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Cuban Ropa Vieja Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 95 reviews

Classic Cuban Ropa Vieja is a flavorful, shredded flank steak stew simmered with bell peppers, onions, garlic, olives, and a blend of aromatic spices. This hearty dish features tender beef cooked in a rich tomato-based sauce with vibrant herbs, perfect served with rice, black beans, and fried ripe plantains. The recipe offers multiple cooking methods, including stovetop, oven, slow cooker, and Instant Pot, to suit your kitchen preferences.

Ingredients

Scale

Beef and Seasoning

  • 2 pounds flank steak
  • Salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, avocado or vegetable oil (divided; more if needed)

Vegetables & Aromatics

  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced (red, green, and yellow preferred)
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 carrot, peeled and cut into thirds
  • 1 celery rib, cut into thirds

Spices & Seasonings

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (optional)

Liquids & Others

  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 cup chicken broth (or more if needed)
  • 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup pimento-stuffed Manzanilla olives, drained and sliced
  • 1 (4-ounce) jar sliced pimentos
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained (optional but recommended)
  • Chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Season: Preheat your oven to 350ºF. If the flank steak is too large to fit in your pot, cut it into smaller pieces. Pat dry the beef pieces and season generously with salt and ground black pepper.
  2. Sear the Beef: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the seasoned flank steak pieces and sear them on both sides until a golden brown crust forms, about 3-4 minutes per side. Do this in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Remove the seared beef and set aside.
  3. Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot, add the remaining oil and heat over medium heat. Add thinly sliced onions and bell peppers, scraping the pot’s bottom to loosen browned bits. Cook stirring frequently until vegetables are softened and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low, add minced garlic, and cook for 1 more minute until aromatic.
  4. Add Spices and Deglaze: Stir in tomato paste, dried oregano, ground cumin, sweet paprika, allspice, ground cloves, and chicken bouillon if using. Cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices. Pour in white wine and bring to a rapid boil, scraping the pot bottom to deglaze and lift any stuck bits. Cook 1-2 minutes to cook off alcohol.
  5. Add Broth and Tomatoes: Stir in chicken broth and crushed tomatoes. Return the seared flank steak and any accumulated juices back to the pot.
  6. Add Vegetables and Cook: Tuck carrot pieces, celery, and bay leaves under the sauce, adding extra broth if needed to keep ingredients covered. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the pot with a tight lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 1 1/2 hours until the beef is fork-tender and shreds easily.
  7. Shred the Beef: Remove the pot from the oven. Carefully remove and discard the carrots, celery, and bay leaves. Transfer the beef pieces to a plate and shred using two forks until long and thin.
  8. Finish the Sauce: Return shredded beef to the pot. Stir in sliced olives, pimentos, and drained capers. Simmer uncovered on medium heat until the sauce thickens and reduces to your desired consistency, about 10-15 minutes.
  9. Season and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Stir in freshly chopped cilantro or parsley. Serve piping hot over white rice or alongside black beans and fried ripe plantains for a complete Cuban feast.

Notes

  • If preferred, you can cook this dish using a slow cooker or an Instant Pot following the adjustments outlined in the recipe for those methods.
  • For a deeper flavor, marinate the flank steak with some spices and olive oil for a few hours before cooking if time permits.
  • Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to ensure even cooking and browning.
  • Adjust the heat and spice levels by increasing or decreasing paprika and cayenne if desired.
  • The presence of olives, pimentos, and capers adds a signature tangy and briny depth; omit if you want a milder taste.
  • Leftovers store well refrigerated for 3-4 days and reheat beautifully.

Keywords: Cuban ropa vieja, shredded beef stew, flank steak recipe, Cuban cuisine, traditional Cuban dish, slow-cooked Cuban beef

Find it online: https://heutigemahlzeiten.com/cuban-ropa-vieja-recipe/