Ropa vieja, Spanish for “old clothes,” is a popular dish of the Canary Islands and Cuba.
The original recipe consists of a dish made with leftovers from the cocido. In the Americas, it is a shredded flank, brisket, or skirt steak in a tomato sauce base.
Variations of the dish occur throughout the Caribbean, especially in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
In Venezuela ropa vieja is known as carne mechada (pulled of shredded beef) and is part of the national dish called pabellón criollo, which consists of a serving of the carne mechada accompanied with black beans, fried plantains, white rice, and sometimes arepitas de maíz (corn fritters).
In Veracruz and Tabasco, Mexico, ropa vieja is made with shredded beef, mint, garlic, tomato, and onions, and cooked with eggs.
Then night before or early in the morning you will do the first part of this recipe, then you will only have to do the second and last part of it! the sauce.
In a cast-iron pan or heavy bottom pot, heat some olive oil and saute the garlic, peppers and the onions.
Then, you can drain all the liquid from the shredded meat and add it to the pot.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 2 pounds skirt steak
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 onion sliced
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- ¾ cup wine
- 1 cup tomato puree
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a pressure cooker is very fast. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in pressure cooker over high heat. Add meat and brown well on all sides lifting meat frequently with long wooden spoon to prevent sticking—about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add water or stock, a pinch of salt and bay leaves, and dried thyme. Set trivet in cooker and place meat on it, broad side down, so that as much surface as possible submerges.
- Lock lid into place and bring to pressure, then lower heat and cook for 35 minutes. When pot roast is done, it should be easy to pierce with a fork. If it is not sufficiently tender, lock lid back in place and heat to high pressure for another 5 minutes, remove pot from heat and allow pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes. Release any remaining pressure. Transfer to platter and set aside in warm place.
- If you are cooking this on a stove top this part will be like two hours. If your cooking on a Crock pot it will take 4 hours on HIGH or 8 hours on LOW. Brown beef as directed above and add remaining ingredients to Crock Pot.
- This first step can do even the night before or early in the morning if you are preparing the Ropa Vieja for dinner.
- Reserve the broth where the beef was cooked in. Shred the beef, if the strand s are too long please cut them in half. If you do this step in advance, please keep the beef refrigerated in an air tight container with enough broth. This will help your meat remain tender.
- The next step is to prepare a good sauce. For this, heat it in a heavy bottom pan or cast iron pot, add oil and onion and peppers previously sliced and crushed garlic. Cook them for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Then add the tomato puree, spices, wine, and a bit (1/2 cup to start) the broth in which you cook the meat. Finally incorporate the shredded meat.
- Stir well and let it all cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat. Watch the sauce is not too thick, but you can add broth to make it the consistency you like.
- Serve with white rice and maduros (yellow plantains) fried or moro (rice with black beans).
Nutrition
Some versions in the Canary Islands contain beef, chicken, or pork, or a combination of these.
The dish is a national feature of Cuba where it does not contain chicken or pork; rather, it is shredded beef in sauce.
Happy cooking!
23 thoughts on “Ropa vieja Cubana (Cuban Shredded beef)”
Oh my gosh, this has been on my list of recipes to try. Bookmarking it for later.
Hey Marlene,
Thanks for stopping by! it is really good!..
Never heard and definitely tried this recipebbut it looks beyond delicious – so succulent and delicate! Nice job, Gaila!
Thanks Ben! you definitely should try it, afterwards leftovers are amazing: tacos, nachos, cheese melts, pizzas..I can tell you cause I made a huge batch! hehehe have a great Monday!
We don’t have a Cuban restaurant near us anymore. I cannot wait to try this one at home. Sounds perfect.
Christie! it’s a shame you don’t have that Cuban restaurant near you any longer but that will give you the courage to try this at home! I can assure you, you will be happy you had. And leftovers are great for recipe spinning: nachos, tacos, enchiladas, cheese melts.. Let me know how it went!
Gaila, I LOVE ropa vieja! It is so funny you are posting this because just the other day my husband asked me to make it this weekend for the holiday. I’m excited you posted this, because now I can compare notes! Can’t wait to use some of your tips and tricks in my own recipe! Thanks so much! Cheers, sweets! xo
Hey Cheyanne!!!
We definitely think alike girl! hope you like it when you try it!
XOXO
Hola,
I tried Ropa Vieja at a restaurant in San Juan called “Ropa Vieja” and it was addicting! I can’t wait to try your recipe. Thanks so much!
alexis
Hey Alexis! I am glad you are going to try my recipe! let me know how it turn out! I want Pics! 🙂
Hi, we are wondering how much meat did you use for this recipe. Thanks in advance.
Hi Jenifer! thank you for stopping by! I just updated this post, I don’t know why the recipes were missing, I used about 2 pounds of skirt. If you have any other question, do not hesitate, please
How much water or stock?
What kind of wine do you use? Thank you.
Barbara
Hey Barbara! thank you for stopping by! I usually have cooking wine at hand if not I use any good any I have at home.
Hi
How much water or stock do I need to add to the meat in the presure cooker?
Hello Noëlle thank you for stopping by! I put 4 to 6 cups of stock.
Regards,
Does anyone know what is the best beef of the cow toi use for Cuban Ropa Vieja?
Hi Gene,
Normally I use flank steak or skirt.
Thank you for stopping by!
Does anyone know what part of the COw s best for Ropa Vieja Cuban Style
Hi Gene,
Normally I use flank steak or skirt.
Thank you for stopping by!
Can you put olives?and if yes in which step should I add them
Thanks
It’s funny you asked because I sometimes put olives in it too! my favorite kind would be the ones with red peppers in it, so flavourful and pretty! Thanks for stopping by