Ropa Vieja

Method

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1. Put the steak in a pot with the water, onion, bay, carrot and salt. Bring to a boil, skim, then simmer 90 minutes until it pulls apart easily.

   Mark done

2. Lift the meat out and cool slightly. Strain the broth and keep 400 ml.

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3. Shred the beef along the grain into long strands with two forks — the dish is named "old clothes" for a reason.

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4. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan and cook the onions and peppers over medium heat for 15 minutes until soft and sweet.

   Mark done Start 15 min timer

5. Add the garlic for 1 minute, then the tomato purée, cumin, oregano and paprika, and cook 2 minutes.

   Mark done Start 1 min timer

6. Pour in the wine and let it reduce by half.

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7. Add the tomatoes, bay, the reserved broth and the salt, and simmer 15 minutes.

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8. Fold the shredded beef through and simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and coats the strands rather than pooling.

   Mark done Start 25 min timer

9. Stir in the olives and capers and cook 5 minutes more.

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10. Taste, remove the bay, and serve with rice, black beans and plantain.

    Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Shred along the grain into long strands, not into crumbs.
• Keep the boiling broth — it is the base of the sauce.
• Simmer uncovered at the end until the sauce clings. Wet ropa vieja is under-cooked.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.
• A dry vermouth keeps for longer than an open bottle of white wine and is the closer swap than a random white left in the fridge; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of stock with a squeeze of lemon.

Pairing Suggestions

• White rice and black beans
• Fried sweet plantain
• A mojito

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 4 days, better on day two, and freeze 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.