A big batch of pressure cooker beef stew with new potatoes and carrots. It is ready in a little over an hour, but tastes like it simmered all afternoon.
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Jump to:
No plan survives contact with the enemy. The plan? A traditional beef stew, simmering all afternoon. The enemy? Me.
(Of *course* I'm my own worst enemy. Who did you expect? My evil twin?)
Simmering all afternoon became "I'm out of time...but I can still pressure cook the stew."
Now, this pressure cooker beef stew recipe is not a quick. (This is not a twenty-minute meal). It takes time to brown the beef and sauté the vegetables, building depth and flavor into the stew. But the pressure cooker makes short work of the actual cooking time, taking it from three hours down to 25 minutes under pressure.
No pressure cooker? No worries. See the notes section for stovetop instructions.
Equipment
- 8 quart or larger pressure cooker
Ingredients Notes
- Other cuts of beef: Chuck is my favorite cut of beef for stew, but round (especially bottom round) or sirloin will also work in this recipe.
- No alcohol: Simmering the wine will remove some of the alcohol, but not all of it. If you want to cook without alcohol, substitute more chicken broth or water for the wine, and add 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce with the broth or water. (The Worcestershire sauce will replace some of the complex flavors in wine.)
- Homemade chicken broth: If you have a pressure cooker, then homemade Instant Pot Chicken Broth is easy to make - and it adds extra depth and flavor to everything you use it in. (For example, this beef stew!).
- Kosher salt: When I wrote this recipe, Kosher salt was my default kitchen salt. I've switched to fine sea salt since then - it's cheaper and easier for me to find. If you are using fine sea salt, cut the Kosher salt amounts by 25%. (1 tablespoon kosher salt = ¾ tablespoon (or 2 heaping teaspoons) fine sea salt.)
How do I keep the vegetables from getting too soft?
That's what the vegetable rack trick is for. The rack holds the carrots and potatoes above most of the liquid in the pot, so they steam instead of simmering. That way, they're not cooked to mush by the time the beef is cooked. (Note that you can skip this step if you want - your vegetables will be soft, but it is a stew after all.)
Do I need to sear the beef before pressure cooking?
No, you don't have to sear, but I strongly recommend it. The browned bits of beef that stick to the pot add body and flavor to the stew. (They're part of why beef stew tastes so beefy.) My compromise for speed is to only brown each batch of beef cubes on one side. If you don't sear the beef, everything else in the recipe (including the cooking time) is the same.
Can I use frozen beef?
Yes. Add an extra 5 minutes to the pressure cooking time.
Storing leftovers
Leftover beef stew is fantastic. I make this big batch of stew because it gives me (at least) two meals worth - I serve everyone dinner, then freeze the leftovers. Leftover stew lasts for a few days in the refrigerator, or for up to 6 months in the freezer.
Print
Pressure Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 8-12 1x
Description
A basic pressure cooker beef stew with new potatoes and carrots. It is ready in a little over an hour, but tastes like it simmered all afternoon.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 5 pounds of beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup red wine
- 1 cup chicken stock (preferably homemade)
- 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 3 inch lengths
- 1 ½ pounds new potatoes, scrubbed
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Sear the beef in batches: Season the beef with 1 tablespoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in the pressure cooker pot until shimmering. (Use sauté mode - high in an Instant Pot.) Brown the beef in 2 to 3 batches, depending on the size of your pot - don’t crowd the pot, or the beef will steam instead of browning. Sear the beef on the bottom until well browned, about 3 minutes a batch, then remove to a bowl and sear the next batch. Once all the beef is browned, pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the oil and fat in the cooker.
- Sauté the aromatics: Add the onion, celery, garlic, tomato paste, and thyme to the pot. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Sauté until the onions soften and the tomato paste starts to darken, about 5 minutes. Add the red wine to the pot, bring to a simmer, and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Scrape well - you want to make sure any stuck bits of tomato paste or onion are loose, or you may get a burn warning from your Instant Pot.
