Ropa Vieja is a Cuban classic beef stew recipe that explodes with flavor.
Beef and vegetables cook slowly in the slow cooker so that all the seasonings have time to meld together.
This is a cozy dish that is simple and family friendly.
Ropa Vieja for the slow cooker
I’m a gadget girl through and through. I come by it naturally. My dad, being a mechanical engineer was my gadget role model. He loved things that would “make life easier”. I remember a sausage maker, deli meat slicer, an automatic button sewer, electric card shuffler just to name a few. There are more, however, my recall is difficult because none of the gadgets actually had any staying power (go figure).
I find that I am also a collector of gadgets, some useful, some not. I have in my pantry and closets an assortment of kitchen and cleaning gadgets that may or may not ever get used. I especially love my phone and I love my Alexa; these things bring me great joy. My husband likes to fight technology and things that are supposed to make our lives easier, but me, I say bring it on.
A few months ago I purchased an Instant Pot. This is supposed to be the ultimate in convenience. It can make anything and do it in half the time. It is a crockpot, steamer, and pressure cooker all at once. It sounded like a gadget I HAD TO HAVE. However, in the end, I found it cumbersome, complicated and unnecessary. I sold it for dirt cheap.
The slow cooker is the only slow cooking kitchen appliance I need. It never lets me down and it is easy to use. It’s a solid workhorse in the kitchen, you can use it for so many things.
About Ropa Vieja
Ropa Vieja is a Cuban dish made with beef, vegetables, tomatoes, and olives. Just like any beef stew, it tastes infinitely better after cooking all day. The spices blend, the juices marry and after several hours in the slow cooker, the meat is tender and delicious. The olives are stirred in just before serving, they add a nice, briny, salty punch to the stew which somehow livens up the flavors and textures. This recipe is a keeper, just like my slow cooker short ribs, crock pot pizza lasagna and my make crockpot candy. I guess I am saying, my crockpot is a keeper too!
Ropa Vieja Recipe
Ropa Vieja is a Cuban classic beef stew recipe that explodes with flavor.
Beef and vegetables cook slowly in the slow cooker so that all the seasonings have time to meld together.
This is a cozy dish that is simple and family friendly.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds beef chuck, cubed
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt and pepper
- ⅓ cup chopped onion
- ½ red pepper, sliced
- ½ orange pepper, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 dates, chopped
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 14oz can petite diced tomatoes
- ½ cup sliced olives
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- Cilantro
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook beef until browned, about 8-10 minute. Transfer beef to a slow cooker.
Add onions, peppers, garlic, and dates to the slow cooker. Season mixture with oregano, paprika, and cumin. Pour broth and tomatoes over mixture, cover and cook on high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.
Stir in sliced olive and vinegar just before servings, garnish with cilantro if desired.
Nutrition Information
Amount Per Serving Calories 0Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 0mgFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 0g
Carlos says
Tanya,
Ropa vieja is Spanish for “old clothes”. That is because they would make beef broth for various soups (like plantain) and then what do you do with all that beef? you use it for something else. The beef of choice is flank or brisket. If you use chuck, it becomes mushier. It is not cubeb but rather shredded (like in pulled pork). While this is not a crock pot recipe, I’m sure you can adjust it o fit your desires. BTW – some Cubans will add capers to the dish and adjust seasonings accordingly.
Beef
2lbs. beef flank steakor skirt steak, trimmed
6cups broths
1tbsp vegetable oil
1/2tsp whole cloves
4cloves garlic
1tsp ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1tsp fresh cilantrochopped
saltto taste
Ropa vieja
½cup vegetable oilfor frying
1small onionsliced
1 red bell pepperseeded and sliced into strips
1 green bell pepperseeded and sliced into strips
18 oz. can tomato sauce
2cloves garlicmashed
1/23 oz. can tomato paste
1tbsp olive oil
1tbsp white vinegar
For the Beef
Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Sear the meat on all sides, for approximately 4 minutes on each side. Reserve.
In a large skillet or pot place the meat, tomato sauce, 6 cups of beef broth, vegetable oil, cloves, garlic, cumin, fresh cilantro, bay leaves, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook in a simmer for 2 hours, until the beef is tender.
Remove meat from heat, reserve broth. Once meat has cooled down, shred and reserve.
Ropa Vieja
Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, red and green bell pepper and salt. Sauté until the onion is translucent.
Add the garlic and salt, and continue to cook for about 2 additional minutes. Add the tomato paste, olive oil and vinegar, 1 cup reserved broth, bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
Stir in the shredded beef, reduce the heat to low, and cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes.
Adjust seasonings to taste.
Serve with white rice.
Tanya Schroeder says
Thank you Carlos, I knew when I made this recipe that beef chuck wasn’t the authentic cut of beef, but it is a very accessible cut of beef. And I’m happy to report it did not get mushy.
KalynsKitchen says
That really does look delicious. I’ve heard of this Cuban dish and would love to try it! Thanks for the shout-out for my beef stew.