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Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba, Isla de la Juventud, archipelagos, 4,195 islands and cays surrounding the main island. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and Atlantic Ocean meet.

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Steak: Cut two pounds of flank steak into large pieces.

Beef Spices: Salt, sazon, dried oregano, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper

Tomato Paste: You’ll need a whole can of tomato paste to make the sauce.

Broth: If you don’t have chicken broth, vegetable or beef broth will work too.

Wine: Choose a good-quality dry white wine.

Vegetables: Yellow or white onion, green and red bell peppers, carrots

Garlic: Cut four to six garlic cloves into quarters depending on the size of the cloves and how much garlic you like.

Olives: Slice a half cup of pitted green olives.

Bay Leaves impart flavor as they simmer in the broth.

Cilantro: If you don’t like cilantro, don’t fret – it’s optional!

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Vaca Frita (or crispy shredded beef) is a classic Cuban recipe made with flank steak that's boiled then shredded, marinated in garlic and citrus, and pan-fried to perfection. Your family will thank you for this flavorful Cuban dish!

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4 sweet bread rolls

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup prepared mustard

1 pound thinly sliced cooked ham

1 pound thinly sliced fully cooked pork

1 pound sliced Swiss cheese

1 cup dill pickle slices

2 tablespoons butter, melted

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Why It Works

Typically made with "pan suave," a type of soft, sweet bread, this recipe swaps easier-to-find challah rolls.

In lieu of meat taken from a whole roasted pig, this recipe uses quick-cooking pork tenderloin.

Miami's sunny landscape is dotted with palm trees and just as many Cuban cafés like La Carreta, Oasis, and Versailles. These are establishments where you can have a seated meal, but what's more charming is the invitation to walk up to an outdoor counter and order a quick breakfast of café con leche and tostadas, an afternoon caffeine lightning bolt of concentrated cortadito or café cubano, and, late at night, a medianoche sandwich.

This habit of eating on your feet among a friendly crowd, where everyone seems to know each other, and melodious Spanish is spoken almost exclusively, has its roots in Havana. Cubans who fled to Miami brought with them their unmistakable accent, their food, and their gregarious eating customs.

I've heard that after a long night of dancing, people would stop for a medianoche, so named as an allusion to the time it was often eaten: at midnight. The pressed, toasted sandwich is traditionally made with pan suave, a sweet egg bread similar to challah or Hawaiian bread, while the filling is typically lechón (marinated and slow-roasted whole pig), ham, cheese, pickles, butter, and mustard. Sweet, salty, and deeply satisfying, it's a sandwich you'll crave at all times of the day.

For this recipe, I took a a couple slight shortcuts to make this easier for the home cook. First, given that most of us don't usually have lechón sitting around from which to rip off hunks of tender roast pork. Instead, quick-cooking pork tenderloin makes for an easy and still incredibly delicious substitute. I rub it down with mojo, a mixture of orange juice, lime juice, lots of garlic, oregano, and a dash of cumin, then roast it just until perfectly cooked through to prevent it from drying out. Once chilled and sliced, it an ideal stand-in for lechón.

Second, medianoches are usually made with "pan suave," a soft, sweet egg bread. Since it is not widely available, I've substituted it with 6-inch challah rolls, which are sweet and soft like the original. That said, if you can find pan suave, use it.

Once the sandwiches are assembled, it's important to press them well while toasting them. If you have a panini press, you can use that. Otherwise, the easiest thing to do is to set a second heavy skillet on top of the first, and then press down on that. Only with enough pressure will you achieve the sandwich's signature compact, crisp look.

Cuban Medianoche Sandwich

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The medianoche ("midnight") is a hot pressed sandwich featuring sweet egg bread stuffed with roast pork, ham, cheese, and pickles-perfect after a long night of dancing.

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Ropa Vieja is a Cuban dish made with shredded beef that has been slowly cooked with onions, peppers, olives, tomato sauce, and spices like cumin and oregano.

Ropa Vieja Recipe

Ropa Vieja is one of my favorite Cuban dishes, served over white rice and accompanied with black beans. It's considered a comfort food and is often served on special occasions or at family gatherings. The name "ropa vieja" literally translates to "old clothes" in Spanish, and the dish is named this way because the shredded beef used in the recipe resembles torn or tattered clothing. Leftovers can be made into tacos, bowls, served over loaded fries, and more! More Latin beef recipes you will love are Picadillo, Carnitas and Mexican Beef.

There's many ways to make this, and it may be slightly different in each home. This is how my cousin makes it, and it's delicious! She uses the Instant Pot but if you don't have one, you can do it on the stove (Note: this will take more time).

