Ella Walter
Cooking beef stew in an Instapot is a quick and easy way to make a hearty meal. The pressure cooker function of the Instapot means that you can achieve the depth of flavour of a slow-cooked stew in a fraction of the time. This makes it the perfect option for those who are short on time or who may have forgotten to defrost their meat. The process is simple: first, you brown the meat, then add the vegetables and liquid, and finally, you pressure cook until tender. The result is a comforting dish packed with flavour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time | Much quicker than a slow cooker |
| Taste | Tender beef in a rich, flavorful broth |
| Ingredients | Beef, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, celery, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, flour, oil, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce |
| Method | Sauté beef, add vegetables, close lid and steam valve, cook on high pressure, release pressure, add cornstarch slurry |
| Yield | Serves four people |
| Dietary Requirements | Can be adapted for paleo, gluten-free, low-carb, and keto diets |
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What You'll Learn
Preparing the ingredients
To prepare the ingredients for a hearty beef stew in an Instapot, start by gathering your ingredients. You'll need beef, cut into cubes or bite-sized pieces, as well as an array of vegetables. Common choices include sweet carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and celery. You can also add in some garlic and onions for extra flavour.
Next, prepare your beef. One option is to dredge the meat in a flour mixture. To do this, combine flour with salt, pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning in a large bag. Add the meat and shake until well coated. Alternatively, you can simply season the meat with salt and pepper, to taste.
Now, it's time to chop your vegetables. Remember to cut the potatoes and other vegetables into larger pieces to prevent them from turning mushy in the Instapot. Aim for roughly uniform sizes so they cook evenly.
Finally, heat up your Instapot and add some cooking oil. You can use olive oil or another type of oil with a high smoke point. If you've dredged your beef in flour, sear the meat in the hot oil until browned on all sides. This adds flavour and texture to your stew. If you haven't dredged the meat, you can skip this step and add all the ingredients together.
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Searing the beef
Next, add the beef. If you're using a flour mixture, coat the meat with the flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning before searing. You can do this by placing the flour mixture in a large zip-top bag, adding the meat, and shaking until the meat is well coated. Once the oil is hot, add the meat and cook until browned on all sides. This step gives your beef a delicious crust and helps lock in the juices.
Depending on your recipe, you may want to follow the searing step with a pressure cook to break down the meat further. However, remember that the Instant Pot's 'Saute' setting may not provide enough heat for some, so feel free to use a different pot for searing if you prefer.
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Building the broth
Building a flavourful broth is the key to a good beef stew. Start by dredging your beef cubes in a flour mixture. Use a deep cast-iron pot or heavy-bottomed pan and set it to medium-high heat. Add a high-smoke-point oil like olive oil and get the pan really hot before adding the beef. This step is important to get a nice sear on the meat and build flavour. You can also use the sauté function on your Instant Pot for this step.
Next, add beef broth to the pot and use a spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. This step will add depth to your broth. You can also add Worcestershire sauce for extra flavour. Now, it's time to add your vegetables. Try a combination of garlic, onion, carrots, potatoes, and tomato sauce. You can also add celery and sweet potatoes. It is recommended to cut your vegetables into larger pieces so they don't turn to mush in the Instant Pot.
After adding your vegetables, close the lid of your Instant Pot and ensure the steam valve is closed. Cook on high pressure for around 35 minutes. Then, allow the pressure to release naturally for about 10-15 minutes before doing a quick release. This slow release will help develop the flavours in the broth and ensure the meat is tender.
Finally, you can thicken your broth by making a slurry with cornstarch or flour and cold water. Stir this mixture into your stew until it reaches your desired consistency. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and your broth is ready to serve!
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Pressure cooking
Prepare the Ingredients:
Start by cutting the beef into bite-sized cubes or hearty chunks. For a heartier stew, you can use chuck roast, while "stew meat" from the grocery store is also an option. Chop your desired vegetables into larger pieces—potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, and celery are popular choices.
Season the Meat:
Combine flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning in a large bag. Add the beef cubes and shake until they are well coated. This step can be skipped if you are short on time or prefer not to use flour.
Sauté the Meat:
Set your Instant Pot to "Sauté." Add cooking oil to the pot, allowing it to heat up. Place the seasoned meat into the pot and cook until it is browned on all sides. This step adds flavor and texture to the dish.
Build the Stew:
Add beef broth to the pot and use a spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Toss in your desired vegetables—such as carrots, potatoes, onions, and garlic. You can also add Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce for extra flavor.
Pressure Cook:
Secure the lid on your Instant Pot, ensuring the steam valve is closed. Set the pot to "High Pressure" and cook for around 35 minutes. After the cooking cycle, let the pressure release naturally for at least 10-15 minutes. Then, perform a quick release if needed.
Thicken the Stew:
Create a slurry by mixing cornstarch or flour with cold water. Whisk this mixture into the stew until it thickens. You can also add this after pressure cooking and let the stew sit for another 10 minutes to thicken further.
Serve:
Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley, and your beef stew is ready to be served!
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Thickening the stew
There are several ways to thicken beef stew cooked in an instant pot. Here are some methods and tips to achieve your desired consistency:
Using Cornstarch Slurry
Create a cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch with cold or room-temperature water. Ensure that the cornstarch is completely dissolved in the water before adding it to your stew. This mixture will help to thicken the stew without creating lumps. You can add the slurry to the hot stew after it has finished cooking and let it sit for a few minutes to thicken further as it cools.
Reducing the Stew
After your stew has finished cooking, you can reduce the liquid to thicken the consistency. Use the sautee setting on your instant pot and simmer the stew for 10-15 minutes without the lid. This method evaporates some of the liquid, leading to a thicker stew.
Vegetables as Natural Thickeners
You can use vegetables as natural thickeners by breaking down mushy potatoes and carrots with a wooden spoon. Stirring these vegetables into the stew will add texture and thicken the overall dish. Additionally, you can set aside a batch of vegetables and add them back into the beef stew after cooking to enhance the texture.
Coating Meat in Flour
Before cooking the beef, coat the pieces in flour, and then brown them using the saute function of your instant pot. The flour will help to thicken the stew as it cooks.
Other Thickeners
If you prefer not to use cornstarch, you can make a roux or use arrowroot as alternative thickeners. These options can be added towards the end of the cooking process to achieve your desired consistency.
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Frequently asked questions
Beef chuck roast is the perfect cut of meat for beef stew. It is best to use boneless beef chuck over stew meat to ensure more tender and evenly cooked meat.
Braising the meat, or pan-searing it first, can help make the beef tender. You can also sear the beef cubes first to create tasty browned bits that make the sauce more delicious.
You can add a variety of vegetables to beef stew in an Instant Pot, including onions, garlic, carrots, and potatoes. It is important to cut the vegetables into large, uniformly-sized pieces to prevent them from overcooking and falling apart.
Cooking beef stew in an Instant Pot typically takes around 35 minutes under high pressure. However, the timing may vary depending on the specific recipe and the size of the meat and vegetable pieces.
