Gil’s Ropa Vieja

Ropa Vieja is a traditional Cuban dish of slow-cooked, pulled beef simmered in a savory tomato and sofrito sauce. Sofrito is a flavoring element made using onions, garlic, and bell peppers—an absolutely delicious combination of ingredients. We boosted our sofrito with some of our Habanero Garlic Stuffed Olives for a zesty bite. Our famous wine-spiked olive brine adds a lovely pop of acidity that balances this rich dish.

Serves 4 to 6 

Ingredients: 

1 ½ pounds flank steak or skirt steak 

1 teaspoon Garlic & Pepper Seasoned Sea Salt 

4 tablespoons Gil’s California Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided 

4 cups beef broth 

1 cup yellow onion, peeled and sliced 

½ cup green bell peppers, sliced 

½ cup red bell peppers, sliced 

3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 

½ cup Gil’s Habanero Garlic Stuffed Olives 

1 teaspoon ground cumin 

1 teaspoon paprika 

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

1 bay leaf 

½ cup white wine 

1 cup tomato sauce 

4 cups cooked white rice 

Fresh parsley, for garnish 

Instructions 

Pat the steak dry with paper towels and sprinkle with the seasoned sea salt. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the steak, and sear on both sides until browned. Remove the steak from the pot and set aside. Deglaze the pot with beef broth and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, return the seared steak to the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and slow cook for 2 to 3 hours or until fork tender. 

Remove the steak from the pot and set aside on a large plate. Remove 1 ½ cups of beef broth from the pot and set aside. Discard the remaining broth or reserve the broth for another use. 

Drizzle the pot with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and increase the heat to medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, olives, cumin, paprika, oregano, and bay leaf to the pot and stir to combine. Sauté for 3 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. 

Deglaze the pot with white wine, stir to combine, and simmer until the wine has mostly reduced. Add the tomato sauce and reserved beef broth to the pot and stir to combine. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Meanwhile, using a couple of forks, shred the beef into bite-sized pieces. Once the sauce and veggies have simmered, add the shredded beef to the pot, and stir to combine. Cook for 3 more minutes, just long enough to reheat the beef. 

To serve, divide the cooked rice between plates or bowls and top with the ropa vieja. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!