- Everything into the pot: Stir in the chicken stock, then the beef and any beef juices from the bowl. Pour the tomatoes on top, but don’t stir. Put a steamer basket on top of everything in the pot and put the potatoes and carrots in the steamer basket.
- Pressure cook the stew for 25 minutes with a 15-minute Natural Release: Lock the lid on the pot. Pressure cook on high pressure for 25 minutes in an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker, or for 20 minutes in a stovetop pressure cooker. let the pressure to come down naturally for at least 15 minutes, then quick release any pressure left in the pot.
- Serve: Carefully lift the steamer basket of potatoes and carrots out of the pot, cut the potatoes in half, and then stir the carrots and potatoes back into the stew. Stir in the fresh ground black pepper. Serve, and enjoy!
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
Cooking in a 6 quart pressure cooker? Cut back to 3 pounds of beef and ¾ pound of potatoes, leave all the other ingredients as they are.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Sunday dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Notes
- No pressure cooker? Use a heavy bottomed dutch oven with a lid. Increase the amount of wine to 1 cup, and chicken stock to 2 cups. Follow the instructions right up until “lock the lid”. Then, instead of pressure cooking, bring the pot to a boil, cover, and move the pot to a preheated 350*F oven. Bake for 2 hours, or until the beef is tender.
- Pressure cooker pots can be narrow. I assume it’s a design choice, that making a lid strong enough to handle high pressure is easier in a narrow pot. If you have a narrow pot, and you don't mind extra dishes, use a large fry pan to help brown the beef - that way, you can brown two batches at once.
Related Posts
I love a good pressure cooker beef stew, so I have a lot of variations. Try my Instant Pot Provencal Beef Stew (Beef Daube Provencal), Instant Pot Beef Stew with Spanish Smoked Paprika, Instant Pot Beef and Lentil Stew, Instant Pot Irish Beef Stew, or Pressure Cooker Beef Stew with Mushrooms.
If you're looking for something else, here is my index of Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes.
Enjoyed this post? Want to help out DadCooksDinner? Subscribe to DadCooksDinner via email and share this post with your friends. Want to contribute directly? Donate to my Tip Jar, or buy something from Amazon.com through the links on this site. Thank you.
Sal says
My first recipe following the steam test and boiling eggs - I used the first potatoes from the garden and the lucky live-in volunteers wolfed it down. Thanks! ????
Luisa says
What kind of steamer basket do you use? I have one of those cheap, metal round ones that collapse in from the sides. I'm trying to imagine balancing it on top of all the other ingredients, but just doesn't seem right. Or perhaps I can just use the insert that came with the Instant Pot. Any thoughts?
Mike Vrobel says
I use the same cheap, round metal one that collapses in from the sides. It will balance fine - just drop it on top of the stew.
Scott says
You're and awesome cook? I have two questions.
Why do you use chicken stock instead of beef stock?
Should I increase the time using an Instant Pot -- since it cooks at a lower pressure than your stove top pressure cooker.
Mike Vrobel says
Why chicken stock? It is easier and cheaper to make in my pressure cooker. If you have beef stock, go right ahead and use it. For the instant Pot, use the 25 minute time I mention in the recipe for electric pressure cookers.
