Converting Cuban Ropa Vieja to Instant Pot or Crock Pot

Ingredients
1 flank steak
1 large yellow onion, julienned
1 green bell pepper, julienned (if you have red bell pepper, or prefer red, that’s fine)
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
1 small can tomato sauce (the really little ones)
2 tbs tomato paste (if you only have kind of tomato – sauce or paste – you can always make do; I just think adding a little paste makes it richer)
1 tsp Powdered Cumin
1 tsp Powdered oregano
Optional garlic powder if you don’t have fresh garlic on hand
½ c cheap dry white cooking sherry (I buy the cheap $1.99 Goya brand in the Hispanic aisle, but any other dry sherry is fine)
Olive oil
Lemon juice 
1 dried bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Optional green olives stuffed with red pimentos 

Marinate your flank steak in a little lemon juice, salt and pepper (1/2 hour to overnight)


For Crock Pot

• Drizzle olive oil to just cover the bottom of a crock pot and drop in the marinated flank steak
• Drop in onion / peppers / garlic and arrange around the steak
• Sprinkle spices over everything.  If you did not have fresh garlic, add about 1 tsp of powdered garlic. Add the bay leaf.
• Pour tomato sauce and tomato paste on top of the steak and veggies. 
• Pour cooking sherry in.
• If you like green olives, throw in a handful.  If you don't like a lot of salt, put in half the salt now and add some more later if it needs it.  Otherwise, throw in the salt too.
• Close up the crockpot and put on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. If you happen to be home, I like to mix around the sauce and veggies around halfway through.
• To serve, cut the steak down the middle length-wise, then shred the beef.  Mix into the veggies and sauce. Serve alone or over rice or quinoa

For Instant Pot

• Cover the bottom of the IP with olive oil and turn to saute on the Medium setting.  
• When it's hot, drop in the onion and bell pepper.  Saute until soft and put in the minced garlic. (For IP, make sure nothing is "stuck" to the bottom)
• Pour in dry wine/cooking sherry and mix in with sauteed veggies.
• Sprinkle spices over everything.  If you did not have fresh garlic, add about 1 tsp of powdered garlic. Add the bay leaf.
• Drop the marinated flank steak on top of the onion / peppers / garlic.  If you steak is too long, you can cut and layer it.
• Pour tomato sauce and tomato paste on top of the steak and veggies.  Stir it around a little. 
• If you like green olives, throw in a handful.  If you don't like a lot of salt, put in half the salt now and add some more later if it needs it.  Otherwise, throw in the salt too.
• Close up the IP and make sure the pressure valve is open.
• Turn to Slow Cooker setting.  Set temperature to high and set for approx 4-5 hours.  If you want to leave it overnight, try 7-8 on Medium.
• To serve, take the meat out on a cutting board, cut down the middle length-wise, then shred and put back into the veggies and sauce. Mix thoroughly.  
• Serve alone or over rice or quinoa