ALLIES
INSTRUCTIONS
1 . Preheat oven to 275 degrees F .
2 . Thoroughly dry roast with paper towels . I prefer to brown meat unseasoned , but salt and pepper if you ’ d like at this time . Heat oil on high in an ovenproof pan ; a lidded , enameled cast-iron type works best . Brown meat on all sides , move to plate .
3 . Cook onion and bell peppers with salt until softened and beginning to brown . Add garlic and cook , stirring frequently and scraping bottom of pan until vegetables are brown .
ON
TABLE
THE
PRONGHORN CUBAN ROPA VIEJA Cook a big-game roast low and slow for this amazing Cuban comfort food .
By Courtney Nicolson
4 . Add white wine , stirring until evaporated . Add paprika , oregano , cumin , black pepper and cayenne . Stir . Add tomatoes and break up with a spoon .
5 . Bring to a boil and cook 8 minutes .
6 . Place roast into pan and add bay leaf . Cover and move to oven . Cook 3 hours or until meat is easily shredded with fork .
Iremember my first time eating Cuban food at a restaurant called Cubana Cafe in New York City . I ordered a dish called ropa vieja , not knowing anything about it and wondering how the briny olives would work with the beef and the rest of the ingredients . I fell in love with this simple comfort-food dish , a national dish of Cuba .
With a freezer full of pronghorn antelope roasts I needed inspiration for a low-andslow recipe that would keep well as leftovers during a busy week . My mind drifted back to that cafe in Brooklyn , and I tried my best to re-capture that dish with pronghorn in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado where I was living .
This dish works with any big game , and though ropa vieja is traditionally made with beef flank steak , tough cuts and roasts can also be used . Venison , bear and even Canada goose are great substitutions .
7 . Remove meat from liquid , discard bay leaf , let cool 15 minutes . Use two forks to shred meat . Return meat to pan , add olives and vinegar .
8 . Serve with cilantro , rice and beans .
This can also be prepared in a crock pot . At the point in the recipe where you move the pot into the oven , place the ingredients into a crock pot instead .
Prep Time : 20 min . |
Cook Time : 3 hr . 40 min . |
Total Time : 4 hr . |
Servings : 4 people |
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INGREDIENTS |
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• 2 lb . pronghorn roasts
• 3 tbsp . extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion , chopped
• 2 bell peppers , chopped
• 1 tbsp . iodized salt
• 4 cloves garlic , finely chopped
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• 2 tsp . paprika ( not smoked )
• 1 tbsp . oregano
• 1 tsp . cumin
• 1 / 2 tsp . black pepper , freshly ground
• 1 / 4 tsp . cayenne pepper
• 1 / 4 c . dry white wine
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• 28 oz . whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 / 2 c . pitted green olives , sliced lengthwise
• 1 tsp . distilled white vinegar
• Chopped cilantro , white rice and black beans
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COURTNEY NICOLSON |
48 SPORTSMENSALLIANCE . ORG