The Magical Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Recipes

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja (Cuban Beef)

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Are you wanting to try something new in your Slow Cooker? Look no further; this Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja is a unique but delicious meal to try!

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja (Cuban Beef)

The moment I saw this meal, I knew I must try it in the slow cooker. Shredded beef recipes in the slow cooker are where I shine, LOL.

Why is it called Ropa Vieja?

If you have never heard of Ropa Vieja, it’s a Cuban national dish that means old clothes; I’m guessing because the meat looks like really old shredded clothes?

Not a great name for a recipe, I know! Let’s move past that strange name and see what delicious ingredients create this beautiful dish.

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja (Cuban Beef)

This recipe is not spicy, but still full of great flavors. The sauce has diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, turmeric, cumin, oregano, garlic, bell pepper, onion and green olives.

I wasn’t sure if the green olives would overpower this dish, they did not at all. The olives added a bit more vinegar flavor which lends to the overall character of the sauce.

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja (Cuban Beef)

How to make:

Ingredients:

  • Beef flank steak
  • Beef broth
  • Canned tomato paste
  • Canned diced tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper
  • Oregano
  • Cumin
  • Tumeric
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Bell peppers
  • Spanish Olives
  • Garlic cloves

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja (Cuban Beef)

Directions:

  • Add the beef broth, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, turmeric, and apple cider vinegar to the slow cooker and stir. Add the flank steak and flip it around in that sauce.
  • Add on top of the meat the onion, bell peppers, olives, and garlic cloves.
  • Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 9 hours or high for 5 hours.

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja (Cuban Beef)

What to serve with Ropa Vieja:

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja (Cuban Beef)

I was on the hunt for yellow rice to serve with this, since I was in no mood to make it from scratch. Let me tell you that Mahatma Yellow Rice below is impressive. It tastes like chicken, but the flavor is from saffron and turmeric. I highly recommend trying this and get two bags because they are tiny.

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja (Cuban Beef)

Try this new recipe this week and you won’t regret it! I have made this over and over since first publishing this recipe. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja {Cuban Beef}
Print Pin

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja (Cuban Beef)

Tender Shredded flank steak in a flavorful tomato based sauce.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Cuban
Keyword Ropa Vieja
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 9 hours
Total Time 9 hours 20 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 308kcal
Author Sarah Olson

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker Size: 4 quart or larger

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs. beef flank steak
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 6 oz. can tomato paste
  • 14 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
  • 1.5 tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. pepper
  • 1 tsp. oregano
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • ½ tsp. turmeric
  • 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 small white onion diced
  • 2 bell peppers (orange and green) diced
  • 1 cup Spanish olives
  • 3 whole garlic cloves peeled

Instructions

  • Add the beef broth, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, turmeric and apple cider vinegar to the slow cooker. Stir.
  • Add the flank steak and flip it around in the sauce so it gets coated. Add the bell pepper, onion, olives and garlic cloves, mix those items together to combine on top of the meat.
  • Cover and cook on low for 9 hours on LOW or on HIGH for 5 hours, without opening the lid during the cooking time. Shred the meat with 2 forks right in the slow cooker.
  • Serve with yellow rice and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 1065mg | Potassium: 1026mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 28% | Vitamin C: 58.9% | Calcium: 9.2% | Iron: 26.6%

Want pork instead of beef?

Try my Slow Cooker Cuban Pork recipe, it has a citrus based sauce and is just as good as this Ropa Vieja.

Sharing is caring!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Patricia Cody says

    July 12, 2017 at 12:56 pm

    Do you think it would have a huge effect on the outcome if I omit the olives? We truly dislike them. Hate might be more appropriate. đŸ™‚ but the rest of the ingredients sound awesome.

    Reply

  2. Carlos Llarena says

    July 12, 2017 at 2:25 pm

    Ok. from a guy born in Cuba and raised by mom and grandma who were both outstanding cooks, I’ll start with why it is called “ropa vieja”. First. The flank is boiled with aromatics and the broth used for other things. Second, Since the meat is stringy and frayed (like old clothes) it has that moniker, if you will. To be authentic, there is no recipe that uses turmeric in ropa vieja so I would omit that. You need to add 1 – 2 bay leaves. As for the olives, rather than adding additional vinegar, try some capers (crushed or chopped). BTW – you didn’t do it in this recipe but if you ever see a post for “Cuban” and the ingredients include jalepeno, chiles or some form of hot sauce, it is not authentic Cuban food. We don’t use that.

