Ropa Vieja
“Old clothes” may not sound that appetizing, but it’s one of those overcooked, funky, juicy, tender dishes you can’t stop eating (at least I can’t). And the only thing even remotely difficult about it is shredding the steaks into the ropy strands that give Ropa Vieja its fanciful name. Still, it’s not you-can-do-it-wrong difficult; it’s just a bit of an upper-body workout. You could cut the recipe in half and cook one steak, but with a dish that takes this long and keeps as well as it does (you can refrigerate it for a few days or even freeze it), I think this is a sensible amount. As a bonus, when you braise this much meat you end up with at least a quart of rich, dark beef stock, redolent of bay and cloves—perfect for cooking Arroz a la Mexicana (page 517)—which, not coincidentally, is a perfect side dish for Ropa Vieja. A couple of preparation notes: green bell peppers are a bit more traditional here, but I prefer to make Ropa Vieja with the sweeter red bell peppers. You choose. Cutting the steaks in half to make two thin steaks (hold the knife parallel to the cutting board) is a bit of a challenge, but if you freeze the steaks for about 30 minutes first, the firmer flesh will make it easier. Take your time, but don’t worry about doing too good a job—you’re going to shred the meat anyway.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put the neutral oil in a wide deep skillet or Dutch oven with a lid over medium-high heat. Season the steaks well with salt and pepper. Brown the beef in the pan in two or more batches, making sure the meat colors deeply on all sides, about 20 minutes in all.
Step 2
Drain the fat from the pan and cover the meat with 2 quarts water. Turn the heat to high and add the bay leaves, onion halves, and 2 unpeeled garlic cloves. When the water comes to a boil, partially cover the pan and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers gently; braise for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender.
Step 3
Remove the meat from the pan and transfer to a wide baking dish or a deep skillet (you want to collect the juices it will release). Strain the broth, discarding the aromatics. Reserve 1 cup for this recipe and the rest for another use.
Step 4
Peel the remaining 3 garlic cloves and mash to a paste with the flat side of a knife. Return the pan to the stove, turn the heat to medium, and add the olive oil. When it shimmers, add the garlic paste, cumin seeds, and cinnamon stick (if you’re using ground cinnamon, add it with the sliced onions). Cook for a minute, stirring, until fragrant and lightly colored, then add the sliced onions. Turn the heat up a bit and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deeply golden; add the bell pepper strips and cook until they soften slightly, 3 or 4 minutes more. Season everything well with salt and pepper and add the tomatoes, reserved broth, and reserved juices. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until half of the liquid in the pan is gone, about 15 minutes; remove the cinnamon stick and, if you choose to, the bay leaves.
Step 5
Meanwhile, shred the beef: Anchor one end of the flank steak with a fork (or, better yet, a carving fork) and run another fork the length of the steak, with the grain, shredding it into thin sinewy strips. When you’ve shredded all the beef, add it to the pan with the onion and pepper sauce and warm through. Garnish with the capers and serve with plenty of rice, lime wedges, and hot sauce.
