Ropa Vieja (Cuban Shredded Beef in Tomato Sauce)
Ropa vieja is a traditional Cuban dish in which beef chuck is boiled whole until tender enough to shred with forks, then simmered in a sauce of sauteed onion, bell pepper, crushed tomatoes, and paprika powder. The name means 'old clothes' in Spanish, a reference to the shredded meat's resemblance to torn fabric. Cooking the beef long enough is essential - undercooked chuck resists shredding and turns out tough and stringy. Simmering the shredded meat in the tomato-pepper sauce for twenty-five minutes drives the savory, slightly smoky flavor deep between the fibers. Served over rice or alongside bread, the sauce absorbs into the starch for a satisfying, complete meal.
Adjust Servings
Instructions
- 1
Boil beef until tender enough to shred.
- 2
Cool the beef and shred it finely along the grain.
- 3
Saute onion, bell pepper, and garlic in oil.
- 4
Add tomatoes and paprika, simmering the sauce for 5 minutes.
- 5
Add shredded beef and water, then simmer 25 minutes until thickened.
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Tips
Nutrition (per serving)
Goes Well With
Virgin Mojito
Virgin mojito is a non-alcoholic cocktail built by gently muddling lime wedges and fresh mint leaves in a glass with simple syrup, then filling with sparkling water and ice. The muddling must be light enough to press the essential oils from the leaves without breaking the stems, since bruised stems release a bitter flavor that takes over the drink. One lime is cut into wedges for muddling while a second is juiced separately, which gives the drink both the textural element of pulp and the clean, sharp acidity of fresh juice. A pinch of salt added before muddling amplifies the lime's tartness in a way that simply adding more lime cannot replicate. The carbonation from the sparkling water carries mint aroma upward as it rises, so the first sip delivers fragrance before the liquid even reaches the palate. Larger ice cubes melt more slowly than crushed ice, preserving the balance of the drink for longer. A second option is to clap a few mint leaves between the palms to wake up the aroma before placing them in the glass, which extracts fragrance without any muddling at all.
Seven Layer Salad
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Sweet Rice Punch (Traditional Korean Malted Barley Grain Drink)
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