Instant Pot Beef Stew
Instant Pot beef stew….who knew! When it comes to comfort food, few dishes can rival the classic beef stew. The rich aroma, tender meat, and flavorful vegetables make it a favorite for many. However, traditional beef stew often requires hours of simmering on the stove or in the oven. But fear not! With the help of your trusty Instant Pot, you can enjoy a mouthwatering beef stew in a fraction of the time.
This post may contain links to products, as an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
I have tried to make beef stew in my Instant Pot a couple of times and although it tastes great, I find that if you cook all of the beef and vegetables together at the same time one of two things happen. Either the beef isn’t quite tender enough and the vegetables are perfect OR the beef is perfect and the vegetables (carrots and potatoes) are overcooked and mushy. In trying to create a recipe with perfectly cooked tender chunks of beef and perfectly cooked not mushy potatoes and carrots I have come to the conclusion that the best way to achieve perfection is to actually cook them separately, then combine them in the last steps. Because the veggies are cooked in the same broth that the beef was, the flavors still combine like they were all cooked together without resulting in a less than desirable stew. Even with the extra step of cooking them separately, the end result takes just a few more minutes to achieve a stew that actually tastes like it simmered for hours in less than an hour and a half. Considerably less time and all still using only ONE Instant Pot.
If you don’t have an instant pot and are thinking about getting one this is the one that I use and LOVE!
I promise you, if you try this method you will not regret it. You can use whatever stew meat or roast beef that you usually use. I used a Sirloin tip roast in this recipe and it turned out perfectly. It’s not the most tender cut of beef, but that’s the beauty of the an Instant Pot, it will tenderize a tougher cut. If you get a super tough cut like an eye of round that has little or no marbling you may find that you need to adjust the pressure cooking time by increasing it. I would suggest 5 minute increments after the initial 45 minutes, until you achieve your desired tenderness. Like any recipe trial and error especially when using less than ideal cuts. The tougher cuts are generally less expensive, so i say use them and try, try, try.
Ingredients: To make your Instant Pot Beef Stew, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 3 kilos of beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 6 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 6-8 potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 cups of beef broth
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons each of cornstarch and water
- Chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instant Pot Beef Stew
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot 10qt (or pressure cooker)
Ingredients
- 3 Kg Beef roast or stew meat cut evenly into 2" pieces
- 4 Tbsp oil, divided
- Salt & Pepper
- 2 cups Beef Broth
- 2 ribs celery, cut into 2" pieces
- 1 Tbsp tomato Paste (optional)
- 6-8 Potatoes, peeled and cut into 2" piece
- 6 large carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
- 1 tsp thyme (optional)
- 1 large onion, cut into large pieces
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, left whole
- 4 Tbsp cornstarch
- 4 Tbsp water
Instructions
- Prepare the beef by cutting into large cubes, salt and pepper them and set aside
- Cut the onion and celery into large pieces and set aside
- Set the Instant Pot to Saute function and add half of the vegetable oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add the beef in batches, to sear on 2 sides (add extra salt and pepper if desired). Do not overcrowd the pot, and sear all the beef cubes in 3 or 4 batches (or more if necessary). Put the seared beef in a bowl until all of the beef is seared.
- Once all the beef is done, add the onion, garlic and celery to the IP and let it cook while stirring for a minute. Then add a bit of the beef broth and using a wooden spoon, deglaze and scrape all the bits off the bottom of the IP.
- Once all the bits are scraped, add the tomato paste (if using) and stir, then add all of the beef to the pot with the onions, celery and garlic and stir to combine, then add the remaining broth
- Turn off the saute function and set the IP to pressure cook on high. Place the lid on and ensure the vent is set to SEAL.
- Set the time for 45 minutes and allow the meat to cook
- While the beef is cooking, peel and cut the potatoes and carrots into large chunks. (they will be cooked in the IP AFTER the beef is finished)
- Once the beef is done, let it natural release for 5 minutes, then vent to quick release the remaining pressure. Remove the beef and set aside in a clean bowl.
- Add the raw cubed potatoes and carrots to the IP with all of the juices, celery, onions etc. and reseal and set on high pressure cook for 5 minutes. Make sure the vent is set to SEAL again.
- Once the cook time is finished, quick release the pressure. Remove the lid and thicken the sauce, by adding a slurry made of the cornstarch and water. Set the IP to saute and let the sauce/gravy cook for a few minutes until it starts to thicken (you may add more if necessary using a 1:1 Ratio of cornstarch : water). Once the sauce is thickening add the beef back in and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.