Ropa Vieja
Cuba's national dish- a stewed & shredded beef served with rice, tostones, and black beans.
Ingredients
Beef
- 2 lbs chuck roast or flank steak
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp oil
Stew
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 2 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp mexican oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 14 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup white wine chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, or pinot grigio
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/4 cup Spanish olives with pimento optional
Additional Ingredients
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro garnish
- 4 lime wedges
Instructions
- Season the beef with salt & pepper on all sides then let it rest at room temp for 20 minutes
- Set your instapot to sauté mode and wait until it gets really hot. Add 1 tbsp oil and get a good sear on the chuck roast.
- Add two cloves of crushed garlic, 3-4 white parts of a green onion, and 4 cups of water to the pot.
- Set your instapot to pressure cook mode for 30 minutes, with the valve sealed. When it's done, quick release the pressure. If you are making this in a regular stock pot, cover and boil on medium-low for 2 hours.
- Remove the beef and set aside to cool before shredding. Throw out any excessive amounts of fat pieces.
- Strain and reserve the beef broth. You can skim off the fat if you prefer, but I like to keep some of it in. You will only need 1 cup for this recipe but you can save the rest for something else.
- Heat a dutch oven or deep pan with 1 tbsp oil (or you can use beef fat skimmed from the broth) and add the onions & bell peppers. Season with a pinch of salt and sauté for 1 minute.
- After 1 minute, add the garlic and spices. Sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Deglaze with 1/2 cup white wine and let it cook off for about 1 minute.
- Add 1 cup of the beef stock.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and paste. Taste the stew and season with salt or beef bouillon to taste. (Knorr beef bouillon)
- Add the shredded beef and olives to the pot, mix well and cover on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
- Top with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime to serve. Enjoy with rice, black beans, and tostones :)
