This recipe is created from the traditional Cuban dish made with beef brisket…it is so flavorful and delicious over rice.

I hope you all had a nice and enjoyable holiday surrounded by your loved ones…and here we are, a whole new year ahead of us…filled with hope, dreams and wishes…talking about wish…I have been wanted to make this dish for a while, but really got inspired when a couple of weeks ago we had ropa vieja at Portos Bakery, a local Cuban bakery, which has been often featured in the news for their successful family business.

– What is ropa vieja?

In Spanish ropa vieja means “old clothes”.  Really? Yes, according to Wikipedia it is one of the national dishes of Cuba, although very popular in many countries such as Puerto Rico, Panama and Philippines. This dish is mainly shredded beef with vegetables with a touch of sweet from red peppers.

– Why use Instant Pot?

Using Instant Pot will cut your cooking time to a fraction since the meat has a lot of connective tissues, therefore a tough cut of meat. Instant Pot will work magic to tenderize the meat and it can all be done in one pot, yes one pot.

– Can I use other kind of meat?

Absolutely, you can use flank steak, flap steak, chuck roast, brisket…all kind of meat that is rich in connective tissue.

– Should we jump to the recipe?

Of course…since there are hundreds of ropa vieja recipes on the internet, I really cannot tell you which one really based on…it was really a combination of many of them…match and mix…

Ingredients:

  • 2-2 ½ lbs brisket
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 4-5 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 6 oz tomato paste
  • 3 fresh tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 bell peppers (1 green and 2 red)
  • Green olives, sliced
  • Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • Avocado for garnish
  • Cilantro for garnish

Method:

Season the beef with salt and pepper and let it set for a few minutes.

Set the Instant Pot to “sauté”, add the olive oil and sear the brisket, both side. Set the brisket on aside.

Add the sliced onion, garlic and sauté until aromatic and golden brown.  Return the brisket to the pot and add the tomato paste, fresh tomatoes and all the spices.

Add 1 cup of water and turn to pressure cook at high pressure for 20 minutes. Once the time is up, let the steam release naturally.

When the steam stops, carefully open the pot and add the sliced bell peppers. Taste for salt and pepper. Turn the pressure cook at high pressure for another 10 minutes and set the steam to release naturally.

Once the steam stops, carefully open the pot, remove the brisket. Place the brisket in a dish and using 2 forks shred the beef. Return the shredded beef to the pot and add the sliced olives. Cook for another minute.

Transfer the ropa vieja to a serving bowl and garnish with cilantro and avocado.

Serve with rice, noodles or with anything you like.

– Looking for more meat recipes?  Please check the recipes below…you might find something you want to try.

Thank you for visiting Color Your Recipes…have a colorful week!

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