Ropa Vieja (Cuban Braised Beef)

INGREDIENTS

6 oz. bacon, roughly chopped

2 lb. flank steak, cut into 1 ½″ strips

Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

1 medium y ellow onion, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 Cubanelle or green pepper, thinly sliced

6 oz. tomato paste

1 tbsp. cumin

1 tbsp. dried thyme

1 tbsp. dried oregano

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

½ cup dry white wine

2 cups beef stock

1 (16-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed

½ cup halved, pitted green olives

⅓ cup sliced jarred pimiento peppers

3 tbsp. capers, rinsed and drained

1 tbsp. white wine vinegar

¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

Render bacon in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Transfer to a plate, leaving fat in pot. Season steak with salt and pepper. Working in batches, cook until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes; transfer to plate. Add onion and peppers; cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste, cumin, thyme, oregano, garlic, and bay leaf; cook until lightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add wine; cook, scraping bottom of pot, for 1 minute. Return bacon and steak to pot with stock and tomatoes; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until steak is very tender, 2–3 hours. Remove steak, and shred; return meat to pot with olives, pimientos, capers, and vinegar. Cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in cilantro before serving.

SERVES 6–8

Recipe Courtesy of Savuer

Cowgill Net Jeffrey Cowgill 2012 Contact