Stews have been made for centuries, but the dish has remained a
favorite dish in different countries until now. Various types of beef
stews exist around the world, but they are all made with a combination
of vegetables like carrots, beans, potatoes, meat, sausages and even
seafood with your choice of seasoning and flavorings.
Stews are cooked in relatively low temperature to allow all the flavors
to combine. Even first-timers of pressure cooking know that using this
useful cooker allows you to make stew in an hour or less, with the same
tenderness and flavor you get from an afternoon of simmering on any kind
of stovetop. Most pressure cooker beef stew recipes around use the least
tender cuts of beef, so that they can become juicy and tender with slow
moist heat.
Before using your pressure cooker for beef stew, always check the rubber
gasket on your cooker and look for cracks or other damages. You should
also check the valves to ensure they’re clean; else your beef stew may
mix with the taste from the last dish you made with your cooker. In
addition, never fill the cooker with more than two-thirds of food.
Here is a traditional pressure cooker beef stew recipe you can use as a
base beef stew recipe. Once you’ve mastered this technique, you can
easily combine your choice of vegetables, seasonings and liquids to
cater to your unique taste.
Ingredients:
2-1/4 teaspoons vegetable oil
3/4 small, diced onion
1-1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cubed
3-3/4 peeled & diced carrots
6 medium peeled & cubed potatoes
A half-cup of beef broth or 1-1/2 cubes beef bouillon
1-1/2 cups water
1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1-1/2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
Flour with Season-all salt
Other vegetables of your choice
Directions:
Dredged the meat in seasoned flour. In the bottom of the
pressure cooker, heat oil in medium-high heat. Add the diced onions
and beef, cooking all sides until browned.
Stir in water and bouillon cubes, or use beef broth instead. Add
carrots and close the lid while securing the pressure regulator.
Once you hear the sizzling sound from the cooker, you need to reduce
heat to medium-high and set the timer to 20 minutes. Be aware that
some pressure cookers are designed with an adjustable pressure
regulator. If your cooker has this, simply set it for 10 pounds of
pressure.
Once the timer is up, release the pressure from the pot
according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Some brands of
pressure cookers require you to sit the cooker under cold or running
water before releasing the lid.
Remove the lid and set at medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and
other vegetables of your choice, such as chopped celery stalks,
peas, turnips, or a can of mixed vegetables. Bring to a boil.
For the gravy, stir the cornstarch into a small amount of cold
water. Add this mixture into the beef stew, stirring for a minute or
two. You can reduce or thicken the stew with flour, arrowroot,
cornstarch or other thickeners.
Serve for six people.
If you like your salty pressure cooker beef stew dishes, add a
teaspoon of Worcestershire or a tablespoon of tomato paste to the beef
broth. You can also add hot sauce to your dish for that extra taste.
Some people prefer to add a dash of red wine to the stew for an extra
tang.
This entire recipe takes only 30 minutes from beginning to end. If
you’re looking for a quick beef stew recipe and you’ve got little time
to prepare your meal, this rich, hearty dish beats the takeout food
hands-down.
