Ropa Vieja (Cuban Stew)

Welcome back to KC! 

This week, we bring you none other than a Cuban slow cooking classic, Ropa Vieja. This is a flank steak slow cooked in a tomato based sauce with onion, garlic, olives. Traditionally, it's eaten alongside plantains, rice, and beans. 

Did you know that Ropa Vieja means "Old Clothes" in Spanish? According to wiki, this is why:

"There are many theories as to how the dish was named. One of the more popular ones is a story about a man whose family was coming to his home for dinner. Being very poor, the man could not buy them enough food when they came. To remedy his situation, he went to his closet, gathered some old clothes (ropa vieja) and imbued them with his love. When he cooked the clothes, his love for his family turned the clothes into a wonderful beef stew."

Recipe here and comments below.

Dan's Version

Ropa Vieja, literally translated to mean "Old Clothes," because after the meat is slowly cooked it pulls apart like old raggy clothing. This dish is bursting with many flavors.

While the dish includes the traditional Holy Trinity (Onion, Celery and Carrots), it also includes Sofrito. Sofrito is a base used for cooking and consists of garlic, onions, tomatoes, peppers in olive oil. It is a very concentrated aromatic flavor.

With the winter season still in full swing, this dish provides an alternative to the classic stew, but with a Cuban flare. Add yellow rice and make your own tostones for the true Cuban experience.

As a braising liquid I actually used red wine, which was quite delicious. The sweetness and acidity of the wine balanced the Sofrito flavors.

Mo's Version

As you can see, this is a simple recipe that is hard to mess up and will yield a very flavorful product. This dish has a good mix of earthy flavors from the bay leaf and herbs, heartiness from the meat, sweetness from tomatoes and peppers, and acidity from the braising liquid. 

Flank steak can get tough if not cooked properly, so this slow cook meal is a great way to break it down and appreciate its flavor. Also, this was the first time we used Sofrita, which is a delicious cilantro cooking base we encourage you to try. 

We chose a recipe with capers and olives, but feel free to choose one that jives best with your flavor preferences. We saw one that involved peas, which could be interesting. 

Serve alongside yellow rice, plantains, beans, and whatever else you prefer. For extra points on plating put your rice in a small bowl and invert it onto your serving platter. 

Thanks for reading! -KC