Ingredients

Steak: Cut two pounds of flank steak into large pieces.

Beef Spices: Salt, sazon, dried oregano, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper

Tomato Paste: You'll need a whole can of tomato paste to make the sauce.

Broth: If you don't have chicken broth, vegetable or beef broth will work too.

Wine: Choose a good-quality dry white wine.

Vegetables: Yellow or white onion, green and red bell peppers, carrots

Garlic: Cut four to six garlic cloves into quarters depending on the size of the cloves and how much garlic you like.

Olives: Slice a half cup of pitted green olives.

Bay Leaves impart flavor as they simmer in the broth.

Cilantro: If you don't like cilantro, don't fret - it's optional!

How to Make Cuban Ropa Vieja

Season the beef with salt, Sazón, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper.

Tomato Sauce: Whisk the tomato paste, wine, and broth in a medium bowl. If you're cooking this dish on the stove, use 3 cups of broth - you'll need more since some of it will evaporate on the stove.

Sauté: Heat the Instant Pot by setting it on the sauté button. Add the oil and then the onions, bell peppers, and garlic and cook for three to four minutes until softened. Then press cancel. On the stove, do the same thing but in a large Dutch oven on medium-high heat.

Nestle the meat into the onions so half are on the bottom and half above the meat. Add the carrots, olives, bay leaves, and cilantro (if using). Pour the tomato sauce over the mixture.

Instant Pot Ropa Vieja: Put the lid on the pressure cooker and cook on high for 45 minutes. Once done, unplug the pot and do a natural release.

Stove: Bring the pot to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the meat easily shreds. It should take about one and a half to two hours. Add more water if it gets too dry.

Shred the beef, discard the bay leaves, and top with more cilantro if desired.

Serving Ideas

My cousin has a food truck in Florida and makes this ropa vieja recipe pretty much every day. She serves loaded fries, where she tops fries with this shredded beef, cheese, and all the fixings. I personally prefer traditional ropa vieja served over rice with Cuban style black beans. Some people like it with sweet plantains on the side, but I think a cabbage slaw or avocado is also great. You can also add the meat to tacos, quesadillas, or burritos.

Variations

Ropa vieja will last for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. After that, if you still have leftovers, freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To thaw, put it in the fridge the day before and reheat it in the microwave or on the stove.

How to Freeze

Flank Steak Substitutes: Skirt steak or chuck beef will also work but will have more fat.

Protein: I have made this ropa vieja recipe with chicken thighs instead of beef.

Wine: If you don't like cooking with wine, sub more broth.

Bell Peppers: Feel free to use whichever color bell peppers you have.

Other Ingredients: You can also add capers and raisins.

More Cuban Recipes You'll Love

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Ropa Vieja is a Cuban dish made with shredded beef that has been slowly cooked with onions, peppers, olives, tomato sauce, and spices like cumin and oregano.

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Vaca Frita (Cuban Fried Beef) - For The Love Of Sazón

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Vaca frita literally means fried cow, and it is another traditional Cuban dish. Delicious, crisypy and juicy all at once you have to try it out!

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Ropa Vieja (Cuban Braised Beef) - Food Wishes

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Other slang words and expressions widely used in Cuban Spanish

Pinchar: Work.

La pincha: The work.

Dichabar: Betraying trust.

Nos pillamos: See you later.

Tumba eso: Forget the subject.

Me piro: I am leaving.

El chivo: The bicycle.

Singar: Disturb.

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1. ¿Qué tipos de comida son populares en este país?

Cuba tiene muchos tipos de comida popular como Ropa Vieja, Vaca Frita y Medianoche.

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2. ¿A qué hora sirven la comida? ¿Es similar o diferente que tu cultura?

Se les sirve al mismo tiempo que a nosotros en Estados Unidos.

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3. ¿Quién prepara la comida? ¿La gente come más en casa o en restaurantes?

La mayoría de las mujeres preparan la comida allí, que es similar a la de Estados Unidos.

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4. ¿Hay restaurantes o cocineros famosos en o de este país? ¿Qué tipos de comida cocinan?

Chef Pepín es el chef más popular de Cuba y prepara pato, crepes, tortillas, ñoquis parisinos y otros platos franceses esenciales.

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5. ¿Hay creencias religiosas que influyen en la comida de este país?

La cocina cubana se basa en gran medida en la cocina española con influencia de la cocina taína, africana y caribeña. Algunas recetas cubanas comparten especias y técnicas con la cocina española, taína y africana, con cierta influencia caribeña en especias y sabores. Esto da como resultado una mezcla de varias influencias culturales diferentes.