When I lived in Oakland, California I liked to go to a restaurant nearby and order a dish called Bus Up Shut. Bus Up Shut! What, might you ask, is that? Well, dear readers, I can tell you! Bus Up Shut is the Caribbean way of saying tattered and torn shirt. Get it? Bus(ted) Up Shirt! It’s the name of a sandwich made with an amazing flat bread and filled with curry meat and vegetables. It is absolutely delicious!
So you can imagine my pleasure when I ran across a local dish made by Mexican housewives called “Ropa Vieja”. I guess the shredded meat in this recipe reminds them of old, torn clothing. Our local version of Bus Up Shut!
This delectable shredded meat can be used any which way but it’s particularly good as a base for soft tacos.
Photo credit: Wikipedia
Here’s how I make Old Clothes, I mean, Ropa Vieja. Ay, chihuahua!
Get a good size chunk of beef brisket or beef chuck roast. Get a piece that will feed the people you’re cooking for. It’s only me and my husband right now so I get a 2-pound chunk and then I have a little leftover for other recipes.
Ingredients
Tacos:
• 3 pounds of beef (feeds 4 people)
• 1 lime
• 1-2/3 cup beef bone broth
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons stevia
Sauce:
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil
• Smashed and minced small clove of garlic
For serving:
• Warmed corn tortillas or leaves of butter lettuce
• Finely chopped scallions or white onions
• Sliced avocado
• Sliced radishes
• Minced cilantro
• Salsa cruda or any kind of salsa you like
Instructions
Juice the lime and saved the juiced halves. Put the juice, lime halves, bone broth, oil, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and cloves in your slow cooker. Put your chunk of meat in the broth and turn it so all sides are coated. I do all this just before bed so I can put it on low and while I’m sleeping it’s cooking. (8 hours). Set on low, put a lid on it and have a nice sleep!
In the morning use a slotted spoon to remove the beef and then, being careful because the slow cooker pot will be hot, scoop out the cooking liquid and leave about 2/3 of a cup. Stir in the stevia. Set the cooker on high and let the liquid cook down a bit. If it never boils, don’t worry. Add the beef back in and using 2 forks shred the beef.
When you’re ready to eat mix together the sauce ingredients and tear up the lettuce leaves or prepare the tortillas. Then prepare your garnish items.
Spoon the shredded beef into your lettuce cups or tortillas, add a dollop of sauce and sprinkle garnishes to your heart’s content. I serve mine with a side of black beans and rice and veggies.
Me gusta!
