What's For Dinner? "Ropa Vieja" (Cuban Beef Dish)

A few years ago, while in Orlando, we stumbled upon this little "mom and pop" Cuban restaurant where the special of the day was a traditional Spanish beef dish called Ropa Vieja.

Ropa Vieja translates to Old Clothes in English, which I suspect refers to the way the beef is shredded. This dish always reminds me of the same type of comfort food that I grew up with. It's full of flavor and easy to make in your own home.

Best served over rice with a side of black beans.

Ropa Vieja (Cuban Beef Dish)

Ingredients

2lb Flank steak or Lean Beef Roast
1 medium onion; 1/2 sliced thin and 1/2 chopped (separated)
1 green bell pepper; 1/2 sliced thin and 1/2 chopped (separated)
1/2 red bell pepper; sliced thin
1 tbsp. salt
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thin (separated)
2 bay leaves
1 Tsp Cumin
3 Tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 6oz can tomato paste
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Pinch of Cumin
1-2 cup of the broth (reserved from boiling the beef)

Directions

-Place the flank steak or beef roast in a large stock pot and add enough water to cover the meat by 1 1/2 inches. Add sliced onions, sliced peppers, 2 cloves of garlic, salt, bay leaves, cumin and vinegar.

-Bring up to a boil then turn the heat down to low-medium and simmer for 2-3 hours until tender enough to shred. When done, transfer the beef to a plate and set aside. Also reserve 2 cups of the beef stock and side aside the cooked onions, bell peppers and garlic.

-Use 2 forks to pull the beef apart and shred being careful not to burn yourself.

-In a separate pot, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the chopped onions and chopped green bell peppers and simmer for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the remaining 2 cloves of sliced garlic and cook for another minute.

-Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, shredded beef, reserved onions, bell peppers and garlic (from boiling the meat), 1 cup of the reserved beef stock, Cayenne pepper, dash of cumin and salt and pepper to taste.

-Cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes adding stock if needed. You will want the consistency to be that of a tomato sauce.