Ropa Vieja

Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello

Show: Easy Entertaining with Michael ChiarelloEpisode: Cubano Fiesta

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (48)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(48)

Cook Time:
3 hr 0 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
8 to 10 servings

Times:

Prep: 20 min
Inactive Prep: 20 min
Cook: 3 hr 0 min
Total:: 3 hr 40 min

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Ingredients

4 pounds skirt steak or flank steak
4 medium onions, coarsely chopped and separated into 2 parts
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
3 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 jalapenos, minced
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon salt
10 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped or 2 cans chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley leaves
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

In a large stock pot, put in the meat, 2 chopped onions, carrot, celery and bay leaf. Cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

When meat is very tender, turn off heat and let meat cool in liquid for 20 min, remove from broth. Set aside. Discard vegetables and strain broth through a sieve. Return broth to heat, and boil to reduce by half, about 20 to 30 minutes. When meat is cool, cut off any fat and pull into shreds about 2 inches wide.

While broth is reducing, heat oil in a large skillet. Over medium heat, cook the remaining half of onions, the garlic, jalapenos, green peppers and 1 tablespoon salt until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of salt.

Stir in 3 cups reduced broth and tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. Stir in shredded meat, parsley, oregano, and cumin. Cook 10 minutes more.

Serve with white rice.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Ropa Vieja
Sheena Conway, SC 02-23-2010
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What a flavorful dish!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Not sure about authenticity? . . . but does it matter!? This dish was sooo flavorful, so delicious. . . if you don't make... it you will be dissapointed!Read more
recipe Ropa Vieja
Theo Wasilla, AK 06-09-2009
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Good for someone that hasn't had Cuban food before.
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

The biggest issue I had was having to cook the meat almost 31/2 hours to get it tender. Even with that I probably could have... cooked it a little longer. The flavor was very good. None were over- powering, not too hot, but very flavorful. A good middle of the road meal to cook for a group of people with varied tastes.Read more
recipe Ropa Vieja
luisa austin, TX 06-01-2009
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Not Cuban!! Disappointing episode!
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

My apologies to anyone that thinks any of these recipes are actually Cuban!! Cuban dishes are flavored with sofrito (garlic,... onions, green bell peppers) not spicy peppers!! I felt bad for the Cuban musicians on this episode that had to pretend this was good Cuban food! P.S. tostones are twice fried green plantains seasoned with salt usually served with a garlic, olive oil and lime mojo. Maduros are ripe sweet plantins sliced at a diagonal and fried once. No one puts ground black pepper on either one. Michael, you should change the name of that episode to " Foods that are loosely inspired by latin countries with Cuban musicians in the background" Salud!Read more
recipe Ropa Vieja
Rosa Springdale, AR 01-08-2009
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Whether this is Authentic or not....
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I really like this recipe. I ommitted some of the spice becuase I have small children eating it, and I did not use the bell... pepper either. The flavor was great! Michael put his twist on it and my family and I enjoyed it. Thanks.Read more
recipe Ropa Vieja
Michele Burnsville, MN 10-23-2008
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Cubans are already spicy enough!
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

We don't need to add hot peppers to our food to help us out! This recipe is wrong on so many levels. I don't even know... where to start. I started cooking with my Abuela for our large Cuban family when I was 4, and for the past 25 years, I've been cooking Cuban food. If I can't spot traditional by now, I don't think I ever will. While living in Cuba, my grandmother purchased a cookbook, filled with traditional recipes, published in Havana in 1956. There is not one jalapeno or dash of hot sauce mentioned in the book. My family still goes to this book for recipes we don't make often and need a little reminder of. Call it Cuban with a twist. Call it Cuban inspired. But please, don't call it Cuban.Read more
recipe Ropa Vieja
argelio orlando, FL 02-05-2008
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appauled
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

I have never seen someone completely destroy a Cuban dish,specially one as well known as Ropa Vieja. It disturbed me, to see... a so called Chef teaching people how to prepare an authentic Cuban dish which he obviously knows very little about. He must of pulled the recipe from the internet. He certainly did not research or go to authentic Cuban sources. By the way the Black Bean recipe is not Cuban. DOES NOT DESERVE EVEN A STAR.Read more