RESET360 with Camille McLaughlin
June Pick: Crockpot Meals

Ropa Vieja

Cuban flank steak slow-cooked with peppers, onions, tomatoes, and cumin until it shreds into tender strands, finished with green olives and capers.

Why you'll love Ropa Vieja

Ropa vieja is one of the national dishes of Cuba, and its name means old clothes, for the way the beef pulls apart into long, ragged strands. Flank steak braises for hours in a sofrito of onions, red and green peppers, garlic, cumin, and oregano with crushed tomatoes, until it falls apart, and then it is shredded back into the sauce with briny green olives and capers. It is savory, warm with cumin, and bright, and the slow cooker does nearly all of the work, which keeps the kitchen cool on a June afternoon.

Flank steak is the classic cut because of its grain. It is a hard-working muscle with long fibers running the length of it, and hours of low, moist heat melt the connective tissue that binds those fibers, so they separate into the strands that give the dish its name. Searing the beef first and cooking the sofrito in the same skillet builds browned, savory flavor that a slow cooker cannot create on its own.

With three bell peppers and two onions in the pot, the vegetables come built in. Serve it over cauliflower rice with sliced avocado and lime wedges, and leftovers taste even better the next day.

Quick overview: This Ropa Vieja takes 25 min of hands-on time and about 8 hr 55 min in all and makes 6 servings, each about 1 1/4 cups. You'll need a slow cooker and a skillet.

Jump to recipe

Ropa vieja with peppers, green olives and parsley
Prep 25 minCook 8 hr 30 minTotal 8 hr 55 minServes 6Serving about 1 1/4 cupsYou'll need Slow cooker, Skillet

Ingredients

  • 2 lb flank steak, cut crosswise into 3 pieces
  • 1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, divided
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 2 medium onions, halved and sliced into thin half-moons
  • 2 red bell peppers, cut into thin strips
  • 1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste Label: tomatoes, and salt if any
  • 1/2 cup beef broth Label: beef, water, vegetables, herbs, and salt, with no sugar, natural flavors, or oil
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes Label: tomatoes, and salt if any
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup Spanish green olives (Manzanilla), pitted and halved Label: olives, water, salt, and vinegar or lactic acid
  • 2 tbsp capers, rinsed Label: capers, water, vinegar, and salt
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice, plus wedges to serve
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley or cilantro

Instructions

  1. Season and sear the beef: Pat the flank steak dry and season it all over with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sear the pieces for 3 to 4 minutes a side, until deeply browned. Work in two batches if they crowd the pan, since crowded meat steams instead of browning. Move the beef to the slow cooker.
  2. Cook the sofrito: Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining olive oil, the onions, both peppers, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the skillet. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until they soften and pick up the browned bits from the pan. Stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano, and tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the paste darkens and the spices smell toasty.
  3. Deglaze: Pour in the broth and scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon until every browned bit has lifted into the liquid. Those bits are concentrated flavor from the sear.
  4. Load the slow cooker: Spoon the sofrito over the beef, then add the crushed tomatoes, vinegar, and bay leaves. Stir gently so the beef is mostly covered by sauce.
  5. Slow-cook: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until the beef falls apart when pressed with a fork. Keep the lid on, since each lift lets out heat and adds time. The beef passes the safe 145°F (63°C) early in the cook; the long hours are for tenderness.
  6. Shred: Lift the beef onto a cutting board and discard the bay leaves. Pull the meat apart with two forks along the grain into long strands. If the sauce looks thin, set the slow cooker to high and leave the lid off while you shred, for about 15 minutes.
  7. Finish: Return the beef to the slow cooker with the olives and capers, stir, cover, and cook on high for 10 minutes to heat through. Stir in the lime juice, taste for salt, and scatter the parsley over the top. Serve with lime wedges.

Storage and leftovers

Refrigerate ropa vieja in a sealed container for up to 4 days. The flavors deepen overnight, so it is a good dish to make a day ahead. Reheat it in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring, until steaming hot all the way through.

Freeze it in portions, with plenty of sauce, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Variations

  • Chuck roast: Use 2 1/2 lb boneless chuck roast, cut into 4 pieces, in place of the flank steak. It shreds into shorter, richer pieces in the same time.
  • Vaca frita style: Crisp the shredded beef in a hot skillet with a little olive oil, a sliced onion, and extra lime juice until the edges brown, and serve the sauce on the side.
  • With heat: Add a seeded, minced jalapeño to the sofrito, or a pinch of cayenne with the cumin.
  • With a fried egg: Top each bowl with a fried egg, the way leftover ropa vieja is often eaten for breakfast.

Notes and tips

  • Shred with the grain: Flank steak's fibers run in one direction. Pull along them for long, even strands.
  • Check the olive label: Spanish green olives should read olives, water, salt, and vinegar or lactic acid. Pitted Manzanillas save time; plain ones are easier to find with simple labels than stuffed ones.
  • Buy the flank whole: Ask for a whole flank steak of about 2 lb. Cutting it into three pieces helps it fit the slow cooker and brown well.
  • Serve it with something to catch the sauce: Cauliflower rice, sautéed greens, or sliced avocado all soak up the tomato and pepper sauce.

Nutrition and mindful eating

  • Flank steak brings protein along with iron, zinc, and vitamin B12, and the long braise turns a firm cut tender.
  • Red and green bell peppers bring vitamin C, and three peppers in the pot make the vegetables a real part of every bowl.
  • Tomatoes cooked with olive oil give up more of their lycopene, and green olives add their own real fat and briny flavor.
  • Cumin, oregano, garlic, capers, and lime bring big, layered flavor, so the dish tastes rich from its seasoning.
  • As you eat, notice the tender strands of beef in the bright, savory sauce and the salty pop of olives and capers, and check in later: a bowl of protein, fat, and vegetables like this should keep you comfortably full for at least 3 to 4 hours, with your energy even.

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this Ropa Vieja? Start here, with the questions people ask most.

What does ropa vieja mean?

It is Spanish for old clothes. The shredded beef and strips of pepper look like a pile of torn rags, and the dish is far better than its name.

Can I cook it on high?

Yes. Cook it on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef falls apart. Low gives slightly more tender strands.

Is it spicy?

It is warm and savory, with cumin and oregano. Add a jalapeño to the sofrito or pass hot sauce at the table for heat.

What do I serve with it?

Cauliflower rice, sliced avocado, and lime wedges are the easiest match. A crisp cabbage slaw or sautéed greens with garlic round out the plate.

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Tags: June Pick, Crockpot Meals, Cuban, Dairy-Free