BODYTRAFFIC’s Joan Rodriguez and Katie García Share Their Family’s Recipe for Cuban Rollo de Carne

Growing up in Cuba, variations on meatloaf—or rollo de carne—were common in Joan Rodriguez’s home. “Access to certain food in Cuba is difficult, but ground meat is one of the foods we can always get,” says the BODYTRAFFIC company member. “So, there were a lot of dishes around ground meat.” This recipe, which wraps the rollo de carne in bacon, was an innovation born from an argument between Rodriguez’s grandmother and father while Rodriguez was still living at home. “They had the same energy and personality, and so had a lot of conflicts,” he says. “One day, my grandma really wanted to make this meatloaf, but my dad really wanted bacon. I don’t know how it happened, but they came up with this. It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever tried.”

This recipe also holds a special place for Rodriguez and his wife, fellow BODYTRAFFIC dancer and rehearsal director Katie García, who’s of Cuban and Dominican heritage and grew up in Miami. “This was the first recipe that Joan made me when we started dating,” says García. “And then the first time he met my parents, he made this dish. Now every time we visit, my mom makes him make it.” Rodriguez and García like to enjoy their rollo de carne with white rice and a salad. 

Cooking is a big part of Rodriguez and García’s home life in Los Angeles. “Since BODYTRAFFIC is predominantly a touring company, we really try to take advantage of our home-cooked meals,” says García. The two of them take turns cooking. “Whoever chooses the dish is the main cook,” explains García. “The other person is the sous-chef, and helps with the dishes.” The duo also loves having friends over for dinner parties or barbecues. “Making food is serious business for us,” says Rodriguez. “But it’s also a time when we are giggling and talking and gossiping and having a drink.”

Ingredients

Sofrito

• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 1 white or yellow onion, finely chopped (“In Cuba, you see a lot of white onions,” says Rodriguez. “But Katie really likes the golden ones. It’s a matter of taste.”)
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup chorizo, chopped

Meatloaf

• 2 lbs ground turkey (“In Cuba we usually use ground chicken,” says Rodriguez, adding that you can also substitute the turkey for ground pork.)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup breadcrumbs, plus extra for rolling
• 2 tbsps salt
• 2 tbsps ground pepper
• 2 tbsps Sazón Completo (Called Complete Seasoning on packaging in English, this seasoning mix can be found in the international section of most grocery stores.)
• 1 cup shredded cheese (Rodriguez and García use a cheddar blend.)
• 1 16-oz package bacon

Sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 white or yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 tsps barbecue sauce
• 2 tsps steak sauce
• 2 tsps Mojo or Naranja Agria (Both of these are orange-based sauces. They should also be available in the international section, or any Spanish market.)
• 2 tsps Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare the sofrito: Heat the olive oilin a frying pan on medium-high. Add the onion, red bell pepper, garlic, and chorizo, and sauté until golden brown.
3. While the sofrito is cooking, start the meatloaf: Mix the ground turkey, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and Sazón Completo in a large bowl until combined.
4. Lay some parchment paper on a flat surface and lightly dust it with breadcrumbs to prevent sticking. Pour out the meat mixture and use your hands to flatten it into a large rectangle. (It should be about 12 inches long and at least 8 inches wide.)
5. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on the middle of the meat, lengthwise. Then spoon the finished sofrito on top. Using your hands and the parchment paper to help, roll the meat from the long edge inward on itself. Use your fingers to pinch the ends closed, so the cheese doesn’t leak out while baking.
6. Line a 9×13-inch glass baking dish with the bacon strips, placing them side by side and overlapping slightly, so they run perpendicular to the long sides of the pan. Place the meatloaf in the middle and wrap the bacon around it, rotating slightly so the ends of the bacon are tucked underneath. It should resemble a caterpillar.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes, until cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. Then broil on high for about 5 minutes to crisp up the bacon.
8. While the rollo de carne is baking, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on medium-high, and sauté the onion and garlic until golden brown.
9. In a small bowl, mix the barbecue sauce, steak sauce, Mojo or Naranja Agria, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the onion and garlic, and stir together. Once the rollo de carne has cooled slightly, move it to a platter so that it’s not sitting in the bacon grease. Cut the rollo de carne into slices, and serve it with the sauce poured over each slice.