Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja with Cuban Style Rice

Ingredients

• Onions

  Raw

  1 ¼ cup, chopped or 200g

• Red bell pepper

  Sweet, raw

  1 ½ medium or 179g

• Beef chuck

  Arm pot roast, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, all grades, raw

  32 oz or 907g

• Garlic

  Raw

  4 cloves, minced or 12g

• Cumin

  Spices, cumin seed

  1 tbsp, whole or 6g

• Thyme

  Fresh

  1 tbsp or 2g

• Oregano

  Spices, dried

  1 tsp, ground or 2g

• Salt

  Table

  1 dash or 0.4g

• Pepper

  Spices, black

  1 dash or 0.1g

• Tomatoes

  Red, ripe, canned, packed in tomato juice

  1 cup or 240g

• Tomato sauce

  No salt added

  ¾ cup or 184g

• Capers

  Canned

  3 tbsp, drained or 27g

• Bay leaf

  Spices

  2g or 2g

• Cauliflower

  Raw

  1 head small or 265g

• Bacon

  Raw, cured pork

  3 strip or 36g

• Tomato sauce

  No salt added

  ½ cup or 123g

• Cumin

  Spices, cumin seed

  2 tsp, ground or 6g

• Garlic powder

  Spices

  1 tsp or 3g

• Onion powder

  Spices

  1 tsp or 2g

Directions

1. Layer the chopped onions and red bell pepper in the bottom of the slow cooker, then place the beef chuck roast on top.
2. Rub the minced garlic evenly over the roast.
3. Stir together the cumin, thyme, oregano, a pinch of salt, and black pepper; sprinkle the mixture over the beef and vegetables.
4. Pour in the diced tomatoes and 3/4 cup tomato sauce, then add the capers and a whole bay leaf.
5. Cover and cook on Low for 6–8 hours or on High for 5–7 hours, until the beef is very tender.
6. Meanwhile, remove the core from the cauliflower and cut into florets. Pulse in a food processor until the pieces resemble rice.
7. In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until browned and the fat renders.
8. Add the cauliflower rice, remaining 1/2 cup tomato sauce, ground cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir to coat, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10–12 minutes.
9. When the beef is done, discard the bay leaf. Shred the beef in the slow cooker with two forks and mix it back into the sauce; adjust salt and pepper to taste.
10. Serve the ropa vieja over the cauliflower rice, spooning extra sauce on top.