Ropa vieja (“old clothes” in Spanish) is a Cuban dish of shredded beef simmered with green peppers, onions, and tomato sauce.
A large cut of beef, such as a three or four pound chuck roast, is often used and it makes a mountain of ropa vieja. When I came up with my Meaty Version, I deliberately used a combined pound of two smaller cuts (what my grocery store calls “stew beef” and “breakfast strip steak”). It didn’t have to cook as long and it was less expensive than a roast. And let’s face it, with only one meat-eater in my home, one pound of beef is much less daunting than three! Depending on appetites, it makes 3-4 servings.
The Veggie Version also makes 3-4 servings. I used canned unripe jackfruit. Like the beef, it can be easily shredded.
Ropa vieja is often served with Yellow Rice which is usually white rice cooked with onions, peppers, peas, and saffron. At the end, you’ll find a nod to Yellow Rice with my recipe for Basmati Rice & Peas. The buttery nuttiness of basmati rice adds another dimension of flavor to the dish that I really enjoy.
Veggie Version:
1-20 oz can of young, green jackfruit
2 TBS olive oil
1 cup homemade or low-sodium vegetable stock
Salt & pepper to taste
½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ large onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 TBS fresh cilantro, chopped
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp garlic powder
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 tsp brown sugar
¼ cup red wine
¾ cup tomato sauce
½ cup homemade or low-sodium vegetable stock
1 TBS fresh parsley, chopped
Rinse the jackfruit several times in cold water to remove the brine. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel or lint-free kitchen towel. Sprinkle each side of the jackfruit with a pinch of salt and pepper. Do not over-salt; despite rinsing, the jackfruit may retain a bit of saltiness from the brine.
Heat a large deep pan or pot on medium. Add 1 TBS of the olive oil. Place the jackfruit in one layer and brown on each side. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Pour the 1 cup of vegetable stock over the jackfruit and cover with a lid. Simmer for an hour. Check the jackfruit a few times during the cooking process; if the stock has completely reduced and the pan is dry, add a splash of stock or water.
Remove the pan from the heat. Allow the jackfruit to cool in the pan for 20 minutes or until you can handle it without burning your hands. Remove the jackfruit. Using your hands, gently pull the jackfruit apart until it is shredded. You can use two forks to shred the jackfruit but I’ve found that using my hands is much easier. Set the shredded jackfruit aside. If there is any liquid left in the pan, pour it out but set it aside to reserve.
Return the pan to the stove. Heat it on medium. Add the other tablespoon of olive oil. Add the peppers and onions. Sauté for 5 minutes or just until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic, 1 TBS of the fresh cilantro, cumin, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for one minute.
Stir in the red wine and scrape up any brown bits. Cook for one minute or until the wine begins to reduce. Add the tomato sauce, the ½ cup of vegetable stock, and the reserved cooking liquid. Cover with a lid and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the ropa vieja from the heat and garnish with the other tablespoon of fresh cilantro and the fresh parsley. Serve over Basmati Rice & Peas.
Meaty Version:
1 pound stew beef
2 TBS olive oil
1 cup homemade or low-sodium vegetable stock
Salt & pepper to taste
½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ large onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 TBS fresh cilantro, chopped
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp garlic powder
Pinch of red pepper flakes
¼ cup red wine
¾ cup tomato sauce
½ cup homemade or low-sodium vegetable stock
1 TBS fresh parsley, chopped
Blot the meat with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat a large deep pan or pot on medium. Add 1 TBS of the olive oil. Place the beef in one layer and brown on each side. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Pour the 1 cup of vegetable stock over the meat and cover with a lid. Simmer for an hour. Check the beef a few times during the cooking process; if the stock has completely reduced and the pan is dry, add a splash of stock or water.
Remove the pan from the heat. Allow the meat to cool in the pan for 20 minutes or until you can handle it without burning your hands. Remove the beef. If you’re using one hunk of beef, it is easier to shred it by using two forks. If the beef is from smaller cuts (like stew beef or strip steaks), I found it easier to just peel it apart with my hands. Set the shredded beef aside. If there is any liquid left in the pan, pour it out but set it aside to reserve.
Return the pan to the stove. Heat it on medium. Add the other tablespoon of olive oil. Add the peppers and onions. Sauté for 5 minutes or just until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic, 1 TBS of the fresh cilantro, cumin, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for one minute.
Stir in the red wine and scrape up any brown bits. Cook for one minute or until the wine begins to reduce. Add the tomato sauce, the ½ cup of vegetable stock, and the reserved cooking liquid. Cover with a lid and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the ropa vieja from the heat and garnish with the other tablespoon of fresh cilantro and the fresh parsley. Serve over Basmati Rice & Peas.
Basmati Rice & Peas
1 cup basmati rice
1 TBS olive oil
½ small onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1-3/4 cup low-sodium or homemade vegetable stock
Pinch of saffron (optional)
1 TBS fresh parsley, chopped
½ cup frozen peas (you don't need to defrost them)
Salt & pepper to taste
Rinse the basmati rice several times and set aside to drain well.
Heat a large pot on medium. Add the oil and onion. Cook for two minutes or until the onion begins to turn translucent. Stir in the garlic and drained rice. Cook for one minute. Add the stock, saffron, a pinch of salt and pepper.
Cover the rice with a lid and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender but not mushy. Remove the rice from the heat. Gently stir in the peas and cover with a lid for several minutes.
Remove the lid. Add the parsley and check the rice for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if necessary. Fluff up the rice with a fork and serve.
Don’t Freak Out!
1) I add brown sugar to the Veggie Version (but not the Meaty one) to offset any lingering brininess from the jackfruit. Feel free to omit it, or if you like, add the same amount of brown sugar to the Meaty Version.
2) Make it halal. Omit the red wine. Substitute 1 TBS apple cider vinegar.
3) Make it gluten-free. Omit the red wine. Substitute gluten-free red wine or 1 TBS apple cider vinegar.
4) A note on saffron. Saffron is the most expensive spice on the planet. The stigma of a crocus, saffron must be picked by hand. A gram of it (about 5 or 6 pinches of threads) costs about $12. Mexican saffron, on the other hand, is relatively inexpensive because it includes the entire flower. I have both on hand but for the Basmati Rice & Peas, I used the more expensive stuff. To me, saffron tastes like honey without the sweetness and a little bit like the way hay smells. It gives food a bright tanginess all its own—one that I actually crave. If you don’t have any saffron, don’t worry about it. Substitute a pinch of granulated lemon or fresh lemon zest and ¼ tsp paprika.
5) If you don’t have or don’t like basmati rice, substitute your favorite. One cup of white long-grained rice uses 2 cups of vegetable stock, while one cup of brown rice needs 2-3/4 to 3 cups of vegetable stock. You could also serve this over potatoes, grits or polenta, plantains, couscous, barley or quinoa (couscous and barley are not gluten-free, however).
6) Try mixing in half of a 15-oz can of rinsed and drained black beans into either version of ropa vieja.
7) If you're making both versions at the same time, simply use half of a 15-oz can of tomato sauce instead of measuring out the 3/4 cup. It's close enough!
Season the jackfruit and brown on each side. Cover the jackfruit with stock and simmer for an hour.
Cool the jackfruit in the pan and then shred.
Season the beef and brown on each side. Don't crowd the meat when you brown it; I only added the stew beef to the strip steak to show the two different cuts of beef that I used (I actually browned the stew beef by itself). Cover the beef with stock and simmer for an hour. Cool the beef in the pan and then shred.
Slice the veggies and sauté in two pans.
Follow the recipe and add the rest of the
ingredients. Simmer and serve.
Veggie Version
Meaty Version