Dirty Laundry for Dinner ? (Ropa Vieja recipe)
My hubby is half Cuban. I love when he cooks Cuban food for me. He always told me about Ropa Vieja because he loved it as a child and it means “Dirty Laundry” I found this recipe and wanted to give it a shot this week since it has bell peppers in it.
The outcome: it was very good. The meat was tender and flavorful. We served it with brown rice and tostones (fried plantains) but it would also make a great sandwich.
Ropa Vieja in a crockpot (from Allrecipes.com)*Note – based on the reviews of this recipe, I changed it around quite a bit – I’m posting what I did, click the link above to see original and reviews 2 pounds beef flank steak
6 cloves garlic
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1/2 inch strips
2 green bell peppers, cut into 1/2 inch strips
2 sweet onions, cut in wedges
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Place meat into slow cooker with the garlic, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir the tomato paste into the vinegar until dissolved; pour into slow cooker. Add the chopped vegetables to crockpot.
Cover, and cook on Low until the beef is tender, 7 to 8 hours; then remove beef, and shred. Place meat back in crockpot.
Cook on High about 1 to 2 hours.






I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 






I love a good indian spiced dish – this looks great, and would be perfect to eat at lunchtime!
this sounds great- so quick and full of flavor, perfect for weekday lunches! hope things are going well in cinci!
beantownbaker — February 24th, 2013 @ 10:25 am
Thanks – things are starting to get settled here. We are closing on a house in a few weeks, so we’ll be moving again soon. Hope all is going well for you back in Boston!
I hope you are finding Ohio welcoming…even though it’s cold! These chickpeas seem like the perfect dish to help you feel warm and cozy.
beantownbaker — February 24th, 2013 @ 10:26 am
Thanks! We are finding Ohio welcoming. Everyone here is so nice (even if they can’t merge in to traffic to save their life…)
Chick peas and spinach – always make for a delicious and hearty meal! Definitely a good choice.
Is there a substitute for garam masala?
beantownbaker — February 24th, 2013 @ 10:28 am
Garam Masala has a unique flavor, but it is made from a combination of other spices so I’m sure you could find a substitute on the internet somewhere…
This is the perfect go-to recipe for a busy lifestyle…healthful, tasty and so easy to throw together! I hope things settle down for you and your hubs and your place begins feeling more warm and cozy! Meanwhile, you have a delicious satisfying recipe to comfort you!
beantownbaker — March 9th, 2013 @ 3:01 pm
So true!
Oh yum, this looks so warming and delicious!