**Unveiling the Delights of Ropa Vieja: A Culinary Journey Through Cuba's Traditional Shredded Beef Stew**
Embark on a tantalizing culinary adventure with Ropa Vieja, a traditional Cuban dish that captures the essence of the island's rich heritage. This delectable stew, meaning "old clothes" in Spanish, is a delectable symphony of flavors and textures, featuring succulent shredded beef that falls apart effortlessly, enveloped in a savory tomato-based sauce. Originating in the 16th century, Ropa Vieja has become a staple in Cuban cuisine, often served during celebrations and special occasions. Discover the secrets of preparing this iconic dish with our collection of authentic recipes, ranging from the classic slow-cooker method to variations that incorporate unique ingredients and cooking techniques. Whether you prefer the tender indulgence of beef, the smoky charm of pork, or the vibrant twist of seafood, our recipes offer a culinary journey that will transport your taste buds to the heart of Cuba.
SLOW-COOKED ROPA VIEJA
I traveled to Cuba a few years ago and had some of the best food imaginable. This dish stuck out, and when I returned home, I began to experiment with making ropa vieja in the slow cooker. I hope you enjoy the flavors of Cuba as much as I do. -Joshua Boyer, Traverse City, Michigan
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 8h35m
Yield 6 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Cut steak into 6 pieces; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; brown meat in batches. Transfer meat to a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker. Add broth, vermouth, wine and tomato paste to pan. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Pour over meat., Top with onion, carrot, red pepper, Cubanelle pepper and oregano. Cook, covered, on low until meat is tender, 8-10 hours. Remove oregano sprigs; discard. Remove meat; shred with 2 forks. Return to slow cooker; heat through. Serve with rice and, if desired, additional oregano, lime wedges and green olives.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 278 calories, Fat 11g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 72mg cholesterol, Sodium 611mg sodium, Carbohydrate 10g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 32g protein. Diabetic Exchanges
SLOW-COOKER ROPA VIEJA
Martha's take on the classic Cuban beef stew relies on affordable flank steak. Browning the beef before adding it to the slow cooker makes the meat and the cooking liquid even more delicious. This recipe appears in our cookbook "Martha Stewart's Slow Cooker" (Clarkson Potter).
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Beef Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Preheat a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker. Season steak generously with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high. Add steak and cook until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, jalapeno, and cumin seeds; season with salt and pepper and cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; cook 2 minutes more. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Pour mixture over steak in slow cooker; cover and cook on high until very tender, 5 hours (or on low 10 hours).
- Transfer steak to a platter; cut in half crosswise. Using two forks, shred meat. Transfer sauce to skillet; cook over high heat until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in shredded meat, olives, and capers with brine; cook just until heated through, 2 minutes more. Top with cilantro and serve, with rice and plantain chips.
ROPA VIEJA IN A SLOW COOKER
This is a delicious pot roast with peppers and onions. Just like at the Cuban restaurants in the malls!
Provided by NC baking girl
Categories 100+ Everyday Cooking Recipes
Time 7h45m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Pierce the beef roast to tenderize it and let the flavors in, and place it into a slow cooker with the garlic, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, yellow onions and sweet onions. Stir in the tomato paste and red wine vinegar. Sprinkle with the garlic powder, seasoned salt, salt, and ground black pepper.
- Cover, and cook on Low until the beef is tender, 7 to 8 hours. Remove beef, and shred into long strands using two forks. Return the meat to the slow cooker and combine with the vegetables.
- Cook on Low until the meat and vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 290.6 calories, Carbohydrate 14.1 g, Cholesterol 68.8 mg, Fat 17.3 g, Fiber 3.2 g, Protein 19.7 g, SaturatedFat 6.8 g, Sodium 178.9 mg, Sugar 7 g
SLOW COOKER ROPA VIEJA
For anyone following a low-carb or grain-free diet, this pairs well with lime-cilantro cauliflower 'rice.'
Provided by abussone
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American Caribbean
Time 10h30m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook beef roast in the hot oil until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer roast to a slow cooker. Pour tomatoes and beef broth over roast; add onions and bell peppers.
- Mix tomato paste, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, cumin, and salt together in a bowl; pour over onions and bell peppers.
- Cook on High for 1 hour. Decrease heat to Low and cook until beef is tender enough to shred, about 8 hours.
- Remove beef from slow cooker and shred on a work surface using 2 forks. Return shredded beef to slow cooker; add cilantro and stir.
