Ropa Vieja

Fork-tender shredded beef strands soaked in a thick sauce with soft bell peppers. The aroma of cumin and white wine fills the air; the sauce should be glossy and coat the meat perfectly.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 180 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 658
• Protein: 44 g
• Carbs: 20 g
• Fat: 50 g

Ingredients

• 800 g Beef chuck ( cut into large cubes )
• 2 piece Yellow onion ( finely sliced )
• 1 piece Red bell pepper ( in strips )
• 1 piece Green bell pepper ( in strips )
• 3 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 4 piece Round tomato ( diced )
• 150 ml Dry white wine
• 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Cumin ground
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 2 piece Bay leaf
• 50 g Green olive ( pitted )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste
• 500 ml Beef stock ( prepared )

Instructions

1. Browning the meat

   In a hot pot with oil, sear the pieces of beef chuck on all sides. The meat should have a well-marked brown crust to develop the juices.

2. The Sofrito

   Remove the meat. Toss the onions and peppers into the cooking fat. Sauté until soft. Add the garlic and tomato paste, then cook for 1 minute while stirring.

3. Deglazing and liquid

   Put the meat back in. Pour in the white wine to deglaze, scraping the bottom with a wooden spatula. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, cumin, and oregano. Cover with the beef broth until submerged.

4. Slow simmering

   Cover and simmer over very low heat. The meat is ready when it pulls apart without resistance under the pressure of a fork.

5. Shredding and reduction

   Remove the meat, shred it with two forks. Put it back in the pot with the olives. Let it reduce uncovered until the sauce coats the meat and becomes syrupy.

Chef's tips

• Don't over-salt at the beginning; the olives and sauce reduction will concentrate the saltiness.
• Shred the meat while it's still hot; the fibers separate much more easily.
• If the sauce is too thin at the end, remove the meat and boil rapidly for a few minutes.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator. The sauce will set due to the meat's collagen but will become fluid and glossy again as soon as it starts to simmer during reheating.