Ropa Vieja Recipe for a Snowy Night

Yesterday it snowed in NYC. A lot.  Temperatures plummeted and they will stay that way until Sunday.  

For days like these, all I want to do is eat hearty and stay warm.  Ropa Vieja is the perfect dish for a cold night.  Brought to you by my sister island of Cuba, the stew is filled with spices that will transport you to the Caribbean. So what if there are 8 inches of snow outside?

I used the Goya recipe and every recipe I've made from there has turned out delicious.  The key to this is to cook it SLOW.  Very slow.  Naturally, this is also a great dish for your slow cooker too.  Stay warm.

Season meat, generously.  Warm up the pot with olive oil at medium-high. When the olive oil is hot, sauté, flipping once, until well browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer meat to a plate. 

Lower heat to medium. Stir in onions and peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft. Add garlic to pot and cook for about 1 minute.

Stir in water, tomato sauce, sazón packet and 1/2 cube. Bring mixture to a boil. Return beef to pot. Lower heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Stir in olives, olive juice, and capers. Cover pot; simmer until meat shreds easily with fork, 1 – 1½ hours.

Transfer meat to work surface and shred meat with two forks. Bring remaining stew to a boil. Mix meat into sauce.