Cuban Ropa Vieja
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This is the BEST Ropa Vieja — juicy braised beef infused with the flavors of tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, garlic and cumin. It's a Cuban classic that can't be missed and this post will show you how easy it is to make in an Instant pot, the stovetop or slow cooker.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 pounds flank steak (see notes)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion halved and thinly sliced
- 1 large green pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
- 2 red bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) dry white wine
- 1 cup beef or chicken broth (NOT FOR INSTANT POT, SEE NOTES)
- 1 14-ounce can pureed tomato sauce (see notes)
- 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar (or other light colored vinegar)
- 1/3 cup chopped jarred pimentos (optional)
- 1/2 cup pitted green olives (optional)
- cooked white rice and black beans or pinto beans, for serving
Instructions
FOR THE INSTANT POT
- Slice the flank steak, crosswise, into 2 or 3 large pieces so it can fit in the Instant Pot in almost even layer. Season beef with a few pinches of salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Turn the Instant Pot to SAUTE and add the oil. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the onion and bell peppers to the pot. Sauté until slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes. At this point, I like to scoop out about 1/3 of the sautéed peppers to add later, but this is optional.
- Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika and bay leaves and sauté for 1 minute more. Add the wine and use a flat wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. This will ensure that you do not get a burn warning during the pressure cooking process.cook until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce, stir, and season with salt and pepper.
- Nestle in the pieces of meat, making sure they are mostly covered in liquid. I also like to place a few of the sautéed vegetables on top of the meat.
- Turn the valve to “sealing” and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook at HIGH pressure for 45 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then release the remaining pressure manually.
- When the pressure is done releasing, carefully remove the lid and discard the bay leaves. Transfer the beef to a bowl. Using 2 forks, pull apart into very thin, long shreds. Return the beef to the pot and add the reserved peppers, vinegar, pimentos and olives, if using.
- Once again, set the pot to SAUTE and simmer until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding a little more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Serve with rice, black beans, plantains, and/ or sliced avocados.
FOR THE SLOW COOKER
- Slice the flank steak, crosswise, into 2 or 3 large pieces so it can fit in the slow cooker in almost even layer. If using a chuck roast, you may need to cut it into a few more pieces. Season beef with a few pinches of salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a slow cooker, combine the olive oil, onions, peppers, garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika, and bay leaves. Give everything a good toss to coat in oil. Pour in the wine, tomato sauce, PLUS 1/2 cup beef broth, chicken broth or red wine. Mix gently to combine.
- Nestle in the pieces of meat, making sure they are mostly covered in liquid. I also like to place a few of the vegetables on top of the meat. Cook covered, on low for 8 hours, or on high for 5 hours or until the beef seems very tender.
- Transfer the beef to a bowl (keep slow cooker covered). Using 2 forks, shred the beef. Return the beef to the pot and add the vinegar, pimentos and olives, if using. Cook on high, covered, for 20 minutes or until beef has warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding a little more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Serve with rice, black beans, plantains, and/ or sliced avocados.
FOR THE STOVETOP
- Slice the flank steak, crosswise, into 2 or 3 large pieces so it can fit a Dutch oven or large pot in almost even layer. Season beef with a few pinches of salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and bell peppers and sauté until slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes. At this point, I like to scoop out about 1/3 of the sautéed peppers to add later, but this is optional.
- Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika and bay leaves and sauté for 1 minute more. Add the wine and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce PLUS 1 cup beef or chicken broth (*see notes). Season with salt and pepper.
- Nestle in the pieces of meat, making sure they are covered in liquid and vegetables (add more broth if necessary).
- Cover Dutch oven, leaving lid slightly ajar. Bring to a simmer and cook beef until very tender, about 2 hours. Alternatively, you can cook it in the oven; transfer the pot to a 325ºF preheated oven, with lid slightly ajar, and cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, adding more broth if necessary.
- Discard the bay leaves. Transfer the beef to a bowl. Using 2 forks, pull apart into very thin, long shreds. Return the beef to the pot, stirring to combine with vegetables and sauce. Add the reserved peppers, vinegar, pimentos and olives, if using.
- Bring to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until sauce has thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding a little more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Serve with rice, black beans, plantains, and/ or sliced avocados.
Notes
Flank Steak: Though flank steak is very lean and generally not the best choice for a long and slow braise, it is the meat that has been traditionally used for Cuban Ropa Vieja because of how nicely it shreds into long strands. If you find brisket, skirt steak, or chuck at a much better price, they will work well too.
Tomato sauce: When Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican recipes call for tomato sauce, they typically mean a pureed, smooth tomato sauce. You can use any pureed tomatoes you like, such as passata, Pomi, Hunts, Mutti polpa, etc. Or puree your own from canned whole tomatoes. You can also use chopped fresh tomatoes but if doing so, add a few tablespoons of concentrated tomato paste to give it a richer tomato flavor. However, keep in mind Ropa Vieja should not have a heavy tomato presence. It should be saucy, not overly thick.
*Broth: The broth is only to be added if making ropa vieja in a slow cooker or stovetop because the beef will need more moisture to cook. If you add extra liquid to the Instant Pot, the ropa vieja will have a very thin sauce. You can use bouillon cubes mixed with water, if you wish.