Slow cooker ropa vieja

5
Points®
Total Time
4 hr 22 min
Prep
15 min
Cook
4 hr 7 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
Braised flank steak with tomatoes, peppers, and onions is a homey, comforting meal on a chilly evening. Ropa vieja, which translates as “old clothes,” gets its name from the look of the shredded meat. Serve it over rice, spoon it into corn or flour tortillas for tacos, or use it as a filling for burritos or enchiladas.

Ingredients

Uncooked lean and trimmed beef flank steak

1 pound(s)

Ground cumin

2 tsp

Table salt

1 tsp

Canola oil

1 tsp

Uncooked onion

1 large, thinly sliced

Poblano pepper

2 medium, sliced

Bell pepper

1 item(s), medium, red, sliced

Jalapeño pepper

1 medium, seeded and minced

Canned diced tomatoes

14½ oz, drained

Garlic

2 clove(s), minced

Bay leaf

2 leaf/leaves

Olives

12 olive(s), large, green, pimiento stuffed

Cilantro

4 Tbsp, chopped

Lime

1 item(s), cut into wedges

Instructions

  1. 1 Sprinkle steak with 1 teaspoon cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook until well browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plate. Spray same skillet with nonstick spray. Add onion, poblanos, bell pepper, and jalapeño to skillet and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer vegetables to 4- or 5-quart slow cooker.
  2. 2 Add tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, remaining 1 teaspoon cumin, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to slow cooker; stir to combine. Place steak on top of vegetables. Cover and cook until steak is very tender, 4–5 hours on High or 6–8 hours on Low.
  3. 3 Transfer steak to cutting board; cut lengthwise in half. With two forks, shred steak. Discard bay leaves. Stir shredded steak and olives into slow cooker. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
  4. Serving size: (1 cup)