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Ropa Vieja



It's that time of year again: slow cooker season. There is no better feeling than coming home to a rich, flavorful dinner that you hardly had to lift a finger for. That is why slow cookers should be called life savers, or sanity savers, or good smell factories. They are the best. I've mentioned before though that it can be challenging to find a slow cooker recipe that is not a soup, stew or chili. Here's one that's a little different and just as rib stickingly delicious.

Ropa Vieja literally translates to old clothes. I'm not quite sure why. Is it because the shreds of beef look like old tattered clothing? Or because you gobble it up so fast you make a hot mess of your shirt which now becomes old clothes? Either way, this meal is delicious. Think pot roast with a little Spanish flair.

Being married to a Cuban, I find that I am frequently requested to make Cuban dishes.  The problem is, I haven't had much experience in authentic Cuban food.  That changed last week while we were on vacation in Florida.  We went to two PHENOMENAL Cuban restaurants.  PHENOMENAL in the way of eating so fast and so much because the food is just that good.  At once I was upset and happy that we don't have Cuban restaurants much here in Michigan.  Upset because the meals were that good and happy because I would be 300 pounds.  At Fernandez the Bull, I had ropa vieja, and to my pleasant surprise, their ropa vieja was very similar to this slow cooker version.  It's always nice to know that your cooking tastes the way it is supposed to.   

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pounds beef flank steak
1 cup beef broth
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 small onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the flank steak on each side, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer beef to a slow cooker. Pour in the beef broth and tomato sauce, then add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, cilantro, olive oil and vinegar. Stir until well blended. Cover, and cook on High for 4 hours, or on Low for up to 10 hours. When ready to serve, shred meat and serve with tortillas or rice.
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