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Cooking adventures in a small, closet sized, kitchen. - I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.

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Ropa Vieja (aka Cuban Style Shredded Beef)

[heart_this] · Jan 27, 2022 · 6 Comments

Ropa Vieja (aka Cuban Style Shredded Beef)

Slowly braised beef in a tasty Cuban style sauce with onions, peppers, garlic, olives and capers!

Ropa vieja is a tasty dish with origins in Spain and it’s popular in Cuba. This is a stew where beef is slowly simmered in a tomato based sauce with onions, bell peppers and garlic. The beef, typically flank steak, is braised until it’s falling apart tender before being shredded and mixed back in with everything else. The stew is seasoned with cumin, paprika, oregano with hints of allspice and cloves. Olives, capers and a splash of vinegar round everything off and the combination of all of these flavours is amazingly tasty! I like to serve ropa vieja over rice with a side of beans. This recipe makes a big batch, which is good since any leftovers taste even better the next day!

Ropa Vieja (aka Cuban Style Shredded Beef)

Ropa Vieja (aka Cuban Style Shredded Beef)

Ropa Vieja (aka Cuban Style Shredded Beef)
Ropa Vieja (aka Cuban Style Shredded Beef)

Ropa Vieja (aka Cuban Style Shredded Beef)

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes Servings: 8

Slowly braised beef in a tasty Cuban style sauce with onions, peppers, garlic, olives and capers!

ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 pounds beef (flank, chuck, brisket, etc.)
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 3 teaspoons sweet paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup green olives (optionally sliced)
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or lime juice)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
directions
  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the beef and brown on all sides before setting aside.
  2. Add the onion, and bell peppers to the pan and cook until tender, about 7-10 minutes. (Add more olive oil if needed.)
  3. Add the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, paprika, allspice, and cloves, and cook until fragrant, about a minute, mixing it in as it cooks.
  4. Add the beef broth, crushed tomatoes, oregano, and bay leaves, and mix before adding the beef.
  5. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the beef is falling apart tender, about 2 hours.
  6. Remove the beef from the pot, shredd and mix back in, along with the olives and capers and simmer for 5 minutes.
  7. Add the vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste before mixing in the cilantro and enjoying!
Slow Cooker: Implement steps 1-4, transfer to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-10 hours or high for 2-4 hours.
Option: Add 1/4 cup diced roasted red peppers near the end for some extra sweetness!
Option: Add 1/4 cup raisins!
Note: The leftovers taste even better the next day!
Nutrition Facts: Calories 462, Fat 42g (Saturated 15g, Trans 0), Cholesterol 159mg, Sodium 632mg, Carbs 11g (Fiber 3g, Sugars 4g), Protein 33g

Nutrition by: Nutritional facts powered by Edamam
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Beef, Cuban, Food, Gluten-free, One-Pan, Recipe, Stew

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sabrina says

    January 28, 2022 at 10:13 pm

    another really nice dish, haven’t had Cuban food in a long time but love the unique flavors, especially in the beans, even vinegar, nice reminder and recipe, thank you!

    Reply
  2. Jen says

    February 4, 2022 at 8:47 pm

    I loved the flavors in this, and it was simple to do in the slow cooker especially. I cooked it while I was at work, and when I got home I reheated some leftover rice and warmed up some frozen peas which were perfect with the beef. My whole family ate it up, which is a rare occurrence. Thank you for a really great recipe!

    Reply
  3. Cherri Mcgill says

    February 8, 2022 at 12:09 pm

    I bought Chuck roast for this recipe & needless to say it did not take 2 hours to cook. It took about 8. I had to transfer it from my pot to the slow cooker. I hope it turns out after I get home today bc it looks so good in the picture!

    Reply
    • kevin says

      February 8, 2022 at 5:13 pm

      Was the lid on while simmering the beef for the 2 hours on the stove top?

      Reply
  4. Linda says

    February 12, 2022 at 4:51 pm

    Kevin, how were the black beans cooked, with spices, out of the can?? This would be so good with your cilantro and lime rice which is yummy..
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • kevin says

      February 14, 2022 at 10:35 am

      This would be good with cilantro lime rice! Yum! The black beans in the photo were simply rinsed canned beans. These Cuban style seasoned beans would also be good here:
      https://www.closetcooking.com/cuban-black-beans-and-rice-moros-y/

      Reply

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Kevin: I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.
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