Instant Pot Beef Stew
Instant Pot beef stew made with pre-cut stew meat, Yukon Gold potatoes, carrots and celery. Sear, deglaze to avoid the burn warning, pressure cook 35 minutes on HIGH with a 10-minute natural release, then thicken the gravy with a cornstarch slurry.
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef stew meat trimmed of big fat or gristle, oversized chunks cut to about 1 1/2 inches
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 yellow onion medium, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups beef broth low sodium, divided
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes about 4 medium, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 4 carrots peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 celery ribs chopped, about 1 cup
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water cold
- 3/4 cup frozen peas optional
Instructions
- Trim off big bits of fat or gristle and cut any chunk larger than about 1 1/2 inches in half. Season with the salt and pepper.
- Press Sauté, which heats the inner pot like a skillet, lid off. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until it shimmers. Add half the beef in a single layer and leave it alone for about 4 minutes, until it browns and releases from the pot; flip and brown the second side about 4 minutes. Move it to a bowl and repeat with the remaining oil and beef. Crowding the pot makes the meat steam instead of brown.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes until it starts to soften. Add the garlic, press Cancel, and stir 30 seconds.
- While the pot is still hot, pour in 1 cup of the broth and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon until nothing is stuck. Any browned bit left behind can trigger the burn warning. Pour in the remaining 2 cups of broth, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaf.
- Return the beef and its juices to the pot. Dollop the tomato paste on top and do not stir it in. Place the potatoes, carrots and celery on top of the beef. Do not stir. Keep everything below the max fill line marked inside the pot.
- Lock the lid and turn the small valve on top to Sealing, which keeps the steam in so pressure can build. Press Pressure Cook (older models say Manual) and set 35 minutes on HIGH. The pot takes 10 to 15 minutes to come to pressure before the timer starts counting down. Do not use the Stew button preset; it is only a timer.
- When the timer ends, leave the pot alone for 10 minutes. This is a natural release: the pressure drops on its own, and the rest keeps the beef tender. Then move the valve to Venting with the handle of a long spoon to let out the remaining steam; that is the quick release. Open the lid away from you and remove the bay leaf.
- Stir the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl. Press Sauté, stir the slurry into the stew, and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, stirring gently so the potatoes stay whole, until the gravy coats a spoon. Stir in the peas if using; they warm through in a minute.
- Press Cancel. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot.
Notes
Storage: USDA FSIS says to refrigerate within 2 hours. Keeps airtight in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days or in the freezer 3 to 4 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat to 165 F and bring the stew to a boil. The potatoes and carrots soften after freezing. Burn message: press Cancel, release the pressure, scrape anything stuck off the bottom, add 1/2 to 1 cup more broth or water, and restart the same 35 minutes. Check that the sealing ring is seated and the valve is on Sealing. An 8-quart pot needs 1/2 to 1 cup extra broth. Cook time is the hands-on and pressure time; the 25 minutes to build pressure and release are listed separately.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 301kcalCarbohydrates: 24.9gProtein: 27.7gFat: 10.1gSodium: 640mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4.5g