10/19/2020
Abuela’s Ropa Vieja (Old Cloths)
Ingredients
• 2 pounds Flank Steak or any lean beef (Has to be beef, muscle meat to get the meat to breakdown correctly and let the fibers shred in strands)
• 1 Tsp Salt and pepper, more to taste, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed & chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoons sweet or smoked paprika
• 1/2 cup Edmundo cooking white wine
• 1 cup beef broth
• 15 ounces diced tomatoes (canned is fine)
• 1 cup pimiento stuffed Spanish olives
• 3Tbs of unsalted butter
• 1 Tbs of the olive juice
Cooking Instructions
- [ ] Season beef Liberally with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika.
- [ ] Heat olive oil in a pot over high heat. Add the beef and brown on all sides. Then remove and put aside temporarily while you make the sofrito.
- [ ] Add the onions and peppers to the pot and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or until tender. Then add in the garlic, oregano, cumin, and paprika, stir...then add the tomatoes & Cook for another 5 minute.
- [ ] Add the white cooking wine and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan with the flat edge of a wooden spatula to deglaze.
- [ ] Add the beef broth and bring to a boil.
- [ ] Return the beef to the pot and add water if needed to cover the meat. Bring to a simmer and cover for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the beef is fork-tender (you can use a pressure cooker to reduce the time by half). Also, you could use a slow cooker, but you will have to do the first steps in a separate pan, then transfer all of the ingredients to the slow cooker.
- [ ] Transfer the beef to a plate and shred while it’s still hot, using two forks to pull the strands apart. Return shredded beef to sauce.
- [ ] Stir in the olives and the olive juice...then the secret ingredient, Add the butter, stir until melted and incorporated.
- [ ] Continue to simmer uncovered for 30 minutes to thicken.
- [ ] Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed to taste.
- [ ] Serve over white rice with Sweet fried plantains & some Cuban bread to mop up the sauce...Buen provecho!
