Arroz a La Cubana- Pork and Beef Saute with Potatoes in Plantains

What do you do when your days are wrought with sadness? You embrace the pain and move ahead. I took solace in cooking Arroz a La Cubana, – Pork and Beef Saute in Potatoes with Plantains.

Our family had its own sets of sadness. We had two deaths in the family within weeks of each other. We said goodbye to my cousin Mel too soon and unexpectedly. This week I said goodbye to my godmother and aunt, Tita Helen. She lived a long, beautiful life. Till the end she was a brave spirit. Sadly, I was not able to say goodbye to both my cousin and aunt whom I hold dearly in my heart.  That is the biggest regret we all have. The ‘what if’ moment that we never got to do.

What I know for sure is that both my cousin Mel and my Aunt Helen would have wanted me to move forward, treasure each moment we have to the fullest and continue nurturing and nourishing my family.

Whether it’s just my husband and myself, or our sons come home to visit, the big meal is the brief joyous moment where I find comfort and happiness in being together with the ones who mean the most to me. And for them, I whip up the heartiest, most delectable dish. It doesn’t have to be a tedious recipe. What’s important is that it is a dish loved by all, filled with wholesome flavors of savory and sweetness combined, and one we always associate with love and good times.

Print Recipe

Arroz a La Cubana - Pork and Beef Saute with Potatoes in Plantains

Arroz a La Cubana may have a Spanish-sounding name but it is a dish that’s loved by Filipinos. This is also one of the easiest, heartiest meals I can put together at a moment’s notice. I like to combine ground beef and pork in this dish which starts out as a basic saute flavored with tomato sauce. This dish is best served with sides of sweet, boiled plantains (saging saba to Filipinos) and eggs, sunny side up. And like the name of the dish itself, be sure to serve it with a huge bowl of ‘arroz’ or boiled rice. Serve with ketchup on the side. This is an AsianInAmericamag recipe. Serves 4 with rice.

Cook Time52 minutes mins

Total Time52 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Filipino

Keyword: Arroz a La Cubana Pork Beef Saute Potatoes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 588kcal

Author: Elizabeth Ann Quirino

Equipment

• Large Skillet: 12-inches diameter

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic peeled, minced
• 1 whole large onion chopped fine
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce or Perrins
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 whole potatoes peeled, diced about 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 to 3 whole ripe plantains peeled; boiled in syrup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar for syrup of plantains
• 1 cup water for syrup of plantains
• 4 whole eggs cooked sunny side or fried, for serving
• for serving: boiled jasmine white rice
• for serving: tomato or banana catsup

Instructions

• In a large skillet, over medium high heat, add the cooking oil. When oil is hot enough after about 2 minutes, saute the garlic and onions till the latter is translucent.
• Add the ground beef and pork. Sprinkle the meats with Worcestershire sauce. Blend ingredients well.
• Add the tomato sauce and soup stock to the meat. Add the diced potatoes.Mix till the sauce is incorporated all around. Lower heat to a slow simmer. Let the liquid reduce in the meat and potatoes and cook for about 40 minutes over very low fire.
• Add the raisins. Season with salt and black pepper powder. Serve alongside boiled rice, sweet plantains in syrup and fried eggs.
• How to boil plantains in syrup: Peel the fully ripened plantains and place the whole pieces in a medium-sized stockpot. Add the brown sugar and water. Combine the liquid and sugar well. Over medium heat, cook for 8 to 10 minutes till liquid has a syrup-like consistency and the bananas are soft. When cooked, drain and set aside the syrup. Serve the plantains with the Arroz a la Cubana dish.
• Cook's Comments: For this recipe, make sure plantains are fully ripened, with no hint of green in them. Here in America, banana plantains are found in Asian markets or major supermarkets which have an ethnic section in the produce aisle. In the Philippines, they are called "saging saba" and are shorter in length, with a light brown outer skin. Both varieties are available all year long.
• Hello, Friends! All the images and content here are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED. This means BY LAW you are NOT allowed to use my photos or content on your website or videos  without my permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write it in your own words and simply link back to this blog to give proper attribution. It’s the legal thing to do. Thank you.
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Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 588kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 977mg | Potassium: 602mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition Notes: The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Did you like this recipe?I have more Filipino Instant Pot recipes in my newest cookbook Instant Filipino Recipes: My Mother’s Traditional Philippine Cooking in A Multicooker Pot by Elizabeth Ann Besa-Quirino. I also have more classic recipes inspired by my mother’s cooking in my popular cookbook: My Mother’s Philippine Recipes. If you’re learning how to cook Filipino food or a fan of Philippine cuisine, buy my cookbooks and books on Amazon.com sold worldwide in paperback and Kindle format.

Copyright Notice: Hello, Friends! Please DO NOT LIFT OR PLAGIARIZE my original recipe, stories, photos or videos. All the images and content on this blog are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED and owned by my media company Besa-Quirino LLC. This means BY LAW you are NOT allowed to copy, scrape, lift, frame, plagiarize or use my photos, essays, stories and recipe content on your websites, books, films, television shows, videos, without my permission. If you wish to republish this recipe or content on media outlets mentioned above, please ASK MY PERMISSION, or re-write it in your own words and link back to my blog AsianInAmericaMag.com to give proper attribution. It is the legal thing to do. Thank you. Email me at [email protected]