INSTAPOT BEEF STEW
For the meat:
2 T oil
1.5 – 2 lbs stew meat cubed
2 T flour
For the gravy:
2 lg yellow onions cut into wedges
2 cloves garlic sliced
2 t Italian seasoning
4 T tomato paste
1/3 C dry red wine (or increase your beef stock)
2 C beef stock
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1 t maple syrup OR brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
For the vegetables:
½ lb waxy potatoes cut into chunks
4 lg carrots peeled, ends trimmed and cut into chunks
4 lg celery sticks trimmed and thickly sliced
8 oz brown button mushrooms cleaned and quartered
½ C frozen peas (unthawed)
Brown the meat: Set instapot to saute and heat oil in it. Add beef, season with salt and pepper and stir.
Sprinkle flour over meat and stir well. Cook until browned.
Start the gravy: Add onions and cook until starting to soften. Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, and tomato past and cook, stirring constantly, until herbs are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour wine (or broth) into the pan, scratching the browned bits off the bottom. (Make sure to catch all bits or burn warning may get triggered.) BROWNING CAN BE DONE IN A SKILLET ON THE STOVE INSTEAD. Cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in stock, Worcestershire sauce, maple syrup (or brown sugar), salt, and pepper.
Cook: Add potatoes, carrots, celery, and mushrooms to instapot. Stir very well. Close lid and set steam valve to “sealing”. Press “meat/stew” button. Once cooking time is up, allow a natural pressure release
(just leave the instapot alone until it’s safe to open).
Finish: Once pressure has released, release lid. Stir well and check for seasoning and consistency. Thicken with a slurry of 1 – 2 T cornstarch and 2 – 3 T of water (or broth), is desired.