Cuban Ropa Vieja (traditional recipe)

The cuban cuisine It is famous all over the world for its variety of flavors and traditional dishes. One of the most emblematic Cuban recipes is the Old Cuban Clothes.

The Old Cuban Clothes It is an iconic dish of Cuban cuisine. Name “old clothes» refers to the appearance that frayed meat takes on, similar to a pile of old rags or worn-out clothing.

Although the name may not be very attractive, the flavor and texture of this dish make it an irresistible delight. This Cuban dish is a shredded meat stew, usually veal, slowly cooked with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and spices. The result is a mixture of intense flavors and tender, juicy meat.

Origin and history of Cuban old clothes

The old cuban clothes has its roots in the traditional spanish cuisine. It is believed that this recipe was brought to Cuba by the Spanish colonizers during the colonization era.

In medieval Spain, a similar dish called «old cooked clothes» (in fact it is still prepared today), which consisted of cooking the remains of meat from the stew together with chickpeas and other vegetables. As this recipe traveled across the ocean to Cuba, it was adapted to local ingredients and flavors, becoming the Cuban ropa vieja we know today.

traditional recipe

In PequeRecipes

Ropa Vieja cooked, recipe to take advantage of leftovers

{ “@context”: “https://schema.org/”, “@type”: “Recipe”, “mainEntityOfPage”: { “@type” : “WebPage”, “@id”: “https:// www.pequerecetas.com/receta/ropa-vieja-cubana/” , “url” : “https://www.pequerecetas.com/receta/ropa-vieja-cubana/” , “name”: “Cuban Old Clothes ( traditional recipe)”, “datePublished”: “2023-06-06T17:17:02+02:00”, “dateModified”: “2023-06-06T17:18:51+02:00”, “description”: ” ” }, “name”: “Cuban Ropa Vieja (traditional recipe)”, “image”: “https://www.pequerecetas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ropa-vieja-cubana-receta- traditional.jpg”, “author”: { “@type”: “Person”, “name”: “Little Recipes” }, “publisher”: { “@type”: “Organization”, “@id”: “https: /www.pequerecetas.com#organization”, “url”: “https://www.pequerecetas.com”, “name”: “Pequerecetas”, “sameAs”: ( “https://www.facebook.com/ littlerecipes” ) }, “description”: “”, “prepTime”: “PT30M”, “cookTime”: “PT30M”, “totalTime”: “PT60M”, “recipeYield”: “4”, “recipeCategory”: “Food “, “recipeCuisine”: “Cubana”, “keywords”: “Medium difficulty”, “nutrition”: { “calories”: “kcal per 100g” }, “aggregateRating”: { “@type”: “AggregateRating”, ” ratingValue”: “5”, “ratingCount”: “5”, “bestRating”: “5”, “worstRating”: “1” }, “recipeIngredient”: (“1 kg of beef (preferably brisket or brisket) “,”1 bay leaf”,”1 large onion”,”1 red pepper”,”1 green pepper”,”4 cloves of garlic”,”2 ripe tomatoes”,”120 ml beef stock”,” 60 ml of dry wine”,”1 teaspoon of ground cumin”,”1 teaspoon of oregano”,”1 kg of veal (preferably flank or garter)”,”1 bay leaf”,”1 large onion”, “1 red pepper”,”1 green pepper”,”4 garlic cloves”,”2 ripe tomatoes”,”120 ml beef broth”,”60 ml dry wine”,”1 teaspoon ground cumin”, “1 teaspoon oregano”) , “datePublished”: “2023-06-06T17:17:02+02:00”, “dateModified”: “2023-06-06T17:18:51+02:00”, “recipeInstructions “:(” The first thing we must do is clean the meat, removing any fat parts from it. “,” In a large pot, he places the veal and covers it with water and a bay leaf. Add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Cook over medium-low heat for about an hour and a half or until the meat is tender and can shred easily. “,”If you prefer to cook the meat in a pressure cooker or in a speed cooker, follow these steps: Add the beef to the pressure cooker. Add enough water to cover the meat and 1 bay leaf. Close the pressure cooker and cook over high heat until the valve indicates maximum pressure. Once the pot has reached full pressure, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for approximately 40 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally before opening the pot. This may take a few minutes. Open the pot when the pressure has been fully released and check if the meat is tender by poking a fork that should go in easily. If not, you can cook it for a few more minutes over medium-low heat. “,” Remove the meat from the pot and let it cool. Once cool, shred it into fine strands with your hands or using two forks. Reserve “,” In a large skillet, heat a little olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, the peppers cut into strips and the minced garlic. Cook until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Add the bay leaf, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. If necessary, add a little meat broth or the water from cooking the meat. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until they soften and form a thick sauce. “,” Add the meat and mix so that all the flavors are well integrated. Cook for a few minutes on low heat. Salt rectify if necessary. “) }

How to accompany old clothes

He White rice and the fried plantains they are a classic accompaniment in Cuban cuisine. The sweetness of ripe plantains contrasts perfectly with the salty flavor of Cuban ropa vieja.

Here is a recipe to prepare them:

Ingredients: 2 ripe bananas; oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Peel the plantains and cut them into thick slices.
2. Heat enough vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. When the oil is hot, add the plantain slices and fry until golden brown on both sides.
4. Remove the fried plantains from the pan and place them on absorbent paper to remove excess oil.
5. Serve the fried plantains alongside the Cuban ropa vieja.

Read Also

In PequeRecipes

How to make perfect white rice step by step

If you don’t have ripe plantains you can also prepare patacones or tostones. Tostones are a green plantain garnish that is fried twice to obtain a crunchy outside and soft inside. You can also serve the old clothes on corn tortillas or as a filling for empanadas.

traditional recipe

In PequeRecipes

Fried plantain patacones or tostones (traditional recipe)

Tips to make the best Cuban ropa vieja

Marinate the meat

If you want to intensify the flavor of the recipe, you can marinate the meat in a mixture of orange juice, lemon, garlic, and spices for a few hours before cooking.

What meat is used to make Cuban ropa vieja?

Use juicy and tender veal meat, such as skirt or aguja, for the best results in your Cuban ropa vieja.

Although the traditional recipe is made with beef, you can also use pork or chicken if you prefer. However, the taste will be slightly different.

Shred the beef well

Be sure to shred the meat well so that it mixes properly with the vegetables and absorbs the flavors of the sauce.

For this it is important that the meat is very tender before shredding it. You have several options, the traditional potin which it will take approximately 2 hours, the Express pot which will take about 30-45 minutes, or the slow cooker or crockpotwhich will cook the meat in about 6-8 hours (you can leave it overnight and prepare the recipe the next day.

Add some chopped fresh coriander at the end of cooking to give a touch of freshness and color to your dish.

Let rest

Cuban ropa vieja is even more delicious the next day, as the flavors have time to develop. Store in the fridge and warm gently before serving.

Can I freeze leftover Cuban old clothes?

Yes, Cuban ropa vieja freezes very well. Be sure to store it in airtight containers or freezer bags and label them with the date.

Can Cuban ropa vieja be made into a vegetarian version?

You can make a vegetarian version of Cuban ropa vieja by using vegetable proteins, such as seitan or tofu, in place of meat. Follow the same steps in the recipe, but substitute the meat for the vegetable protein of your choice.

Now that you know the recipe and the secrets of the old cuban clothes, you can prepare it at home and enjoy this dish. Do not hesitate to share this recipe with your friends and family so that they can also enjoy this Cuban delicacy!

The entry Ropa Vieja Cubana (traditional recipe) was first published on PequeRecetas