Ropa Vieja is a popular Cuban dish with tender slow cooked shredded beef, onions, bell pepper, olives, and capers in a rich tomato-based sauce that is loaded with flavor. Enjoy this tasty dish over long-grain white rice with Cuban black beans and fried plantains.
Known as the national dish of Cuba, this tasty stew has been around for over 500 years. Its Spanish name translates to old clothes, as legend had it that a poor man tore his clothes into shreds and tried to cook them since he did not have money for food.
This dish is traditionally made with flank steak, but I prefer to make it with chuck steak, which cooks up far more tender. Chuck has more fat and flavor, and when it is slow-cooked, it just melts in your mouth.
How to make Ropa Vieja
First, trim any large sections of fat from the chuck roast. Small amounts of fat are fine to leave as they lend flavor and tenderness to the meat. In this particular chuck roast, I cut out that large area of fat in the center.
Then heat a little vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Generously salt and pepper the roast on both sides. Then brown the roast on both sides and remove it to a plate. If needed, work in batches. Add a little more vegetable oil to the skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook until the onions are slightly browned on the edges and soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, dried oregano, and allspice. Cook for 1 minute while stirring continuously.
Add the wine and bring it to a boil while scraping to deglaze the bottom. Add the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, carrot, celery, and bay leaves. Then add the beef back to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 2 1/2-3 hours or until fork tender.
Remove the beef from the pot and use two forks to shred the beef removing any cartilage or large amounts of fat. Remove the carrot, celery, and bay leaves and discard. Add the beef back to the pot over medium-low heat. Stir in the olives, pimentos, and capers and cook over low heat until heated through. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley.
Recipe tips
- You can make this recipe with flank steak, but it may require a longer simmering time to tenderize. I recommend that you go with chuck exactly for this reason.
- Any colored bell pepper works with this recipe, but the red and orange bell peppers are sweeter.
- If using a Dutch oven, instead of simmering, place the covered dish in the oven at 350 degrees for about 2 1/2 hours. The oven works even better, which is the advantage of a Dutch oven.
- Chicken stock, beef stock, or low-sodium beef broth can be substituted for the chicken broth.
- Slow cook until fork tender and easy to shred.
- Remove the carrot, celery, and bay leaves and discard.
- Drain the olives, pimentos, and capers before adding them.
- Enjoy this tasty recipe with Cuban black beans and rice.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power or on the stovetop on low.
- To freeze first cool completely. Then place in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
More chuck roast recipes to try
Ropa Vieja
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chuck roast
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
- 3 bell peppers seeded and thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken stock or low sodium chicken broth
- 1 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 carrot halved
- 1 rib celery halved
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup pimento stuffed manzilla green olives
- 2 tablespoons capers drained
- 1 4 ounce jar pimentos, drained
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Trim any large sections of fat from the chuck roast. Salt and pepper both sides of the roast.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the roast on both sides and remove it to a plate.
- If necessary, add a little more vegetable oil to the skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook until the onions are slightly browned on the edges and soft.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, dried oregano, and allspice. Cook for 1 minute while stirring continuously.
- Add the wine and bring it to a boil while scraping to deglaze the bottom. Add the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, carrot, celery, and bay leaves. Add the beef back to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 2 1/2-3 hours or until fork tender.
- Remove the beef from the pot and use two forks to shred the beef removing any cartilage or large amounts of fat.
- Remove the carrot, celery, and bay leaves and discard. Add the beef back to the pot over medium-low heat.
- Add the olives, pimentos, and capers and cook over low heat until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro or parsley.
Notes
- You can make this recipe with flank steak, but it may require a longer simmering time to tenderize. I recommend that you go with chuck exactly for this reason.
- Any colored bell pepper works with this recipe, but the red and orange bell peppers are sweeter.
- If using a Dutch oven, instead of simmering, place the covered dish in the oven at 350 degrees for about 2 1/2 hours. The oven works even better, which is the advantage of a Dutch oven.
- Slow cook until fork tender and easy to shred.
- Remove the carrot, celery, and bay leaves and discard.
- Drain the olives, pimentos, and capers before adding them.
- Enjoy this tasty recipe with Cuban black beans and rice.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power or on the stovetop on low.
- To freeze first cool completely. Then place in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
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Shelby
This dish is so full of flavor and the meat is so tender. A delicious meal! Yum!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Shelby! So glad that you enjoyed it! It really is a tasty dish!
Kathleen
This Ropa Vieja was amazing! I love how easily it comes together, and my family loves it. Thank you, Beth.
Rosey
Thanks for the tip on what type of steak to get for this… It was really delicious.
MELANIE E
Such a great dish with so much flavor. I would never have thought all those flavors would taste so good together, but they really do.
Yeah Lifestyle
This is a delicious dish. I love all of the flavours and the rest of the family enjoyed it too. It is something that I will now make regularly.
Beth Pierce
Thanks! So glad that you enjoyed it!
Chad
This looks so so good! I can’t wait to make your recipe, it is very clear and easy to follow. Thank you so much…
Jupiter Hadley
I do not think I have ever had cuban food! This sounds like a really filling and hearty dish.
Everything Enchanting
Such a delicious recipe! The beef was so tender and flavorful. I will make this again and again.
Yaya
I always thought this would be difficult to make, but it doesn’t seem like it is. Will give it a try.
Kelley
This was fall apart tender! My whole family loved this thank you so much!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Kelley!
Tayler
I made this ropa vieja for dinner last night and it was so flavorful and delicious! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine!
Katherine
This recipe is just like at my favorite Cuban inspired restaurant!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Katherine! So glad that you enjoyed it!
Tara
This was absolutely amazing! So many incredible flavors packed with this beef. Thanks for the great recipe. It was perfect.
Sandra McCollum
This was so delicious! Thanks for the fabulous recipe!
Amanda
So full of flavor and it was a huge hit at our house. I highly recommend this meal!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Amanda! I am so glad that you enjoyed it.
Allyson Zea
The flavor here is spot on! We loved it.