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Mains · Cuban

Ropa Vieja

Shredded beef braised with peppers, onions, and tomatoes in a savory Cuban sauce.

Serves
6
Prep
20 min
Cook
8 hr
Storage
Freeze & reheat
Freezer
up to 3 months

Tender shredded beef in a bright pepper-and-tomato sauce, studded with olives. Serve over rice — it freezes and reheats beautifully.

Ingredients

  • 2½ lb flank steak or beef chuck
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 2 bell peppers, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • ¼ cup green olives
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt

Instructions

  1. Place the beef in the slow cooker with the onion, peppers, and garlic.
  2. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, cumin, oregano, paprika, olives, and bay leaves.
  3. Cook on low 8 hours until the beef shreds easily.
  4. Shred the beef and stir it back through the sauce. Discard the bay leaves.

Make-Ahead & Storage

Freeze in its sauce up to 3 months; vacuum-seals well. Serve over white rice with black beans.

Notes

Flank steak gives the traditional stringy "old clothes" texture the dish is named for. A splash of dry white wine in the sauce adds brightness.

Equipment
slow cooker
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