Slow Cooker Beef Stew with the Taste of "Ropa Vieja" (Paleo, Gluten-Free)

Slow Cooker Beef Stew with the Taste  of  "Ropa Vieja"

I love the stews, in my mind, I can recreate the smell that comes to my mam´s kitchen, umm. I thought to make it yesterday for "Mother´s Day", but friends wanted to go at one of the lakes we have here, to spend the time in nature and make food there, so I made it today,  is my best way to remember her.

This specific kind of stew in my country we called "Ropa Vieja" because it´s It is similar to when you break an old shirt or pullover in strips, is a traditional dish. I think has more flavor, because of the meat is shredded and absorb more of the salsa it immerses in, but it is a matter of individual taste and how we perceive the memories that we have lived since childhood. 

According to the history of this traditional dish, it seems that it was brought by the Spaniards to my country, who ate it tied to chickpeas and potatoes, and they do it with other meats as well. but in Cuba, it is known and done only with the skirt of the beef without potatoes and chickpeas.

Although this recipe is almost the same than the original in flavor, I wanted to make a twist of it for a complete meal adding others ingredients, I put olives, raisins, cinnamon,  carrots, potatoes, and Italian seasoning because for me they enhance it, but you can let them out.

So, let´s do it, there is still smell in the kitchen, do you feel it?

SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW WITH THE TASTE OF "ROPA VIEJA" (Paleo, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients:

1. 2 pounds of beef stew tawed                                
2. 1 cup of beef bone broth                                                  
3. 1 tablespoon of salt (adjust to taste)
4. 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper (adjust to taste)
5. 5-6 tablespoons of olive oil or avocado oil
6. 1 big onion about 1 cup chopped or sliced
7. 4-5 minced garlic cloves
8. 1 sweet red pepper sliced
9. 2 cups chopped carrots
10. 1 teaspoon of cumin
11. 1 tablespoon of oregano
12. 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
13. 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
14. 1 tablespoon of paprika
15.  1/4-1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional)
16. 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
17. 3/4 cup of dry white wine or red wine
18. 1/2 cup of raisins (optional)
19. 1/2 cup of olives halved (green or kalamata, optional)
20. 12-16 oz  Tomato Marinate Sauce (adjust the quantity you want)
21. 1/4 cup of chopped parsley or cilantro 
22. 2 bay leaves
23. 1 1/2 pound of chopped potatoes
24. 2 chopped celery stalks

Instructions:

Turn on your slow cooker at high temperature.

Inside the pot put half of the oil and spread it around.

Take 1/4 cup of the wine on the raisins to soak them, take aside.

Place the half of the onion, garlic, carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, a dash of salt and black pepper, and the half of the marinate sauce.

Over them toss the meat, I made holes with a knife and spread the other ingredients less the fresh red pepper, parsley, and olives.

Put the lid and adjust it to 4-5 hours it will be done at that time. 

An hour before it ends cooking,  put the red pepper slices, olives halved, and the reserved soaked raisins.

When I turned off, I tossed the chopped parsley leaves.

You could let it to 8-10 hours at low temperature.

Enjoy with rice, quinoa, a green salad, fried ripe plantains or green, etc.

Note: It can be frozen perfectly, so, you can do more pounds in advance, put in different containers, take it out of the fridge and heat it up.

You also can put the red pepper, olives, and the raising from the beginning,  as I did, but they break apart during cooking, but it does not mean that the taste is the same.

The recipe is for around 6 persons.
Time of Preparation: 10-15 min
Time to Cook: 5 h at high temperature, up to 10 h at a slow temperature.
Total Time: 5:15 min

Remember, "Your body is a temple, but only if you treat it as one". Astrid Alauda. 
If you like it, you can share it with your friends. It will be kindly appreciated by me. Thank you! 💗