Cuban · intermediate
Cuban Beef And Green Plantain Stew With Garlic Sofrito
Hearty halal beef chuck braised until tender with starchy green plantains, warm spices, and a rich bell pepper tomato sofrito.
- PREP TIME
- 20 min
- COOK TIME
- 40 min
- SERVES
- 4
Good things
start in the kitchen.
LET’S MAKE IT
Step by step
- 01
Season beef chuck cubes with salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano.
- 02
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown beef on all sides for 6 minutes, then set aside.
- 03
Add remaining olive oil along with onion, red bell pepper, and garlic to the Dutch oven, cooking 5 minutes until soft.
- 04
Pour in tomato sauce and beef broth, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- 05
Return browned beef cubes and any accumulated juices to the pot and bring liquid to a gentle boil.
- 06
Cover, lower heat, and simmer for 20 minutes until beef begins to soften.
- 07
Add green plantain slices, re-cover, and simmer for an additional 15 minutes until both beef and plantains are tender.
- 08
Taste broth, adjust salt as needed, and rest stew for 5 minutes before serving in broad bowls.
A LITTLE KITCHEN KNOW-HOW
Braised Starch Integration
Adding unripened plantains late in a long braise so they absorb broth flavor and naturally thicken the stew.
Notes from the kitchen
- Score green plantain skin lengthways with a knife and peel under warm tap water for easy removal.
- Green plantains act as both a vegetable and a natural starch thickener for the savory stew liquid.
- Original home-cooking adaptation inspired by Cuban; regional versions vary.
- Use halal-certified meat, poultry, stock, sauces, cheese and other processed ingredients. Check labels and avoid cross-contamination. Recipe screening is not halal certification.