This recipe without photos appears at the end of the recipe.
This recipe first appeared in More Insane in the Brine: The Second Official Cookbook , using my homemade olives. I have recently made a few of the recipes from the book available here, as well as from the first cookbook! The cookbook contains my method for making homemade olives and contains about 40 other recipes you can’t find anywhere else!
Ropa Vieja literally means “old clothes” in Spanish. This is because the shredded beef resembles old, tattered clothes. It is deeply savory and satisfying. It originated in Spain and is popular throughout much of Latin America, but is probably most associated with Cuban cuisine, where it is regarded as the national dish.
The cut of meat most commonly used for ropa vieja is flank steak, as its leanness and long fibers lend themselves well to the characteristic texture; on the other hand, it can be a bit dry. Skirt steak and chuck roast are also good options, as they’re more tender but similarly cost effective. But to really up the ante, my top recommendation is brisket. It is so tender and flavorful; once you go brisket ropa vieja, I’m not sure if you’ll ever go back. The choice is yours though; this recipe will actually cover whichever one you choose without any modifications.
Homemade olives are a great option, as I show how to make in chapter 2 of my cookbook. However, if you buy the olives, any good green variety will do, just make sure they’re pitted (or pimiento stuffed). You may buy them pitted or remove the pits yourself beforehand. Besides serving over rice, ideally with some beans and fried plantains, this ensemble of veggies and meat goes great in tacos, and it was awesome in the sandwich featured below at the end. That incorporated pickled red onions (recipe freely available at insaneinthebrine.com) fresh cilantro.
Yield:
Serves 6
Shelf life:
4-5 days (sealed in fridge); 6 months (frozen, vacuum sealed)
Equipment:
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Small bowl (to mix the spice rub) and glass oven dish or other suitable container in which to apply the spice rub
- Vacuum sealer (recommended), or large ziptop bag for overnight marinating
- Knife & cutting board
- Dutch oven with lid
- Large frying pan (if the Dutch oven isn’t large enough to allow the meat to sit flat when searing)
Ingredients:
- 2.75 – 3 lbs. beef brisket flat (1250 – 1360g)
- 2 tsp olive oil (or corn oil)
- 2 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp salt separate
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp coriander, ground
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano (or sub regular oregano)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- 1 large yellow onion (or Vidalia / sweet onion), sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 can diced tomatoes, juice drained (fire-roasted suggested)
- 2 TBSP Maggi liquid seasoning (or sub with Dale’s liquid steak seasoning or soy sauce)
- 1 TBSP tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Poblano pepper (or sub 1 Anaheim or Cubanelle pepper or similar), seeds removed & finely diced
- 1.75 cups beef stock (or chicken, veggie broth); recipe in the 1st IITB cookbook
- 2 TBSP white cooking wine
- 1 red bell pepper, seeds removed & sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeds removed & sliced
- 1 cup drained and pitted (or pimiento-stuffed) olives (130g), +1 TBSP juice (olive brine)
- 1 TBSP capers
- Garnish with lime wedges, sliced green onion, and around 1/3 cup minced cilantro (or parsley)
Directions
1.) Combine the 2 tsp salt, cumin, smoked and sweet paprika, coriander, black pepper, Mexican oregano, garlic powder, and allspice in a bowl. Mix well and apply to all surfaces of the brisket including the sides. Carefully transfer the meat to the vacuum seal bag; add any excess spice rub to the bag and vacuum seal. Alternately, you may use a large gallon ziptop container or wrap the seasoned meat well in plastic wrap, and place in a container. Place the seasoned meat in the refrigerator and ideally allow to sit overnight until any time the next day, or a minimum of 8 hours.
2.) When the time has elapsed, preheat the oven to 275F. Heat 2 tsp oil over medium-high heat in the Dutch oven or large frying pan. Sear the meat in the Dutch oven or large frying pan for about 4 minutes on each side, then around 30-45 seconds for each edge, ensuring an even sear all around. Transfer the meat to a large cutting board, plate, or other receptacle.
3.) To the hot Dutch oven or pan, add the onion and saute for a couple minutes. Then add ½ tsp salt, stir, and cook another 3-4 minutes (it should be sizzling). Then add the minced poblano, minced garlic, bay leaves, and tomato paste. Saute for a few more minutes then add the diced tomato, Maggi sauce (or other sauce), the broth, and white cooking wine. Stirring occasionally, bring the mix to a boil. Remove from heat and add the brisket. If the braising liquid was prepared in frying pan, transfer it to the Dutch oven along with the brisket. The brisket does not have to be perfectly flat in this instance if it is a bit large for the Dutch oven. Spoon some of the liquid over the meat. Place in the oven, covered, for two hours.
4.) After the allotted time, flip the meat and return to the Dutch oven and cover. Cook for one hour.
Option 1 (recommended, requires fridge storage space): Remove from the oven and transfer the Dutch oven to the refrigerator (covered). Allow to sit overnight or until the all the contents are completely chilled so that the congealed fat which forms on the top can be skimmed off.
5.) Following Option 1 above, after the ropa vieja has sat in the fridge overnight and the fat has hardened, heat the oven again to 275F. With a spoon, gently remove the top layer of fat that has congealed over the brisket and sauce. Add in the sliced red and green peppers and cook for one hour, covered, or until fork tender. Remove the bay leaves and shred (or slice) the meat. You may pull the meat out to do so, then return it. Add the olives, olive brine, and capers and mix well. Return to the oven and cook, covered, for 30 minutes. Then plate and garnish. Enjoy!
Option 2 (as needed if no fridge space or to serve the same day): If you don’t have the fridge space to follow Option 1 above, or want to serve the ropa vieja the same day, then add the green and red sliced peppers to the Dutch oven and cook for an additional hour at 275. At this point the meat should be fork tender and almost falling apart. (Cook longer until fork tender if needed.) Remove the bay leaves and shred (or slice) the meat. You may pull the meat out to do so, then return it. Add the olives, olive brine, and capers and mix well. Return to the oven and cook, covered, for 30 minutes. Then plate and garnish. Enjoy!
Check out the ropa vieja sandwich I made on a toasted bolillo roll with cilantro, avocado, and my pickled red onions! So good!! If you want to show off your own sandwich creations at our Facebook group, check out Rate My Sandwich!
