Instant Pot: Beef Stew

It’s been cold lately, ok California cold. Nevertheless we’re at that point where the air conditioners at work haven’t adjusted for the chill outside and it ends up being colder in my office than it is outside. After being a human popsicle all day at work I just want to snuggle under a blanket on the couch when I get home. As my snuggle companions I usually like warm soup and tea while either reading or watching tv. Taking a survey of what I had in my fridge (I rejoined a CSA two weeks ago), also since Nano kept forgetting to borrow my Instant Pot, I determined I had just the right ingredients for a nomilicious beef stew.

Here’s my recipe for a warm cosy dinner stew, based off of this recipe I found on Chowhound but converted for Instant Pot usage and whatever I had in my fridge.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 2-pound boneless chuck roast
• 12 agaricus bisporus mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, large diced
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium beef broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• 3 medium carrots
• 3 medium celery stalks
• 5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)

Preparation

1. Mix 1/4 cup of the flour and the measured salt and pepper in a large bowl; set aside.
2. Trim the roast of excess fat and sinew and cut it into 1- to 1-1/2-inch cubes.



3. Quarter the mushrooms and toss into the flour
4. Place the meat in the flour mushroom mixture and toss to coat; set aside.



5. Heat the oil in the Instant Pot in sauté mode, until shimmering.



6. Add the onion and garlic to the Instant Pot and season with salt and pepper.
7. Cut the carrots, celery, and potatoes into large dice and add them to the pot (peel the carrots and potatoes first, if desired).



8. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients are softened, about 10 minutes.
9. Add the tomato paste, stir to coat the onion, and cook until the raw flavor has cooked off, about 1 to 2 minutes.
10. Pour in the wine, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and cook until the mixture has thickened, about 3 minutes.


11. Add the meat and any accumulated juices in the bowl to the pot. Add the broth, bay leaves, and thyme and stir to combine.


12. Stir to combine, cover with the lid.
13. Switch the Instant Pot to stew mode and set for 45 mins.
14. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
15. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Optional: You could also pre-sauté the meats flour mixture but I forgot and it still ended up pretty tasty. Or if you need more carbs you can serve the stew over rice. Garnish with parsley.

Finish!