Inspired by the Cuban dish, ropa vieja, this recipe for slow cooker Cuban brisket is seasoned with bold flavors of sazon spice and slow cooked with fresh sofrito and poblano peppers.
Slow Cooker Cuban Inspired Brisket
This slow cooker brisket was inspired the ropa vieja. Which is a fantastically delicious Latin braised beef flavored with tomatoes, oregano and peppers.
My flavor addition includes one of my favorite spice blends called sazon. I have a recipe to make your own homemade sazon seasoning (which is insanely delicious on chicken with black beans and salmon tacos, if I do say so myself), or you can buy the Goya brand which i love as well.
Ingredients in Cuban Flavored Braised Beef
As a preface, this recipe is no way a traditional version of ropa vieja, but is certainly an inspiration of it.
Sazon: mentioned above, is a Latin spice blend used in a lot of Puerto Rican cooking. The blend includes achiote, cumin, garlic and other herbs.
Chiles: I used poblano chiles in this recipe, but both Anaheim and green bell peppers would work very well too.
Sofrito: I often make a large batch and place in an ice cube tray, then store the cubes in a resealable bag for recipes like this. Sofrito is a blend of fresh herbs, onion, garlic and peppers. Save leftover sofrito for chicken with black beans or sancocho.
Spices: Cumin, oregano and paprika round out the warm vibrant flavors of the hearty meat dish.
Tomato Puree and Stock or Water: which keeps the meat tender and provide a delicious sauce to spoon over.
How to Cook Slow Cooker Brisket with Sazon and Chiles
I start most braises and slow cooks the same way, by searing the meat first.
Start by mixing together the sazon, salt, cumin, oregano and paprika and generously season the meat on all sides, pressing the spices into the meat so it adheres.
Heat a large cast iron skillet on high heat (my preference, but use what you have) and drizzle with oil. Once hot, sear brisket on all sides until caramelized and deep golden brown. Once done, remove and set aside.
Next, add the sliced onion and peppers to the bottom of the slow cooker, then add the seared brisket, fat side up, along with the stock, tomato paste and sofrito.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours, until the meat is incredibly tender.
Once done, remove meat from the slow cooker and let rest before cutting into it. If there is a fat cap, carefully cup excess fat off and discard
When ready to cut, slice brisket against the grain. Meaning, slice the meat the opposite direction of the muscle fibers, which will make the meat tender and easier to enjoy.
Place brisket on platter and spoon peppers, onions and any residual sauce on top.
Substitutions, Additions and Suggestions
I find this recipe to be incredibly forgiving and again, use what you have.
If sazon is hard to find, generously season the meat with paprika, cumin and oregano and a bit of chipotle if you have it.
Capers and olives would be a great briny addition to the sauce. Add about 1/2 cup, roughly chopped towards the end of cooking.
Serve alongside garlic scented rice, black beans and fried plantains.
Slow Cooker Cuban Inspired Brisket with Sazon and Chiles
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp sazon
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 3-4 lb Brisket
- Olive oil for drizzling
- 1 white or yellow onion sliced thin
- 2 Poblano peppers seeds removed and sliced
- 1 cup chicken stock or water
- 1 cup pureed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup sofrito recipe follows
- Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish
- Optional additions: capers and chopped green olives
Sofrito Ingredients
- Small bunch of cilantro and parsley
- 1/2 onion roughly chopped any variety
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 jalapeno seeded and roughly chopped
- 1 bell pepper seeded and roughly chopped any color pepper
Instructions
- To make the sofrito, add all ingredients to a blender or food profcessor and pulse until very finely chopped and there are no large pieces or leaves left. Reserve 1/4 cup for this recipe and save the rest in ice cube trays for later use.
- For the brisket, start by mixing together the sazon, salt, cumin, oregano and paprika and generously season the meat on all sides, pressing the spices into the meat so it adheres.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet on high heat (my preference, but use what you have) and drizzle with oil. Once hot, sear brisket on all sides until caramelized and deep golden brown. Once done, remove and set aside.
- Next, add the sliced onion and peppers to the bottom of the slow cooker, then add the seared brisket, fat side up, along with the stock, tomato paste and sofrito.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours, until the meat is incredibly tender.
- Once done, remove meat from the slow cooker and let rest before cutting into it. If there is a fat cap, carefully cut excess fat off and discard
- When ready to cut, slice brisket against the grain. Meaning, slice the meat the opposite direction of the muscle fibers, which will make the meat tender and easier to enjoy.
- Place brisket on platter and spoon peppers, onions and any residual sauce on top.
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