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Ropa Vieja

Name: Ropa Vieja
Total time: 150 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Cuba
Ingredients: 600g Beef Shank or Flank Steak; 1 Onion; 2 Green Bell Pepper; 3 tbsp Tomato paste; 3 cloves Garlic; To taste Green olives; 1 tsp Cumin powder; 2 tbsp Olive oil; 50ml White wine

Main Dish

⏱ 150 min

👥 Serves 4

Difficulty ⭐⭐⭐

Shredded beef stewed with tomato and peppers — Cuba's beloved national dish.

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📖 The Story Behind This Dish

Ropa vieja means 'old clothes' in Spanish, because the shredded beef looks like scraps of cloth. A tough cut like flank steak is boiled for a long time, pulled apart by hand, and slowly stewed with tomato, peppers, and onion until deeply flavorful. It's been passed down through generations of Cuban families as the country's signature dish.

🌆 Where it's eaten: At a paladar (family-run restaurant) in Old Havana, diners eat the daily ropa vieja with black beans and rice.

🥕 Ingredients (serves 4)

Beef Shank or Flank Steak 600g
Onion 1
Green Bell Pepper 2
Tomato paste 3 tbsp
Garlic 3 cloves
Green olives To taste
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Olive oil 2 tbsp
White wine 50ml

👩‍🍳 Instructions

Put the beef in a pot with water and simmer for 1.5–2 hours until tender.
Save the cooking liquid, and once the meat is cool, shred it finely by hand.
Sauté onion, green pepper, and garlic in oil until fragrant.
Add tomato paste, white wine, and cumin and cook down.
Add the shredded meat and a little cooking liquid, simmer on low for 30 minutes, and scatter with olives.

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