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2.67 from 3 votes

Ropa Vieja

How to Cook Ropa Vieja, a cuban beef, in a crock pot.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time6 hours
Total Time6 hours 20 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Cuban
Servings: 8
Author: Angela Roberts

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1 flank steak
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 3 bell peppers can use red, yellow, orange
  • 6 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 16 ounce cans diced tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 10 spanish olives

Instructions

  • Season flank steak with salt and pepper.
  • Brown flank steak five minutes on each side on medium high heat. Remove from pot.
  • You can brown the flank steak in separate pan and then remove to a slow cooker.
  • In same pot you browned the flank steak In, sauté onion and peppers for about 5 minutes, stirring on low heat. Add In garlic cloves and saute for one minute.
  • At this point proceed either with slow cooker method or dutch oven method,

Slow Cooker Method

  • Add onions, peppers, garlic, one can diced tomato.
  • Add in flank steak. You may need to cut flank steak into two pieces.
  • Add about one cup beef broth or water, vinegar or enough liquid to just cover the flank steak.
  • Add cumin and oregano.
  • Cook for six on high, 10 hours on low.
  • In last hour, add olives, second can of tomatoes.
  • Once done, use a fork to shred beef. Serve with rice and beans

Dutch Oven Method

  • Add flank steak back to dutch oven with the onions, peppers, garlic.
  • Add one can of tomatoes, broth, vinegar. You need enough broth to cover beef.
  • Add cumin and oregano. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Cook on top of stove, very low for 4 hours. You can also put dutch oven inside oven at 300 degrees f. Make sure you have enough liquid and check frequently about every 30 minutes.
  • In last hour, add olives, and second can of tomatoes.
  • Once done, use a fork to shred beef.
  • Serve with Rice and beans.

Notes

If making in a dutch oven, you can reduce the cooking time, but cook on a very low heat on to of stove for about 4 hours, or put in an oven no higher than 300 degrees. Make sure you have enough liquid in the pot.
Green Bell Pepper: It's not necessary, but will add in another layer of flavor.