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1
Pound the chuck roast or flank steaks with a heavy meat mallet until about 1/2 inch thick.
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2
Season both sides of the beef generously with salt, pepper, and onion powder.
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3
Heat the canola oil in a large, heavy, ovenproof skillet over high heat until rippling.
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4
Add the beef and cook it until well browned on both sides, about 10 minutes.
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5
Preheat the oven to 350F.
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6
Drain or spoon off most of the fat from the pan.
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7
Stir in the sofrito, 2 teaspoons salt, and the cumin, and bring to a boil.
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8
Depending on how much oil was left in the pan, you may have to add a little olive oil to give the mix a creamy texture.
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9
Stir in the tomato sauce, water, alcaparrado, and bay leaves.
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10
Bring to a boil, cover the dish, put it in the oven, and bake until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork, about 2 1/2 hours.
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11
Let stand in the sauce until cool enough to handle.
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12
Shred the meat coarsely by hand or use two forks.
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13
Return it to the sauce and add the celery and carrots.
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14
Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
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15
Stir in the peas and cook a few minutes more.
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16
Watch the liquid as it cooks and add more broth or water as needed.
