Paleo Ropa Vieja Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is ropa vieja sauce made of? ›

Ropa Vieja is a Cuban dish made with shredded beef that has been slowly cooked with onions, peppers, olives, tomato sauce, and spices like cumin and oregano.

Because it's so lean, it can be dry and tough if overcooked or sliced too thickly. However, flank is still used in most ropa vieja recipes out of tradition because of the shape: The grains of the cut yield long strands of shredded beef resembling the dish's namesake (torn clothing).

Despite being a lean cut not generally suited to long cooking, the classic flank steak works well in ropa vieja because of how nicely it shreds. You can substitute brisket or skirt steak if desired.

Both vaca frita and ropa vieja are based on a unique method of cooking that involves boiling and shredding steak. They are also both served as the main course centerpiece of traditional Cuban meals with rice and beans, as well as plantains, salads, and bread.

In the case of Cuba, a lot of the new Spanish arrivals hailed from the Canary Islands, where ropa vieja had long been a popular dish. After they settled in Cuba, these colonizers continued to cook ropa vieja. The tradition has lasted for generation after generation, and now Cubans regard ropa vieja as a national dish.

During the Spanish colonization of the Americas, Ropa Vieja traveled across the oceans. It became famous in Cuba and the Caribbean. Each region added its distinct flavors and ingredients to the basic recipe. Ropa Vieja became a common dish in households.

In Nicaragua, the dish is called carne desmenuzada, or less commonly ropa vieja. It is made with green bell peppers, onions, garlic, salt, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and mustard. It is usually served with white rice or alongside gallopinto (national dish of Nicaragua), and fried cheese, fried or boiled plantains.

Ropa vieja literally means “old clothes.” It's not the most appetizing name for food, but it fits the dish, a type of beef stew, pretty well.

Revolucion de Cuba reports, “The recipe for ropa vieja is over 500 years old and originated with the Sephardic Jews in the Iberian peninsula of Spain. Because cooking was not allowed on the Sabbath, the Sephardi would slow-cook a hearty stew the night before.” Over time, the dish made its way to the Americas.

However, ropa vieja is considered the national dish of Cuba, where residents hold a special affinity for it. The name ropa vieja translates to “old clothes,” likely because it's traditionally made with tough cuts of meat that break into long, thin fibers—resembling well-worn threads—when cooked.

What is flank steak called in Mexico? ›

Falda – Flank

This cut is near the beef groin. Its fat content and tenderness have made it a prime choice in Mexico. This is a soft boneless cut to fry on a pan or grill.

Drain off as much liquid as possible so that your quesadillas don't get soggy. Working in batches, add one tortilla to heated griddle. Top with some of the cheese and then some of the leftover ropa vieja. Cook, flipping halfway through cooking, until the tortillas are golden brown and cheese is melted.

September 24, 2023. Picadillo has all the elements of one of my favorite Cuban dishes, Ropa Vieja, where flank steak is braised until it falls apart like old clothes, but in a fraction of the time. In this dish, ground beef cooks super quickly making this ideal for a weeknight dinner.

And yes, before you ask – Puerto Rican also cook Ropa Vieja. Since the origins of this dish came from Spain, it obviously found it's way to many Caribbean islands that were colonized by the Spanish.

What does Ropa Vieja taste like? With is rich tomato sauce, punctuated strongly by lots of garlic, cumin, onions, and peppers, Ropa Vieja tastes like a deeply flavorful Latin American beef stew.

Translated as the 'Spanish' sauce, Espagnole is a rich-bodied brown sauce. The sauce is the base of many other sauces, but perhaps most popularly, the demi-glace. Demi-glace is a time-consuming super-concentrated sauce popular in restaurant dishes.

Ropa vieja in Spanish refers to a classic Spanish dish made of sautéed garbanzo beans and shredded meat. If you are new to Spanish cuisine or just want to understand more about certain dishes, you're in the right place.

Literally translated, “ropa vieja” (Spanish) means “old clothes.” But, let me tell you, this delicious beef dish does not taste like old rags!