    Reply

      • Anonymous says

        September 20, 2018 at 10:28 am

        I am 86 fyears old Cuban ,I alway cook ropa vieja, I agree with Carlos,but if I use brisquet is ok 25 min.in pressure cooker,but if I use flank steaks only 15. Minutes,otherwise the meat taste tough.

        Reply

    • Sayira BultrĂ³n says

      August 15, 2017 at 7:55 pm

      I am Panamanian born and raised not to be disrespectful but “Ropa Vieja” is a Caribbean dish which is listed among traditional cuisines in Panama,Cuba, Puerto Rica, Dominican Rep, and Canarian. Every Latin American country makes “Ropa Vieja” differently. This is how we make in my country:

      Panamanian-Style Ropa Vieja

      Cooking time: 2-3 hours

      Prepare the Sofrito

      2 red onions, finely chopped
      2 green bell peppers, coarsely chopped
      3 cloves garlic, minced
      3 tbsp. olive or annatto oil
      1 tsp. ground cumin
      ½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper or ½ tsp. minced ajĂ­ chombo pepper (optional)
      1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
      1 yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped
      1 cup peas, fresh or thawed from frozen
      1 cup coarsely chopped ripe tomato
      1/3 tsp. salt, or to taste
      1 tsp. fresh oregano, finely chopped
      ½ cup pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives, drained, halved

      In a large saucepan, fry the onion in 2 tbsp. of oil until tender. Add garlic and green pepper and sauté 5-10 minutes to soften. Add another tbsp. oil and the tomato, red and yellow bell peppers, peas, cumin, and black or hot pepper: sauté another 5-10 minutes, stirring often. Stir in oregano and salt if desired; garnish with stuffed olives.

      Braise the Beef

      3 pounds skirt or flank steak, trimmed and pierced to let the juices soak in
      2 tbsp. olive or annatto oil
      2 quarts water or beef stock
      2 carrots, coarsely chopped
      1 large onion, coarsely chopped
      2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
      3 cloves garlic, minced or lightly crushed
      1 bay leaf
      1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
      1 tbsp. fresh oregano, finely chopped
      1 tsp. ground cumin
      1 tsp. salt
      ¼ tsp. whole black peppercorns

      Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a large saucepan and brown meat on all sides. Cover meat with beef stock and simmer 2 hours until tender. After the meat has been stewing, skim off any excess fat off the top. Remove beef to a platter and shred with a pair of forks to pull the strands of tender seasoned beef away. Once you’re all shredded up, return the meat to the pot and add the carrots, onion, celery, garlic, herbs and spices, and sofrito, add a little water if needed to marry the flavors, and cook together on low for another half-hour.

      Reply

      • Allie says

        October 23, 2017 at 8:43 pm

        It came out perfect. It tasted just like the Cuban spot near my house… I live in California so that might not attest for much haha

        Reply

  3. Rick Flow says

    July 12, 2017 at 2:26 pm

    I’ve got to try this. I dearly love Cuban food. I go to Miami on biz every 5 to 6 weeks and have to get my Cuban fix while there. This dish and Picadillo (sp?) are my faves. But when I make this at home, will have to leave out the olives too. I love them, wife hates them.

    Reply

    • Peggy Ann Kafer Meadows says

      July 20, 2017 at 7:42 am

      When I make something like this, I separate and only add olives to one. My husband is on a very regimented diet and this works for family and him. Thanks for the info Carlos

      Reply

  9. Kathy says

    July 20, 2017 at 9:35 am

    I would use less tomato paste, may 1/2 to3/4 can, a little to tomatoie, I left out the olives as I hate olives and added chopped celery, I served it with black bean, I left out the oregano and turmeric

    Reply

  10. Melissa says

    July 21, 2017 at 10:36 am

    Hello. Thanks for this great recipe. I am giving it a try as we speak. Can you cook this recipe on high for less time?

    Reply

  11. Elspeth Heath says

    July 24, 2017 at 6:40 pm

    I made this, had to use 3 pieces of flank steak to make up 3lbs…came out super tough and stringy….maybe 9hrs 9n low is too long?

    Reply

    • Sarah Olson says

      July 25, 2017 at 6:57 am

      Did you keep the lid on the entire time? It may of needed longer if you opened the lid. Flank steak will be stringy. Maybe cut up the pieces a bit after it’s done cooking. The strings can be long and hard to eat since flank steak is super long.

      Reply

    • Cara Castiglio says

      July 29, 2017 at 11:22 am

      that is what happened with my attempt—-but I found a one piece flank steak—-but also wondering if that means I overcooked it. I didnt open the lid at all during 9 hours cooking

      Reply

  12. Jenny says

    July 25, 2017 at 8:25 am

    This looks so yummy! Gal from Miami here, but moved to the west coast of FL and miss the Cuban food. In the video, it showed the first bite being an olive… that would be my first bite too! I Love olives!

