Shredded Stewed Beef

Name: Shredded Stewed Beef (Ropa Vieja)
Prep time: 3 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Cuisine: Cuban
Ingredients: Tabasco or other hot sauce for serving; Tabasco or other hot sauce for serving; 1 yellow onion, halved (unpeeled), each half stuck with a clove; 2 bay leaves; 5 garlic cloves; 1 yellow onion, halved (unpeeled), each half stuck with a clove; 1 tablespoon cumin seeds; ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 cinnamon stick or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 cinnamon stick or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 2 large yellow or white onions, thinly sliced; 2 large yellow or white onions, thinly sliced; 4 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped, or one 8-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped; 1 or 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch strips; 3 tablespoons capers, soaked if salted, drained if in vinegar; 4 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped, or one 8-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped; Lime wedges for serving; 3 tablespoons capers, soaked if salted, drained if in vinegar; 2 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil; 2 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil; 2 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil; 2 to 3 pounds flank steaks, split in half lengthwise (with the knife held parallel to the cutting board); Salt and black pepper to taste; Salt and black pepper to taste

Ropa Vieja

Preparation info

Makes
6 to 8
servings

Difficulty
Complex
Ready in
3 hr 30

Appears in

The Best Recipes in the World

By Mark Bittman

Published 2005

About

“Old clothes” may not sound that appetizing, but it’s one of those overcooked, funky, juicy, tender dishes you can’t stop eating (at least I can’t). And the only thing even remotely difficult about it is shredding the steaks into the ropy strands that give Ropa Vieja its fanciful name. Still, it’s not you-can-do-it-wrong difficult; it’s just a bit of an upper-body workout.

You could cut the recipe in half and cook one steak, but with a dish that takes this long and keeps as well as

Ingredients

Americas
Cuba
Main course
Caribbean
Gluten-free

Ingredients

Method