‘Ropa Vieja’ Cuban Shredded Beef Stew

Delicious Cuban Shredded Beef Stew

Prep Time : 15 Minutes

Cook Time :  6 Hours (In Slow Cooker)

Ingredients :

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 Kg Boneless Beef Chuck (flank steak or brisket also work well)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 carrot, scraped and sliced in half lengthwise
• 1 Cubanelle pepper or green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 whole head of garlic, cloves peeled and roughly chopped (10 cloves or 3½ tablespoons)
• ½ cup dry white wine (Vermouth works well)
• 2 cups good quality canned tomato puree
• 1 6-ounce can tomato polpa
• 1 cup low-salt chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup sliced green olives
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

• For Garnish:
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 lime or two, cut into wedges

Directions :

1. Season meat on both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper.
2. Heat oil in a heavy (preferably cast iron) skillet.
3. Brown meat over high heat for 3 minutes per side.
4. Transfer to the slow cooker.
5. Toss in the sliced carrot.
6. Add a tablespoon of oil to the skillet along with the garlic, onions and peppers.
7. Turn the heat down to medium. Cook for 6-7 minutes until the vegetables are softened and starting to caramelize, stirring constantly for the first minute, to make sure the garlic doesn’t brown.
8. Add wine and simmer for a minute, stirring and scraping the browned bits from the pan.
9. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.
10. In a medium bowl whisk tomato puree, tomato polpa, broth, dried spices and 2 teaspoons salt.
11. Pour over meat.
12. Cook on high for 6 hours.
13. After 5½ hours the beef  is transformed to a beautiful tenderness, remove meat and  pull into shreds using two forks.
14. After it’s shredded, return meat to  the slow cooker.
15. Stir in sliced olives and a splash of vinegar, to build that final layer of flavor and cook for another  half hour.
16. Serve with a sprinkle of cilantro and lime wedges on the side.
17. Traditional accompaniments to this beef stew are white rice and black beans.