Ropa Vieja is a classic Cuban dish with slow cooked beef, peppers, and tons of flavor.
Cuban food is known for being filled with flavor and spice, but not with the kind of spice that brings the “burn.” There is a richness in flavor that the whole family will love and enjoy.
To Make Ropa Vieja in the slow cooker you will need:
- beef skirt steak
- red bell pepper
- green bell pepper
- onion
- fire roasted diced tomatoes
- salt
- pepper
- cumin
- apple cider vinegar
- ketchup
- garlic
- jalapenos (optional)
- green olives
- cooked rice for serving
- slow cooker
- bowl
- cutting board & knife
Watch me make this recipe in the video below:
Cut bell peppers into strips and slice an onion. Mince some garlic cloves.
Deseed and slice jalapeño peppers.
Cut a skirt steak in half. Place one half in the slow cooker.
Layer half of the pepper and onion slices on the skirt steak. Place the second half of the steak on that layer and top with the remaining pepper and onion slices.
Combine the diced tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, and seasonings in a small bowl. Sir together and spread over the top of the contents of the slow cooker.
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Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours.
Carefully transfer the steak pieces to a cutting board and shred with forks. Place it back in the slow cooker and give the steak & peppers a quick stir.
Give the olives a quick chop.
Serve the Ropa Vieja on cooked rice and top with the chopped olives.
Enjoy!
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Ropa Vieja
Ingredients
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 onion
- 2 jalapeño peppers, (optional)
- 1 lb skirt steak
- 15 oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1/4 c ketchup
- 1 Tb apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 c green olives
- cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- To begin, cut your bell peppers into strips and slice your onion.
- Deseed and slice the jalapeño peppers.
- Cut your skirt steak in half. Place one half in the slow cooker.
- Layer half of the pepper and onion slices on the skirt steak. Place the second half of the steak on that layer and top with the remaining pepper and onion slices.
- Combine the diced tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, garlic, and seasonings in a small bowl. Sir together and spread over the top of the contents of the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours.
- Carefully transfer the steak pieces to a cutting board and shred with forks. Place it back in the slow cooker and give the steak & peppers a quick stir.
- Give the olives a quick chop.
- Serve the Ropa Vieja on cooked rice and top with the chopped olives.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
If nutritional values are provided for this recipe, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands of ingredients you use. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste or for serving. If nutritional values are very important to you, I suggest using your favorite nutritional calculating tool with the brands you use.
This post was originally written in 2012, and updated in 2021.
Made this and love it! Great taste and texture.
Update: have made this delicious dish three times now. Always a winner…and so easy! I now have my butcher cut up skirt steak in portions for this dish. Yum!