Ropa Vieja Cubana en Olla Lenta

Ropa vieja — 'old clothes' — is Cuba's most iconic dish: a tangle of fall-apart shredded beef braised in a vivid sofrito of tomatoes, bell peppers, and olives. The name, borrowed from a Spanish stew, refers to the shredded meat's resemblance to colourful rags. The slow cooker is ideal for this dish, producing effortlessly silky, deeply flavoured beef.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 900g (2 lb) beef flank steak, cut into 3 large pieces
• 400g (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 80g (3 oz / 1/3 cup) pimiento-stuffed green olives, halved
• 2 tbsp (30ml) capers, drained
• 2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil
• 1 tsp (5ml) ground cumin
• 1 tsp (5ml) dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp (2.5ml) smoked paprika
• 1 tsp (5ml) sugar
• 120ml (1/2 cup) dry white wine
• 120ml (1/2 cup) beef stock
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped, to serve
• White rice and fried plantains, to serve

Instructions

1. Season the flank steak generously with salt, pepper, cumin, and smoked paprika. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and sear the beef pieces 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to the slow cooker.
2. In the same skillet, sauté onion and peppers over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add wine and scrape up any browned bits. Pour the whole skillet contents over the beef.
3. Add crushed tomatoes, stock, oregano, and sugar to the slow cooker. Stir to combine around the beef.
4. Cook on LOW for 8–9 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours until the beef shreds effortlessly with two forks.
5. Transfer beef to a cutting board and shred into long strands following the grain. Return shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir through the olives and capers.
6. Cook uncovered on HIGH for 15 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly. Taste and adjust salt.
7. Serve over white rice with fried plantains, scattered with fresh parsley.

Cook's Notes: Searing the beef before slow cooking is not optional — the Maillard crust contributes significant depth to the final braise. If the sauce is too thin after shredding, reduce it uncovered for 20–30 minutes in a pot on the hob before returning the beef.