READY IN 4+ hrs

Cuban Ropa Vieja

Read Reviews (341)

"This is great shredded beef served on tortillas or over rice. Add sour cream, cheese, and fresh cilantro on the side." — MASTER815K

Directions

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.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 15 mins
COOK 4 hrs
READY IN 4 hrs 15 mins

Footnotes

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Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Mar 03, 2008

This recipe is tasty, but for the purists out there -- Cubans do not eat tortillas, sour cream, cheese, etc. Ropa vieja would be served over white rice, with a side of black beans and fried sweet plantains. =) That's what I recommend -- I'm Cuban! =)

—MIMI1414

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Apr 27, 2006

We thought this was average in taste. I cooked this on high for 4 1/2 hours, after which it still wasn't as tender as I was hoping and was quite chewy. I agree that it could use some salt and I suggest using a boneless chuck roast rather than flank steak (cooking on low for 8 hrs), which I personally think would yield a much better result. It has potential!

—FOODGU1

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483 Ratings

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Dec 12, 2006

And 5 more stars too! I made this with a 4 lb chuck roast, doubled all the ingredients and added a LOT more garlic (that's my personal preference, but 2 cloves sounded way too light for this much meat!)The only other change I made was to add 2 packets of Goya sazon and some capers near the end. This recipe is as good as ANYTHING you'll get in a cuban restaurant(even in Miami). Served it with moros y christianos (black beans & white rice) for a really traditional cuban meal. A good squeeze of lime on top is all it needs. do try this..you won't be disappointed!

—Karen H

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Jan 06, 2007

My husband is Cuban and he loved this dish! As suggested by other reviewers, I increased the amount of garlic. I did add some extra cumin and some salt towards the end to adjust the flavors.

—KKSAND

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Mar 27, 2006

I bought a crock pot specifically for this recipe. I could not have been HAPPIER!!! I made this ropa vieja for my boyfriend's 30th birthday and I got nothing but rave reviews for days to come! The only changes I made was I added an entire head of garlic (chopped) and 1/2 a 7oz jar of diced red pimientos, in addition to all the other ingredients. I also took out some of the liquid approx 1 hour prior to finishing (on the 4 hours HIGH mode), shredded the meat then, and added 2 tblspns of Brown Sugar, then stirred. This really made the flavors come alive by the end of the 4 hours. Probably one of the best recipes I've ever made! Served over white rice, black beans, w/ salad. THank you so much!!

—EMT

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Sep 18, 2006

This came out great. I served it with black beans, white rice, and maduros (sweet plantains). I did however only give it a 4 because I did make some adjustments to make it come out more flavorful. First, I made sure to season and marinade the beef the night before. I seasoned the meat with a badia complete season (used often in hispanic dishes) and some badia chimmichuri sauce. I then sprinkled it with garlic salt and rubbed some more minced garlic as well. I then wrapped the beef in saran wrap to sit over night. In the morning I tossed the remaining ingridients as listed and went to work. It came out wonderfully seasoned and not at all bland like other reviews said. I will definetly make this again. Thanks!

—MOONMYST17

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Dec 12, 2005

I was happy to find this quick version of a recipe I got from a gourmet magazine and it was just as good! As per the gourmet version, I added a lot more garlic (5 cloves but will probably use even more next time) and 1/4 cup of capers at the end, which added a nice salty/tangy flavor. Next time I will try this with a can of drained tomatoes rather than the sauce because I think there was more than enough liquid with the beef stock. I think the nicest thing about this recipe is that it uses many fresh ingredients rather than canned or powdered soup, etc. that seems to be popular in crock-pot cooking. This might take a few more minutes to prepare than some other crock-pot recipes but it is definitely worth it!

—MNOTSCH

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Jan 19, 2006

Marvelous! I used the pressure cooker to save time. Added the beef to the pressure cooker with some water. Also added a beef boullion cube (to make beef broth). After pressure cooker stabalized I cooked it 20 minutes. I used London Broil steak. Turned off heat and let it sit 10 minutes in the PC. Then took meat out shredded it with a fork. Took out 1.5 cups of beef water to use as broth. Next stir-fried the onions, peppers garlic 3 minutes. Then added the other ingredients + a bay leaf. Simmered it covered for 30 minutes. Used apple cider vinegar, it still is delicous! Served it with black beans and rice.

—ALLEYCAT27

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Nutrition

Calories
261 kcal
13%

Carbohydrates
9.9 g
3%

Cholesterol
48 mg
16%

Fat
15.8 g
24%

Fiber
2.3 g
9%

Protein
20.5 g
41%

Sodium
599 mg
24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Cuban Ropa Vieja

Serving Size: 1/6 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 261
Calories from Fat: 142

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 15.8g 24 %
Saturated Fat 5.4g 27 %
Cholesterol 48mg 16 %
Sodium 599mg 24 %
** Potassium 719mg 20 %
Total Carbohydrates 9.9g 3 %
Dietary Fiber 2.3g 9 %
Protein 20.5g 41 %
Sugars 5.9g
Vitamin A 13 %
Vitamin C 43 %
Calcium 4 %
Iron 39 %
** Thiamin 18 %
** Niacin 63 %
** Vitamin B6 25 %
** Magnesium 14 %
** Folate 10 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.