Ingredients
— The Meat & Veggies —
2 lbs (900g) beef chuck roast, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into thick chunks
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 lb (450g) potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet), cut into large chunks
4 cloves garlic, minced
— The Broth & Seasonings —
3 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce (adds umami depth)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 bay leaves
Salt and black pepper to taste
— The Thickener (Slurry) —
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
1. **Sauté Beef:** Turn your Instant Pot to the ‘Sauté’ setting (High). Add the olive oil. Once hot, brown the beef cubes in batches on all sides (about 3-4 minutes per batch). Transfer browned beef to a plate.
2. **Sauté Aromatics:** Add the onion to the pot (add a splash more oil if needed). Sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. **Deglaze (Crucial):** Pour in about ½ cup of the beef broth. Use a wooden spoon to vigorously scrape up all the browned bits (fond) stuck to the bottom of the pot. **Do not skip this**, or you may get a ‘Burn’ error during pressure cooking.
4. **Combine:** Hit ‘Cancel’ to stop the Sauté function. Return the beef (and any juices) to the pot. Add the rest of the broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Stir gently.
5. **Pressure Cook:** Secure the lid and set the valve to ‘Sealing’. Select **Manual/Pressure Cook (High)** and set the timer for **20 minutes**.
6. **Release:** Once the timer beeps, allow for a **Natural Release** for at least 10–15 minutes (this keeps the meat tender). Then, carefully flip the valve to ‘Venting’ to release any remaining pressure.
7. **Thicken:** Open the lid and discard the bay leaves. Turn the Instant Pot back to ‘Sauté’. In a small cup, whisk the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Stir this slurry into the bubbling stew.
8. **Finish:** Cook for 2–3 minutes until the gravy thickens to your liking. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Notes
Meat Choice: Chuck roast is the best cut for stew. It has enough fat and connective tissue to break down and become tender under pressure. Leaner cuts will dry out.
Vegetable Size: Cut your potatoes and carrots into large, uniform chunks (at least 1.5 inches). If you cut them too small, they will turn into mush during the pressure cooking process.
Burn Notice: The #1 cause of the ‘Burn’ error is not deglazing the pot properly after searing the meat. Make sure the bottom of the pot is clean before sealing.
Frozen Beef: You can cook this with frozen beef cubes, but you will need to skip the searing step and increase the pressure cook time to 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free