Pressure Cooker Beef and Potato Stew
Tender chunks of beef chuck simmered with carrots, onion and potatoes in a savory thyme broth, all in one pressure cooker. A hearty, high-protein dinner that tastes like it cooked all day.
- Total
- 86 min
- Prep 20 · Cook 56 · Rest 10
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Searing · Deglazing
- Savory
- No rush
- Pressure cooker
Instructions
-
Pat the beef chuck dry and cut it into 3 cm cubes. Peel the onion and cut it into 1.5 cm dice. Peel the carrots and cut them into 2 cm rounds. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 3 cm chunks. Keep the potatoes in a bowl of cold water so they do not brown.
~20 min
Keeping peeled potatoes submerged in cold water prevents oxidation, which is what turns their surface brown.
-
Set the pressure cooker to the sauté setting and add 2 tbsp vegetable oil. When the oil shimmers, add the beef chuck in a single layer and brown it for 6 minutes without moving it, then turn the pieces and brown for another 4 minutes. Work in two batches if the pieces do not fit in one layer, adding 1 minute per extra batch.
~11 min
Browning in a single layer lets the beef's surface dry-sear and develop Maillard flavor instead of steaming.
Searing Dry the meat and leave it undisturbed until it releases easily from the pot; a crowded pan steams instead of browning, so work in batches.
-
Add the onion to the pressure cooker and cook on the sauté setting for 5 minutes, until softened and lightly golden. Stir in the thyme, 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
~5 min
Blooming thyme and spices in hot fat for 30 seconds releases their fat-soluble aromas before liquid is added.
-
Pour in 700 ml beef stock and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Return the beef chuck to the pot, close the lid and bring to high pressure. Cook at high pressure for 25 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before opening the valve.
~35 min
Scraping the browned bits (fond) into the stock dissolves those caramelized flavors back into the stew.
Deglazing Pour liquid in and scrape the fond while it sizzles; those browned bits are concentrated flavor, so don't leave them stuck to the bottom.
-
Open the pressure cooker and add the carrots and potatoes. Stir in the remaining 0.5 tsp salt. Close the lid and bring back to high pressure, then cook for 5 minutes. Release the pressure quickly under cold running water or with the quick-release valve.
~5 min
Adding potatoes and carrots only for the short second cook keeps them from overcooking into mush.
Cut the potatoes into even 3 cm chunks so they hold their shape during the short second pressure cook. Smaller pieces will turn to mush.
-
Open the cooker and check that the beef is fork-tender and the potatoes are cooked through; if the beef still resists, cook at high pressure for 5 more minutes. Let the stew stand uncovered for 10 minutes so the broth thickens slightly, then taste and adjust the salt before serving.
~10 min
Resting uncovered lets some moisture evaporate and the broth thicken slightly without extra starch.