Ropa Vieja

Step 1

Heat a large dutch oven or pot over high heat and add 1 Tbsp of olive oil.

Step 2

Salt and pepper both sides of your roast and brown each side in the pot. Be sure not to burn it, it will only require a short amount of time on each side. Remove from pot and set aside.

Step 3

Wash and cut your peppers and onion into strips. Peel and cut the carrots into small discs about ¼ of an inch thick. Cut the celery into a small dice.

Step 4

Reduce the heat on your pot to medium high and add 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Add the the peppers, onions, carrots, celery, and 2 Tbsp of minced garlic to the pot. Cook for around 10 minutes until the onions have browned.

Step 5

Pour in ½ cup of white wine and stir to deglaze the pot.

Step 6

Add in the roast, 1 cup of chicken broth, 6 oz of tomato paste, 15 oz of crushed tomatoes, 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, 1 Tbsp cumin, 1 Tbsp paprika, 1 Tbsp oregano, and 2 bay leaves and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.

Step 7

Reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for 4 hours.

Step 8

Remove the beef from the pot and shred with two forks. Return to the pot with 1 cup of green olives. Simmer uncovered for 25-30 minutes to thicken the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 9

If you have a lot of juice left in the pot it may be helpful to strain out the excess liquid using a colander. Some liquid is good but you don’t want too much in the bottom of your containers when you store your meals.

Step 10

Cook the rice using your preferred method. 1 cup of uncooked rice will yield around 3 cups of cooked rice.

Step 11

Heat the beans in a small sauce pot.

Step 12

This recipe makes 5 servings. In each of your containers, add ½ cup of black beans and ½ cup of rice. Divide the meat mixture evenly 5 ways, straining out any juice if necessary.