Ropa Vieja

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over high heat. Add flank steak and sear until browned on both sides. Each side should cook roughly 2 minutes.

After searing, transfer meat to a plate. Deglaze pan and leftover meat juices with stock or broth. Remove broth and set aside in a bowl.

In a crock pot, add meat, raw sofrito ingredients, and broth. Mix together. Turn crock pot to low heat and cook for 8 hours. You can occasionally check how the meat is cooking and stir as it goes along.

Half an hour before turning off crock pot (at the 7 1/2 hour mark), add capers and white wine vinegar into crock pot and stir. For the pieces of meat that are still intact, remove to a plate and shred with two forks. As soon as you press down on the meat, it should come apart by this point.

Return meat back to crock pot to let simmer 30 more minutes. After 30 minutes, turn off crock pot and serve with chopped parsley, a squeeze of lime juice, and/or pimientos. This dish also goes famously with rice and beans.

Recipe adapted from My Big Fat Cuban Family.