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Slow-Cooked Ropa Vieja

1 review
Test Kitchen Approved
Total Time

Prep: 35 min. Cook: 8 hours

Makes

6 servings

Updated: Sep. 02, 2024
I traveled to Cuba a few years back and had some of the best food imaginable. One staple dish stuck out more than the rest, and that was ropa vieja. I had multiple variations of it, and when I returned home, I began to experiment. I went through roughly five trials before coming to this recipe. —Joshua Boyer, Traverse City, Michigan
Slow-Cooked Ropa Vieja
Slow-Cooked Ropa Vieja Recipe photo by Taste of Home
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Ingredients

  • 1 beef flank steak (2 pounds)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1/2 cup dry vermouth
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine or additional beef broth
  • 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 large carrot, sliced
  • 1 small sweet red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 cubanelle or mild banana pepper, thinly sliced
  • 3 sprigs fresh oregano
  • Hot cooked rice
  • Optional: Additional fresh oregano, lime wedges and sliced green olives with pimientos

Directions

  1. Cut steak into 6 pieces; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; brown meat in batches. Transfer meat to a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker. Add broth, vermouth, wine and tomato paste to pan. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Pour over meat.
  2. Top with onion, carrot, red pepper, cubanelle pepper and oregano. Cook, covered, on low until meat is tender, 8-10 hours. Remove oregano sprigs; discard. Remove meat; shred with 2 forks. Return to slow cooker; heat through. Serve with rice and, if desired, additional oregano, lime wedges and green olives.

Test Kitchen tips
  • For a spicier version, add sliced serrano or jalapeno peppers.
  • For a tangier version, add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
  • For a heartier broth, add more tomato paste.
  • For a sweeter version, add more carrots.

    • Nutrition Facts

    1 serving: 278 calories, 11g fat (5g saturated fat), 72mg cholesterol, 611mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 2g fiber), 32g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 1 vegetable.