Dominican-Style Ropa Vieja (Carne Ripiada)
A slow cooker take on Dominican carne ripiada—ultra-tender shredded beef simmered with sofrito, peppers, olives, and tomato sauce. Perfect over rice with beans and tostones.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 231kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lb 900 g flank steak
- 1 teaspoon 6 g salt, more to taste
- ½ teaspoon 1 g ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon 3 g dried oregano
- 4 tablespoons 60 ml sofrito
- 4 tablespoons 60 ml vegetable oil, divided
- 4 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 medium 150 g red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small 110 g red onion, chopped
- ½ cup 120 ml tomato sauce
- ¼ cup 40 g pimiento-stuffed green olives, drained and sliced
- 1 tablespoon 4 g fresh cilantro, chopped
- Water just enough to cover the meat in the slow cooker
Instructions
- Pat the flank steak dry. Rub all over with salt, black pepper, oregano, and sofrito.
- Heat 2 Tbsp (30 ml) oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high. Sear steak until lightly browned, 2–3 minutes per side.
- Transfer steak to the slow cooker. Add garlic, bell pepper, red onion, tomato sauce, and olives. Pour in just enough water to barely cover the meat.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4½ hours) until the beef is fork-tender.
- Using two forks, shred the beef directly in the cooker and mix it back into the sauce. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Optional finish: Stir in the remaining 2 Tbsp (30 ml) oil for a silkier sauce.
- Sprinkle with cilantro and serve hot over rice with beans and tostones.
Notes
- Searing = flavor. Don’t skip it.
- Adjust salt at the end to account for olives and tomato sauce.
- Add other veggies (carrots, mushrooms, potatoes) for extra texture and sweetness.
Nutrition
Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 850mg | Potassium: 455mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 98IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg