Ropa Vieja is my favorite Cuban dish in the world. After many years of enjoying it at restaurants, I decided to figure out how to make it myself and have been iterating on my recipe ever since. Each time I make it a little different, the core of it is the seared chuck, lots of peppers and onions, cumin, and braising it low and slow. Everything else, have fun with and improvise with what you have! Hearty flavorful soul food at its finest. Pairs best with lots of lime, rice, beans, and plantains. 

This recipe came to me when I had way to many veggies I had to use in the fridge. The hominy adds a nutty element and the okra thickens the broth, both new freezer staples of mine that I am loving. The mini meatballs are just so cute and the smaller they are the more opportunity for crispy texture! I always make meatballs Italian style so this way a fun way to mix it up with that spicy bbq flavor.

I have made so many chili variations over the years and this is the most flavorful by far. My dad is a chili connoisseur and was blown away, he was still picking at it long after the Chiefs victory. The chorizo flavor plus the richness the ancestral blend and the variety of chilis gave this so much punch without being too spicy. This is very veggie forward and I loved how it is filling and flavorful while it isn’t heavy. Enjoy!