- Cook on Low for 1 hour more.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 326.7 calories, Carbohydrate 20.3 g, Cholesterol 65.3 mg, Fat 13.7 g, Fiber 4 g, Protein 30.2 g, SaturatedFat 4.1 g, Sodium 1153.3 mg, Sugar 9.7 g
SLOW-COOKER ROPA VIEJA
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 8h15m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Combine the tomatoes, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, cumin, jalapeno and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker. Add the steak, bell peppers and onion and toss to coat. Cover and cook on low, undisturbed, 8 hours.
- Uncover and skim off any excess fat. Coarsely shred the meat with 2 forks, then stir in the olives and olive brine. Serve over rice.
SLOW COOKER ROPA VIEJA (CUBAN SHREDDED BEEF)
Make and share this Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja (Cuban Shredded Beef) recipe from Food.com.
Provided by PanNan
Categories Cuban
Time 8h10m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Rub each side of the steak with Adobo seasoning. Place in slow cooker.
- Slice peppers, onion and garlic and add to the slow cooker along with the olives.
- Mix the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and add to the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 8 hours.
- When cooked, remove the meat from the slow cooker and finely shred with 2 forks. Return the shredded beef to the sauce in the slow cooker and stir.
- Cook the shredded beef on low in the slow cooker another 20 minutes.
- Serve over rice.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 394.5, Fat 15.9, SaturatedFat 6.1, Cholesterol 115.7, Sodium 714.5, Carbohydrate 18.9, Fiber 4, Sugar 10.1, Protein 39.5
EASY SLOW-COOKER CHICKEN ROPA VIEJA
When discussing various methods of cooking ropas, a friend of mine told me her sister adds apple juice. I thought a Granny Smith apple might give the dish an extra kick-and it does. The ropas may also be served with hominy or tortillas, but I think the plantains add a special touch. -Arlene Erlbach, Morton Grove, Illinois
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 5h20m
Yield 6 Servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Place the first 7 ingredients and 1 teaspoon adobo in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Rub the remaining adobo seasoning over chicken; add to slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low until chicken is tender, 5-6 hours. Using 2 forks, shred chicken. Stir in lime juice to taste; heat through., Meanwhile, heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook plantains in batches until tender and golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels., Serve chicken with plantains using a slotted spoon. If desired, serve with rice, lime wedges and cilantro.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 387 calories, Fat 16g fat (7g saturated fat), Cholesterol 96mg cholesterol, Sodium 1428mg sodium, Carbohydrate 39g carbohydrate (20g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 23g protein.
ROPA VIEJA (SLOW COOKER)
Make and share this Ropa Vieja (Slow Cooker) recipe from Food.com.
Provided by ratherbeswimmin
Categories Meat
Time 10h30m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Use a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Combine the cumin, paprika, salt, and peppers in a bowl.
- Rub the spice mixture all over the piece (or pieces) of meat you are using.
- Put the meat into the stoneware.
- Dump any extra spice left in the bowl on top.
- Add the vegetables, garlic, cilantro, grated apples, chicken broth., and vinegar.
- Cover and cook on low for 10 hours, or until meat shreds easily with a fork.
- The meat and vegetables should be shredded and fully intertwined.
- Serve over brown rice or white rice, with a ladle full of broth.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1200.3, Fat 121.2, SaturatedFat 50.2, Cholesterol 168.6, Sodium 325.9, Carbohydrate 11.4, Fiber 2.6, Sugar 7.2, Protein 15.3
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: The flavor of your ropa vieja will greatly depend on the quality of the ingredients you use. Use fresh, flavorful beef and vegetables, and choose a good quality tomato sauce.
- Brown the beef well: Browning the beef adds flavor and depth to the dish. Be sure to brown the beef in small batches so that it doesn't steam and become tough.
- Cook the ropa vieja low and slow: The best ropa vieja is cooked low and slow. This allows the flavors to meld and the beef to become tender.
- Add plenty of vegetables: Vegetables add flavor, nutrition, and color to ropa vieja. Feel free to add any vegetables you like, such as bell peppers, onions, carrots, or corn.
- Use a good quality tomato sauce: The tomato sauce is an important part of ropa vieja. Choose a sauce that is flavorful and has a good balance of acidity and sweetness.
- Serve with rice or beans: Ropa vieja is traditionally served with rice or beans. This helps to soak up the flavorful sauce.
Conclusion:
Ropa vieja is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. It is also a great dish to make ahead of time, as the flavors will only improve over time. So next time you're looking for a flavorful and satisfying meal, give ropa vieja a try. You won't be disappointed!
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