I'm a HUGE slow cooking fan, and this was one of the first recipes I made when I got my first slow cooker. Ropa vieja is Spanish for "old clothes". The name for this dish comes from the shredded beef, which looks like old, tattered clothing. This classic Cuban dish is traditionally braised for hours on the stove top, until the meat is tender enough to shred. That makes it the kind of dish that needs a bit of planning if you're making it on a whim.
My slow cooker ropa vieja captures all the deliciousness of this traditional Cuban dish, and makes it weeknight friendly! You need about 10-15 minutes to prep the slow cooker, and then you just set it and go about your day. You can even do all this prep the night before and just pop the ceramic insert into the fridge (covered). In the morning, pop the insert into the slow cooker, turn it on, and you're done! Come home to a fully cooked roast that's ready for shredding and serving in 15 minutes or less.
Want to make this recipe in an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker?
You absolutely can! I like using the saute function first, to get the sofrito going, and then to brown the meat before setting it to cook on manual. Cook the ropa vieja for 35 minutes on manual high pressure setting, then let it release naturally for 15-20 minutes. Shred the beef, and toss it back into the sauce. The great thing about ropa vieja is it tastes even more amazing after sitting in the fridge overnight. I love making a big batch and then dividing it into freezer bags, because the dish reheats beautifully. I also love using leftovers to make ropa vieja sliders, or Colombian empanadas.
Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja (Cuban Shredded Beef Stew)
