Beef Ropa Vieja

5 from 1 ratings

“This recipe is a quicker adaptation of traditional ropa vieja. While there are many theories to explain the name, there’s no doubt that the meat is shredded at the end of cooking to resemble rags, hence the translation to “old clothes.” Instead of serving this with a carb-heavy side of rice and beans, you can lighten it up by serving it as a “garnish” on a salad composed of beautiful lettuces. And, as a bonus, you don’t need to whip up a dressing; simply use the sauce from the meat.” — Angelo Sosa, co-author of Healthy Latin Eating, Our Favorite Family Recipes Remixed

Servings

servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
2 pound beef flank steak, trimmed of fat
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
½ pound fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 small red onion, sliced
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
6 ounce mixed lettuce leaves

Directions

Heat the grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the steak, about 4 minutes per side.
Transfer the beef and juices to a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot. Cover with the beef broth and stir in the tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, and garlic along with the cumin, salt, cilantro, olive oil, and vinegar. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 45 to 60 minutes, until the meat is tender.
When ready to serve, shred the meat with forks and place on top of mixed lettuce leaves.