Smoked Cuban Ropa Vieja

Name: Geräuchertes Ropa Vieja kubanisch
Total time: 5 h
Ingredients: 80 ml Orangensaft (frisch); 40 ml Limettensaft; 10 g Knoblauch (gepresst); 6 g Gemahlener Kreuzkümmel; 4 g Getrockneter Oregano; 5 g Geräuchertes Paprikapulver; 3 g Schwarzer Pfeffer; 18 g Meersalz

MarinadeBeefHot SmokingMedium5-7 hrs88-92 °C120-135 °CHickory + Apple

Ropa Vieja is a classic Cuban dish of shredded beef, traditionally braised. In this version the meat is first hot-smoked to develop a deep smoky note before being finished in tomato sauce with peppers and olives. The result is an intensely aromatic, tender dish with an authentic smoky character.

Ingredients(for 1 kg)

Fresh orange juice80 ml

Lime juice40 ml

Garlic (pressed)10 g

Ground cumin6 g

Dried oregano4 g

Smoked paprika5 g

Black pepper3 g

Sea salt18 g

Instructions

Marinating

12 hours (refrigerator)

Mix all ingredients into a marinade. Coat the meat completely, place in a zip bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.

Smoking Preparation

30 minutes

Remove meat from marinade, pat dry and let it acclimate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat smoker to 120-135 °C and prepare hickory and apple wood chips.

Smoking

5-7 hours

Smoke the meat at 120-135 °C until an internal temperature of 88-92 °C is reached. Add wood chips every 60 minutes. The meat stays juicy and develops a dark bark.

Shredding and Finishing

30-45 minutes

Rest the smoked meat in aluminum foil for 20 minutes, then shred with two forks. Warm briefly in a pan with sautéed pepper strips, tomatoes and green olives before serving.

Pro Tip

After smoking, braise the meat in beef broth with tomatoes, peppers and olives for another 2 hours until it shreds easily. The smoky note is preserved throughout.

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