Ingredients
2 lb. flank steak
3 tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more
4 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
2 bell peppers (preferably 1 red and 1 yellow), seeded and sliced
1 yellow onion, halved lengthwise and sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
1 c. pimento-stuffed olives, halved crosswise
Cooked rice and black beans, for serving
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation
Step 1Cut steak into 4 rectangular pieces. Pat dry with paper towels; season both sides with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Step 2In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Working in batches, cook steak until browned on both sides, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.Step 3In same pot over medium heat, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Cook bell peppers, onion, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, paprika, cumin, and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and spices are aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes more.Step 4Add wine, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juices and bay leaves. Mash down on tomatoes to break up, then nestle beef into stew. Add water to cover beef, if needed, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until steaks are tender enough to shred, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Transfer steaks to a plate and finely shred with 2 forks.Step 5Stir shredded steak back into stew. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until liquid has reduced to a sauce that coats steak, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in olives; season with salt.Step 6Spoon ropa vieja over rice and beans. Top with cilantro.
For maximum deliciousness, make sure your steak is super tender before you shred it. If you can’t comfortably shred it with 2 forks, pop it back into the sauce for another half hour and try again. There’s nothing worse than tough meat, but if you give your steak the time to reach that melt-in-the-mouth tender place, there’s nothing better. Read on for more tips on this classic comfort food. Craving more stew? Check out this Irish stew packed with beef, carrots, potatoes—and of course, Guinness! Why is it called ropa vieja? In Spanish, “ropa vieja” means “old clothes.” There’s more than one legend to explain how the dish got this name: the most common is about a man who was so poor that he actually boiled up ragged clothes and fed them to his family! While that’s a great story, it seems more likely that the name was simply inspired by the similarity in appearance between a pile of worn-out, ragged clothing and the long strands of shredded beef. Can I use a different cut of meat? Traditionally, ropa vieja is made with flank steak, which, when braised and shredded, yields the trademark long strands of meat. If you can’t find flank, skirt steak or chuck roast would also be delicious in this stew– though they won’t yield the same long strands when you shred them. Can I cook this in the oven? Absolutely! As long as you’re using an oven-safe pot, you can transfer the stew directly to the oven after you add the tomatoes, bay leaves, and browned flank steak. Make sure the oven is preheated to 300° and the stew is already simmering and fully covered when you put it in. You’ll also want to check in on it every once in a while– just as you would if it was simmering on the stove– to make sure that it’s staying at a consistent simmer. What do I serve with this? In Cuba, ropa vieja is traditionally served with steamed rice and black beans. If you want to go all in, you could even whip up a batch of maduros (fried sweet plantains), which are another Cuban specialty. How do I store this? Stored in an airtight container, this stew should last 3-5 days in the refrigerator. If you have more leftovers than you can eat in that time (or just want to set up your future self with a ready-made meal), they freeze beautifully. Let the stew cool completely before storing in an airtight container and popping into the freezer. It should keep for 3 months. Made this? Let us know what you think in the comments below! Editor’s note: The introduction to this recipe was updated on September 30, 2022 to include more information.
