Recipe: Ropa Vieja

Here's a quick shot of the Ropa Vieja I made in the slow cooker! It was seriously amazing, the juices were so tasty and the meat so tender!  Best of all, it's an EASY one. (If you've been following for a while then you already know "most" of my recipes have "easy" in the title.) This classic Cuban dish is one of our favorites and until now it was one we only ate when dining out. I came upon this recipe during one of our many trips to Home Depot last weekend. I picked up Taste of Home's Special Edition Ultimate Slow Cooker Cookbook. I glanced at a few recipes and muttered aloud, " I kinda want this." Honey chirps, " Get it!" So since we were in the "Self Check Out" lane I scanned the "book", which is more like a magazine. BLEEP! $9.99 flashed on the screen! " Well dang, that's an expensive magazine," he said. "You better make every recipe in there!" Thus this winter begins: Felicity's Slow Cooker Recipe Write Ups!

 Easy Ropa Vieja Stew

2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast (cut in half)
1 large onion chopped
1 large green pepper chopped
1 Serrano pepper, seeded, minced
1 large can of diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup of water
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 1/2 tsp of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 cup of chopped pimento stuffed olives
2 tbls of minced fresh cilantro
4 cloves of garlic minced


Cut meat in half place in crock pot. Chop all onions, garlic, peppers. Open the can of diced tomatoes, soak the bouillon cubes in the water add salt and pepper. Now add all that to the crock pot. Set on low and cook for 6 - 8 hours. In my case, make it the night before, put it in the fridge and in the morning before work turn it on. Forget about it! 6 - 8 hours later, carefully, remove meat from pot set on plate and shred with fork. Now add fresh minced cilantro and chopped olives and replace shredded beef into pot. Make some rice and black beans. You may choose to serve it as a stew, or use small bowls for each side; rice, then beans, the Ropa Vieja and let the guest decide how they want to blend the flavors!!

I can only hope I didn't massacre our Cuban friends traditional dish! Let me know how you like it if you decide to make your own Ropa Vieja.

Buen provecho! ;)