    Reply

    • Sarah Olson says

      July 26, 2017 at 8:40 pm

      Hi Kristi! Any beef roast would do fine, chuck roast you would have to degrease the sauce at the end. Bottom roast may be a good option too. Flank steak lately in my stores has been in plastic packs with black backing. Not packaged by the in house butcher.

      Reply

    • Terri says

      July 27, 2017 at 10:14 pm

      Kristy, I recommend a sirloin tip. I use it for my Italian beef and it’s also stringy, tender, shreds well and it’s amazing!

      Reply

  15. Linda Pong says

    July 27, 2017 at 12:42 am

    My family small only 4 of us, my kids are 1 and 5. Can I make the portion size smaller of what the recipe calls for? Will it still taste good?

    Reply

  17. Cara Castiglio says

    July 29, 2017 at 11:15 am

    My husband and I just made this recipe. We may have cooked it for a little more than 9hours, while it was on warm–the flavor was delicious–but the beef–although easily shredded, was very tough and chewy. We saved it by cutting the strands down with a scissor. What do you think I did wrong—I am wondering how it would turn out with stew beef–cubed or ground?

    Reply

    • Carlos Llarena says

      July 29, 2017 at 2:10 pm

      If you use stewing beef (I wouldn’t recommend ground) it would be just as tasty (I’ve done that). Just don’t call it Ropa Vieja. You may want to try it on high for 6 hours. My preference is a pressure cooker and have never done it in a slow cooker. Good luck

      Reply

    • Anonymous says

      September 20, 2018 at 10:38 am

      Cara Castiglio, if you use flank steak ,the meat will be tough if you cook it more than 15 min. If you use Brisquet no more than 25 but the truth is that in Cuba we did not use the crock pot for ropa vieja ,we used pressure cooker.

      Reply

  19. Michelle says

    August 18, 2017 at 9:21 pm

    I.don’t eat any beef but i came across this recipe and the sauce looks delicious. I think I’m going to try it with chicken and chicken stock. Obviously it will be a completely different dish but any thoughts on the flavor combination? Thanks

    Reply

  20. Reuben says

    March 12, 2018 at 10:16 pm

    My mother would cut the onions long ways so it would go with the strands of beef when you shred it which is bestly done by using your hands and a fork. Some add green peas, etc etc. olives are fine as well and are seen often, but the ones with peppermint in them, medium sized olives, and not too many.

    Reply

  22. Sally Fridge says

    June 25, 2018 at 8:21 pm

    Hi, Sarah. This was SO easy to put together and the flavors are incredible. I love it with the saffron rice, too. I didn’t have any bell peppers and did not feel like going to the store so found some sliced carrots and sliced up some celery and used that instead. It is fine with that, too, though the next time I make it I will make sure I have the peppers. Also, we like it so much, we want more “gravy” or “sauce” with it so we are going to increase the beef broth-probably double it and maybe double the tomatoes and increase the apple cider vinegar just a little bit and see how that works out. May have to adjust some other ingredients to make it right. Maybe I should just double all the liquidy stuff but for the paste…hmm, that’s a thought. I don’t know if I should double the herbs/spices though-probably not since I am not planning to double the meat. Also, we will double the olives, or more. We LOVE olives and the flavor they add to this dish. So good! Thanks for the recipe! Sally

    Reply

  23. Perri says

    December 17, 2018 at 2:24 pm

    I love this dish! It is absolutely delicious! Flank steak turned out very tender, shredding was no problem. The gravy was so good over Basmati rice. It’s a keeper.

    Reply

  24. Claudita4908 says

    January 9, 2019 at 10:34 am

    This recipe is delicious, the family loves it. I have a hard time finding flank steak, but it is worth the effort. I wonder what other veggies I could add to it though? Green beans, corn?

    Reply

  26. Anonymous says

    April 1, 2019 at 7:13 pm

    Ropa vieja is not cooked in slow cooker but in a pressure cooker. Should not take 9 hrs. Then let it cool off, shred, make the sofrito with chopped onion, bell peppers, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper to taste, and vino seco (Spanish cooking wine) and tomato sauce. Cook dorito until onion and peppers are soft.Place meat in same skillet and simmer in the sofrito until meat absorbs some of the juice. Serve with white rice, black beans if desired, and can’t leave out the ripened fried plantain.
    That’s the Cuban way.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

shares