Mauri OBrodo says
Mike: I am looking for a good recipe for filet in the oven for Christmas. Do you have any? Also I remember you telling me about "reverse searing". Would this be something that would work with a filet?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Mauri
Mike V says
Mauri, yes, reverse sear would be great with filet. Start the filet in a 250°F oven and cook until the internal temperature reaches 105°F. Take the roast out of the oven, crank the heat up as high as it goes, then once the oven is up to temp put the roast back in until it browns, 10 to 15 minutes, and reaches an internal temperature of 120°F. (See this post for the basic idea, but ignore the "rotisserie" and "grill" details: https://www.dadcooksdinner.com/rotisserie-prime-rib-roast-reverse-seared-on-a-gas-grill/ )
Nicoletta says
Great recipe! I bought an instant pot and I am having a culinary blast with this device. I only made a couple of changes due to what I had on hand. I buy the little 4 packs of mini red and white wines. They are small 8 oz bottles and come in handy for cooking. I used a whole 8 oz bottle because red wine doesn't hold well after being opened. Instead of chicken stock, I used beef bone broth because I had just made a batch the night before. And I am not a celery fan, and used fennel instead. But I followed the cooking directions as listed and it was amazing. I'm looking forward to having it for lunch again tomorrow. Thanks for a great recipe. I loved how flexible it is. And brilliant idea on putting the potatoes and carrots in a steamer basket. The stew wasn't over starchy from potatoes or had a strong carrot flavor. I will be doing this again.
Mike says
Suggestions on halving this recipe?
Mike V says
Cut everything in half, except (maybe) the chicken stock. Your pressure cooker may need the liquid to come up to pressure.
Sqqqrly says
I love this recipe, but browning the meat in a PC is a pain. It always seems to steam too much making gray meat and no flavor.
Using two very hot skillets and do four quick batches fixed this. Deglaze skillets with the wine/stock.
Mela says
Hi Mike! Im a newbie in cooking and got my first 6 quart instant pot last night. Would like to try this soon. Questions, can I leave out the wine in this recipe? Or is there something non alcoholic I can substitute it with? Thank you so much.
Mike V says
Use more chicken stock instead of the wine.
Rafal says
I'm planning on making this early in afternoon in my instant pot. Once it's cooked can I leave it on warm till my wife gets home at 6pm? Or will that dry out the beef??
Mike V says
It should be OK, I think.
Ryan says
Is 20 minutes the golden time period to make the beef tender but not dried out? I usually use the meat/stew button (35 minutes) after browning the meat in a pan, and the end result is dry, chewy meat. I want to use less time but I also want to make sure it is cooked through. What is your recommendation on keeping the meat tender in the pressure cooker?
Mike V says
There is no golden time - It all depends on how thick the meat is. For inch and a half thick cubes, like in this recipe, 20 to 25 minutes is perfect; when you're dealing with a huge, thick pot roast, it can take up to 75 minutes.
Ryan says
Okay, thanks! I also have noticed that oftentimes my meat will turn out pink or red (such as chicken or pork) even though it has been more than thoroughly cooked. It is kind of worrisome as it makes it hard to tell if the meat is done or not. Do you know why that might occur with pressure cookers?
Mike V says
I've never seen that - must be one of your ingredients coloring the meat. That said, if you're pressure cooking, you're cooking WAY past the point of done - don't worry about it.
Sarah says
Just had this and it was wonderful. Didn't have a strainer that fit inside so I just laid them on top. Also I didn't want to break open a bottle of wine so I used Worcestershire sauce instead.
Stephie says
Hi. Why do you steam the potatoes and carrots above the stew part?
Mike V says
Floating them above the liquid in the steamer rack keeps them from cooking down to mush.
Stephie says
Thank you! I'm learning how to use the IP, this definitely helps!
silvia says
Why is baking soda used?
Mike V says
It increases the pH of the meat, helping it brown in the pressure cooker. (See the headnotes in this recipe for details: https://www.dadcooksdinner.com/pressure-cooker-butternut-squash-puree-with-honey-and-sage/)
The baking soda is optional; skip it if you want.
Steven says
This blog has some of my favorite recipes, thanks for sharing it! Do I really need to brown the beef or can I skip this step? I find some chefs brown the beef but there are others who don’t.
Mike V says
Browning adds a lot of flavor to the stew, so I always do it
Milaine says
I'm a new pressure cooker owner and hope to find more recepies like this one!!
Trying this tonight!!
Thank you for sharing 😉