Cuban Ropa Vieja Traditional Ropa Vieja is a classic dish from Cuban cuisine, featuring shredded beef seasoned with garlic, onions, tomatoes, and bay leaves. This dish originated in Spain over 1000 years ago. Spanish Jews, faced with food scarcity, made the most of what little they had, shredding the meat to make it stretch further and feed the whole family.

In Cuba, the popular story behind this delicious preparation tells of a man who didn’t have money to feed his family meat. One day, he sold his old clothes and used the money to buy a handful of meat to prepare dinner. This version persisted and is the explanation that exists for this traditional recipe today.

Many countries have their own version of Ropa Vieja. It is very popular in Panama, known as “carne mechada” in Venezuela, and enjoyed in the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, and many other Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Let’s review what you need to make this iconic Cuban dish, Ropa Vieja.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg beef brisket
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 2 bay leaves
• A pinch of black pepper
• A pinch of salt to taste
• 1 large onion
• ½ bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp oregano (ground or fresh)
• ½ cup red wine
• ⅛ cup dry wine
• ½ cup tomato puree
• 2 tsp oil

Step-by-Step Preparation

Meat Preparation:

1. Fill a pot (preferably a pressure cooker) with water and soften the meat, ensuring the water covers the meat by about three inches. Add salt and boil for approximately 30 minutes or until the meat is tender enough to shred (check by inserting a fork into the meat; it should easily pull away).
2. Drain the meat in a container and wait for it to cool.
3. Using two forks, begin to shred the meat to your preferred thickness.

Sauce:

1. Crush the garlic cloves well and finely chop the onion and bell pepper.
2. In a hot pan, pour the two tablespoons of oil, and sauté the garlic, onion, and bell pepper for about 30 seconds.
3. Add cumin, oregano, red wine, dry wine, and tomato puree to the sauté. Stir until well combined for another 30 seconds.

Ropa Vieja:

1. Incorporate the shredded meat into the sauce, ensuring it is completely covered. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
2. Add the bay leaves.
3. Adjust the salt to taste.
4. Serve on a flat plate accompanied by white rice and fried plantains.

Tips for the Best Ropa Vieja

• You can cut the meat into smaller pieces that retain the length you like; this will make cooking much faster.
• You can use canned or fresh tomatoes; the important thing is that it’s real tomato.
• Its preservation is extensive: in the refrigerator, it can last 15 days, and in the freezer, it can be preserved for up to 2 months. This means you can prepare a large batch of meat and reserve it for other occasions.
• The meat should be shredded following the direction of the meat fibers.
• Typically, this “ropa vieja” meat is accompanied by rice, which can be white or red, with fried plantains. But you can add it to whatever you like.

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