Pork, beef & lamb· GF · DF

Ropa Vieja

Name: Ropa Vieja
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h 45 min
Total time: 3 h
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 700g beef joint (topside, silverside or brisket); 2 (300g) onions, sliced; 2 (350g) red and green peppers, sliced short; 1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 30g tomato purée; 4 cloves (20g) garlic; 60g pitted green olives, sliced; 20g capers; 8g cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika; 2 bay leaves; 15ml white wine vinegar; 15ml rapeseed oil; 1 cube beef stock cube; 700ml water

Cuban shredded beef with peppers, tomato, cumin, green olives and capers: bright, tangy and savoury.

makes 21 blocks, about 55p each

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BatchJoy

batchjoy.com/recipes/ropa-vieja/

Time: 3 hr15 min prep · 2 hr 45 min cook
Makes: 21 blocks
Cost per blockPer block: 55p
Calories per blockCalories: 80 kcal
Spice: 1 of 5

You’ll need

Batch size

blocks

700gbeef joint (topside, silverside or brisket)
2 (300g)onions, sliced
2 (350g)red and green peppers, sliced short
1 × 400g tinchopped tomatoes
30gtomato purée
4 cloves (20g)garlic
60gpitted green olives, sliced
20gcapers
8gcumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika
2bay leaves
15mlwhite wine vinegar
15mlrapeseed oil
1 cubebeef stock cube
700mlwater

Allergens: Sulphites. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Serve it

Rice and black beans · Soft tacos · Fried plantain and rice

Method

Step 1: Put the whole joint in a pan with the stock, water, bay and half the cumin. Cover and simmer gently until it shreds. (2 hr 30) Keep 300ml of the liquid.
Step 2: Meanwhile soften the onions and peppers in the oil for 12 minutes, then add the garlic and the rest of the spices for 1 minute.
Step 3: Add the tomatoes, purée and the reserved liquid and simmer for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Shred the beef into the sauce with the olives, capers and vinegar. Simmer uncovered until thick. (15 min)
Step 5: Cool and freeze in 70g blocks.

Hotter: add a chopped jalapeño with the peppers and a dash of hot sauce.

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per block	80	7.8g	3.9g	3.6g	1.1g	0.44g
Per 3 blocks	240	23.4g	11.7g	10.8g	3.3g	1.32g

Cook’s notes

Cut the peppers into short strips so they portion neatly into blocks.
Olives and capers are salty, so taste before adding salt.
A squeeze of lime at serving brightens it.

Serve it

Rice and black beans · Soft tacos · Fried plantain and rice.

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
Reheat: Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
A portion: 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 240 kcal and 23.4g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.

Ropa Vieja questions

Can I use flank steak?

Flank steak is the traditional cut and shreds into long strands. Simmer it in the same way until it pulls apart easily, checking it from about 1 hour 30.

Why cook the beef separately from the sauce?

Gently simmering the beef on its own makes it tender enough to shred and gives a beefy stock. That reserved liquid then becomes the base of the sauce.

Can I leave out the olives or capers?

You can leave out either, but the sauce will be less tangy. A little extra vinegar and salt at the end makes up for some of it.