Ropa Vieja
Ropa Vieja
Ingredients
For the Ropa Vieja Stew
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 pounds flank steak
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 cup onion, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 28 ounce crushed tomatoes, do not drain
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
For the Black Beans
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion, medium, diced
- 1 jalapeños, to 2, seeded, ribs removed, then diced
- 4 garlic, to 5 cloves, minced
- 2 15 ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, to 1 teaspoon, optional
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, to 3 tablespoons, fresh
For the Maduros
- 3 plantains
- as needed salt
- as needed oil, for frying
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the vegetables for the stew: Core and slice the red bell peppers thinly. Thinly slice the onion. Mince the garlic.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Prepare the beef: Cut the flank steak into about 3-4 manageable pieces. Season the beef generously with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper, rubbing the seasoning into the meat.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Sear the beef: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned flank steak pieces until well-browned on all sides. Remove the seared beef from the pot and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Sauté the aromatics: Add the thinly sliced bell peppers to the same pot and sauté them for 3-5 minutes. Then, add the thinly sliced onion and continue to sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 15 min
- 5
Build the sauce: Add 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano to the sautéed vegetables and stir to combine, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Pour in 1/2 cup white wine, stirring to deglaze the pot and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the wine has mostly evaporated.
⏱️ 3 min
- 7
Add the 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes (do not drain) and 1 cup beef broth. Stir everything together.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Simmer the stew: Return the seared flank steak pieces to the pot, submerging them in the sauce. Add 2 bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and let the stew simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the beef is very tender and easily shredded.
⏱️ 150 min
- 9
Shred the beef: Once the beef is cooked through and very tender, remove it from the pot and place it on a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the beef into strands. Return the shredded beef to the sauce in the pot and stir to combine. Keep warm while preparing the sides.
⏱️ 10 min
- 10
Prepare the aromatics for the beans: Dice 1 medium onion. Seed and remove ribs from 1-2 jalapeños, then dice them. Mince 4-5 cloves of garlic.
⏱️ 10 min
- 11
Sauté aromatics for beans: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a separate pot over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion, diced jalapeños, and minced garlic until softened and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 12
Combine ingredients for beans: Rinse and drain 2 15 ounce cans of black beans. Add them to the pot with the sautéed aromatics. Stir in 1 cup warm water, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (if using).
⏱️ 3 min
- 13
Simmer beans: Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld and the beans are heated through.
⏱️ 15 min
- 14
Finish beans: Stir in 2-3 tablespoons fresh cilantro before serving.
⏱️ 1 min
- 15
Prepare plantains: Peel the 3 plantains and slice them into 1/2-inch thick rounds.
⏱️ 5 min
- 16
Fry plantains: Heat a generous amount of oil (enough to cover the bottom of the pan, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch) in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the sliced plantains in a single layer, working in batches if necessary.
⏱️ 2 min
- 17
Fry until golden brown on one side (about 2-3 minutes), then flip and fry until golden brown on the other side (another 2-3 minutes).
⏱️ 6 min
- 18
Remove the fried maduros from the pan and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Season with salt to taste.
⏱️ 2 min
- 19
Serve the Ropa Vieja stew over white rice (not included in this recipe), alongside the black beans and maduros.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Ropa Vieja
For the Ropa Vieja Stew
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 pounds flank steak
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 cup onion, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 28 ounce crushed tomatoes, do not drain
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
For the Black Beans
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion, medium, diced
- 1 jalapeños, to 2, seeded, ribs removed, then diced
- 4 garlic, to 5 cloves, minced
- 2 15 ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, to 1 teaspoon, optional
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, to 3 tablespoons, fresh
For the Maduros
- 3 plantains
- as needed salt
- as needed oil, for frying
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the vegetables for the stew: Core and slice the red bell peppers thinly. Thinly slice the onion. Mince the garlic.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Prepare the beef: Cut the flank steak into about 3-4 manageable pieces. Season the beef generously with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper, rubbing the seasoning into the meat.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Sear the beef: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned flank steak pieces until well-browned on all sides. Remove the seared beef from the pot and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Sauté the aromatics: Add the thinly sliced bell peppers to the same pot and sauté them for 3-5 minutes. Then, add the thinly sliced onion and continue to sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 15 min - 5
Build the sauce: Add 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano to the sautéed vegetables and stir to combine, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Pour in 1/2 cup white wine, stirring to deglaze the pot and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the wine has mostly evaporated.
⏱️ 3 min - 7
Add the 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes (do not drain) and 1 cup beef broth. Stir everything together.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Simmer the stew: Return the seared flank steak pieces to the pot, submerging them in the sauce. Add 2 bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and let the stew simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the beef is very tender and easily shredded.
⏱️ 150 min - 9
Shred the beef: Once the beef is cooked through and very tender, remove it from the pot and place it on a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the beef into strands. Return the shredded beef to the sauce in the pot and stir to combine. Keep warm while preparing the sides.
⏱️ 10 min - 10
Prepare the aromatics for the beans: Dice 1 medium onion. Seed and remove ribs from 1-2 jalapeños, then dice them. Mince 4-5 cloves of garlic.
⏱️ 10 min - 11
Sauté aromatics for beans: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a separate pot over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion, diced jalapeños, and minced garlic until softened and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 12
Combine ingredients for beans: Rinse and drain 2 15 ounce cans of black beans. Add them to the pot with the sautéed aromatics. Stir in 1 cup warm water, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (if using).
⏱️ 3 min - 13
Simmer beans: Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld and the beans are heated through.
⏱️ 15 min - 14
Finish beans: Stir in 2-3 tablespoons fresh cilantro before serving.
⏱️ 1 min - 15
Prepare plantains: Peel the 3 plantains and slice them into 1/2-inch thick rounds.
⏱️ 5 min - 16
Fry plantains: Heat a generous amount of oil (enough to cover the bottom of the pan, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch) in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the sliced plantains in a single layer, working in batches if necessary.
⏱️ 2 min - 17
Fry until golden brown on one side (about 2-3 minutes), then flip and fry until golden brown on the other side (another 2-3 minutes).
⏱️ 6 min - 18
Remove the fried maduros from the pan and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Season with salt to taste.
⏱️ 2 min - 19
Serve the Ropa Vieja stew over white rice (not included in this recipe), alongside the black beans and maduros.
⏱️ 1 min