A tale of how Cuba stole one of its national dishes ropa vieja from the Canary Islands. Follow along on this Cuban journey of how the story came to be.
What is ropa vieja?
Shredded beef and vegetables that resemble a heap of colorful old rags – that’s ropa vieja. From the Spanish term for “old clothes”, this is one of Cuba’s most popular and beloved dishes. So popular in fact that it’s one of the country’s designated national dishes.
Ropa vieja is a popular dish of the Canary Islands and Cuba. The original recipe consists of a dish made with leftovers from the cocido (or cozido). It is a traditional stew eaten as a main dish in Spain, Portugal, Brazil and other latin countries. In the Americas, it is a shredded flank, brisket, or skirt steak in a tomato sauce base.
What are the variation across the Caribbean
Variations of the dish can be found throughout the Caribbean, especially in the Dominican Republic (carne ripiada) and Puerto Rico.
In Venezuela, ropa vieja is known as carne mechada (shredded beef) and is part of the national dish called pabellón criollo. Pabellón criollo consists of a serving of the carne mechada accompanied with black beans, fried plantains, white rice, and sometimes arepitas de maíz (corn fritters).
In Veracruz and Tabasco, Mexico, ropa vieja is made with shredded beef, mint, garlic, tomato, and onions, and cooked with eggs.
This dish seems to date back to the Middle Ages, and is a loose adaptation of a Sephardic Jewish dish that to this day is still popular in southern and central Spain.
Traditionally, it was used as a way to consume the leftovers of stews such as puchero or cocida, which just like the original Spanish version of ropa vieja, are also prepared with garbanzo-based. It is only later that this dish was brought to Cuba where the Cubans made their own version.
What cut of beef should be used?
Traditionally, the ropa vieja recipe is prepared with flank steak, which is from the bottom area of the cow. This means it typically brings less flavor, is leaner and tougher than other cuts of beef.
Flank steak is indeed a meat that is typically best suited to high heat quick cooking, like grilling. It is not the best choice for slow cooking, as with low fat content and connective tissues, the meat tends to dry out during the slow cooking process. Flank steak used to be one of the cheaper cuts of beef.
Although prices have increased in the past few decades, this cut is still used in ropa vieja recipes. One of the reasons why flank steak is still used as the ropa vieja meat of choice, is because the cut yields long strands of shredded beef resembling torn clothing, hence the name in Spanish.
Flank steak works well, but chuck is more adapted to preparing in a slow cooker. Indeed, the long cooking time over low heat helps break down the cartilage and melts the fat. It also help keep the beef cut moist while adding additional flavor. This is the reason why chuck is one of the most popular beef cuts for slow cooking and shredding, and a good choice for ropa vieja meat.
What is the origin of ropa vieja?
The origin of ropa vieja is from the Canary Islands, which are Spanish islands off the coast of North Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. The original version of the dish contained leftovers, but later became a shredded meat dish with garbanzo beans and potatoes in the Canary Islands.
Some versions in the Canary Islands contain beef or chicken or pork, or a combination of any of the three. Ropa vieja is widely prepared in the Caribbean today. It is listed among traditional Panamanian cuisine, Cuban cuisine, Puerto Rican cuisine, Dominican cuisine and Canarian cuisine.
But what do old clothes (ropa vieja in Spanish) have to do with a Spanish recipe? It is probably because the dish is actually derived from another dish, a Spanish bean stew.
Making a stew was a way to take advantage of leftovers whenever a Spanish stew was cooked. The exact origins of the dish are not really known, but recipes have been passed down for decades.
Garbanzo beans were an essential part of the daily diet in Spain until about 50 years ago and were considered a food for the masses due to their inexpensive nature. They are a very healthy bean and a staple in many diets and have grown in popularity in the U.S. in recent years.
Today, even though the standard of living in Spain does not require such thrifty ways, cooks often prepare extra meat in their homes so that they may make ropa vieja the following day.
As with all traditional dishes, there are many variations and some of these are due to different regions. Ropa vieja is still one of the classic, comfort foods, which Spaniards fondly remember eating at mom’s or grandma’s table as children.
Ropa vieja, the national dish of Cuba, is a meal that is steeped in history. This rustic, humble dish so perfectly tells the story of the country’s culinary and cultural evolution over the last half-century. It’s fascinating and a perfect read if you’re feeling a little hungry.
The story behind ropa vieja
The geographical journey might be easy enough to trace, but the story of its invention requires a little more imagination. Like many great parts of Cuban culture, ropa vieja started life in Spain.
The story goes that a penniless old man once shredded and cooked his own clothes because he could not afford food for his family. He prayed over the bubbling concoction and a miracle occurred, turning the mixture into a tasty, rich meat stew.
Now, we’re not totally sure that this story is absolute fact but it’s wonderful nonetheless. What we do know is that the recipe for Cuban 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. And let me tell you, the aromas will drive you crazy overnight.
But beyond what tells the story and the place where it is said that this delicious dish emerged, it is already part of the Cuban culinary art. The truth is that those who visit Cuba and try it have the possibility of taking, with them and forever, the taste of Cuba.
The dish then travelled to the Americas with the Spanish people, where it became a staple dish across the Caribbean and Cuba. And although the recipe has been tweaked over the years, the fundamental base of ropa vieja remains today as it always has.
This dish is enjoyed all over peninsular Spain, and the Canary Islands. Even though it is very popular in Latin America, particularly in the Caribbean, the preparation, however, is different there. Indeed, beef is stewed with onions, tomato sauce, and vegetables, then shredded and served alongside beans, rice, and plantains.
As in Spain, there are many variations of the dish in Latin America. It is especially popular in Cuba, where even more variations exist. Despite the differences, though, most people refer to this as a classic comfort food.
Ropa Vieja
Ingredients
- 2 lb beef chuck roast (flank steak, or brisket)
- 1 red hot pepper , julienned
- 8 cloves garlic , crushed
- 2 onions , cut into strips
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 red bell pepper , julienned
- 8 tablespoons tomato purée
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 5 tablespoons dry white wine
- Salt
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
Instructions
- Remove the meat from the refrigerator and leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Place the meat in a pressure cooker.
- Add an onion and 1 teaspoon of crushed garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add water to cover the meat by 2 inches (5 cm), and cook over medium heat for 45 minutes after reaching boiling point.
- Check the tenderness of the meat with a fork. If it is not soft enough, continue cooking for 20 minutes from boiling.
- Once the meat is fork tender, remove the meat from the broth and reserve the broth.
- When the meat is lukewarm, shred it and place in a large bowl. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and set aside.
- In a deep Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil and fry the onion, remaining garlic, as well as the red hot pepper for 1 minute over medium heat, stirring regularly.
- Add 3 tablespoons of the reserved meat broth, 2 bay leaves, cumin, oregano, black pepper and tomato purée.
- Stir well, then add the meat and mix again. Add 3 tablespoons of wine and mix.
- Cook uncovered and over high heat for 5 minutes.
- Cover the Dutch oven and cook for another 15 minutes over medium heat until the sauce is creamy.
- One minute before removing the pan from the heat, add the remaining two tablespoons of white wine and the julienned red bell pepper, and stir gently.
- Serve hot, with white rice and plantain chips.
Video
Notes
Nita is the foodie blogger behind Tastesspicy. Originally from the small Island of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean, she now lives in the cold Tundra of Minnesota, USA where she enjoys sharing recipes from around the world, particularly from the Caribbean featuring foods with a spicy, but flavorful flair.
Haley says
Ropa vieja with white rice and a slice of avocado, DELICIOUS!
Maci says
My family loves this dish. They will always request it.