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Ropa Vieja (Healthy Rican Style)

Cuban cuisine has a rich history and a variety of flavors. One dish that embodies all this is Ropa Vieja. This well-known Cuban dish is a favorite among food lovers everywhere. 
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Cook Time 8 hours

Ingredients
  

For the meat and broth

  • 2 lbs Flank Steak, beef brisket, or chuck steak
  • 1 small stem fresh cilantro
  • 1 pc bay leaf
  • 3 large onions peeled and quartered
  • 1 clove garlic peeled
  • 1 pc carrot peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 tbsp Healthy Rican Adobo

For the sauce

  • 1 pc large green pepper sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tsp Healthy Rican Adobo
  • 1 tsp  Healthy Rican Sazón
  • 1/4 tsp oregano
  • 1/3 cup avocado oil
  • 1 large onion peeled and cut
  • 1 pc bay leaf
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup beef broth (made above)
  • 1/2 cup cooking wine
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 6 oz jarred roasted red peppers sliced
  • 10 pcs Spanish green olives sliced

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the meat and broth by adding the meat to a large pot, and cover with water. Add the cilantro, bay leaf, onions, garlic clove, carrot and adobo. 
  • Bring the water to boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 hours. Note: You may also use a slow cooker for the meat and broth. You’d have to do this in the morning to ensure dinner is ready in time. Follow the same process, add all the meat and other ingredients to the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.
  • Remove the meat from the pot and set aside. Save ½ cup of the broth for the sauce, and save the rest for other recipes. 
  • Prepare the sauce. Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic, adobo, sazón, oregano into a paste. 
  • Over medium heat, add the oil in a large skillet. Saute the onion and peppers for about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat and stir in the garlic with seasonings and bay leaf. Cook for 2 minutes and add the tomato sauce, broth, wine, vinegar and olives. Simmer for 5 minutes. 
  • Over medium heat, add the oil in a large skillet. Saute the onion and peppers for about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat and stir in the garlic with seasonings and bay leaf. Cook for 2 minutes and add the tomato sauce, broth, wine, vinegar and olives. Simmer for 5 minutes. 
  • Add the meat to the sauce, cover and simmer for approximately 20 minutes and make sure the flavors combine. 
  • Add the meat to the sauce, cover and simmer for approximately 20 minutes and make sure the flavors combine. 
  • Enjoy with a side of white rice, black beans, and/or cooked plantains.