meat pulls apart easily.
2Remove the beef, reserve 200 ml of the cooking liquid, and shred the meat into long strips.
3Heat the oil in a wide heavy pan over medium heat, add the onion and both bell peppers, and cook for 8–10 minutes until softened and beginning to colour.
4Add the garlic, cumin, and oregano and stir for 1 minute, then pour in the white wine and cook for 2 minutes until reduced by half.
5Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, reserved cooking liquid, and bay leaves, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
6Add the shredded beef, stir to combine, and simmer for 10–15 minutes more until the beef absorbs the sauce and the mixture is juicy but not soupy.
7Remove the bay leaves and serve with white rice and fried plantains.