instant pot beef stew

I have had an Instant Pot for a couple years now and, admittedly, I have not quite mastered it. For some reason, it just is not one of the appliances I could use everyday. Although, everything that I have attempted to make with the Instant Pot has always come out excellent and surpassed my expectations- soups, stews, and any meat recipes. I never thought I could make pulled pork and pulled chicken, but the Instant Pot makes the process quick and the meat always turns out so incredibly tender. Anything that would normally need to cook and simmer for hours on the stove or in the oven can be done in at least half the time in the Instant Pot. Mind blowing.

Instant Pot Beef Stew is one of my go-to recipes that I will use over and over. In fact, it is also the recipe I will recommend first for anyone looking for something to make in the Instant Pot. It is the epitome of a great one-pot recipe.

Instant Pot Beef Stew

Recipe adapted from Well Plated

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs boneless chuck roast (I get a little over 2 lbs to account for the extra fat I usually end up cutting away)

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 large yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

1 lb carrots, about 6 medium

4 stalks celery

1 large russet potato

1 14.5 oz can low-sodium beef broth

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

1 tsp dried thyme

1 8 oz can no salt added tomato sauce

2 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp water

16 oz bag fresh or frozen peas, no need to thaw

Fresh parsley, optional for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut the chuck roast into 1 1/2-inch cubes, removing any large, tough pieces of fat or gristle. Season the beef all around with kosher salt and ground black pepper.

2. Turn the Instant Pot to SAUTE. Add 1 Tbsp of the olive oil. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add half of the beef. The cubes should be in a single layer and not too crowded so that they can brown nicely. Let the beef cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes until the bottom of the cubs develop a dark-brown crust and pull away from the pan easily. Turn and continue searing until dark brown all over, about 4 additional minutes. Transfer the seared meat to a clean plate or bowl. Add another 1Tbsp of the olive oil to the pot. Repeat searing process for the rest of the beef cubes.

3. While the meat browns, dice the yellow onion. Mince the garlic. Peel the carrots and cut into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices. Cut celery stalks into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices also. 

4. Remove the second batch of browned beef to the plate with the first batch. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp of olive oil and the onion to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften and browns, about 6 minutes.

5. While the onion cooks, scrub and peel the potato and cut into 3/4-inch chunks. If you haven't finished cutting the carrots and celery, you can do so now.

6. Add garlic to the Instant Pot. Cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beef broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Make sure you remove every last bit of the stuck-on food so that you do not receive a "burn"warning.

7. Stir in the carrots, celery, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, thyme, and the browned beef, along with any meat juices that collected on the plate. Pour tomato sauce on top and do not stir again.

8. Close and seal the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, followed by a natural release of 10 minutes. Vent to release any remaining pressure, then carefully open the lid. Remove and discard bay leaf. 

9. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Add to the Instant Pot and stir until the stew thickens. Add the peas and stir to warm through.

10. Serve hot, sprinkled with fresh parsley if desired.

11. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.

I only made a couple additions to the original recipe. I added celery and more peas, because I like the extra vegetables. And, as noted, we usually buy a little more than 2 lbs (We used a 2.25 lb piece yesterday) because usually I will have to cut off quite a bit of fat and gristle. I want to make sure there is still enough beef actually contributing to the beef stew. We don't like the leftovers to feel like mostly just sauce. Other than these small adjustments made based on our preferences, everything about this recipe is perfect. We throw this beef stew on top of a little brown rice and it is such a hearty, comforting meal.