I am an absolute fan of the pressure cooker, it has been a part of my kitchen ever since I have started cooking. This pressure cooker beef stew has been a staple of my kitchen too. As it is so easy with the help of the pressure cooker, I make it whenever I feel like it, it is ready to serve in almost half an hour.
What meat cut is best for pressure cooker beef stew?
For stewing beef look for cuts with fat and connective tissue. These can be found in the neck, chuck and shoulder which are cheaper cuts. It is totally fine, as these meat chunks will have plenty of juice when turned into a stew.
The meat should have a mild, but not unpleasant smell. The meat should not be slimy, it should be smooth.
Cooking with frozen meat
I finally got into the habit of buying meat when I will cook it, so I am free of the burden of thawing. However, if I do end up occasionally with frozen meat I try to take it out of the freezer and leave it in the fridge the night before and by the time I am ready to cook it is already thaw. If not I put it in a plastic bag and place it in a bowl of cold water for about half an hour and this trick always works, without needing a microwave or similar.
If you do not want to use any of these methods you can still use frozen meat chunks, add them to the pressure cooker and separate the chunks over medium heat, mixing occasionally. Then follow the remaining steps.
Steps to cook pressure cooker beef stew
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil into a heated pressure cooker.
- Then drop in the beef chunks. The size of the chunks depending on your choices.
- To make your beef chunks creamy sprinkle about half a tablespoon of flour onto the beef chunks and mix to coat. This step is optional, but I must say it comes out delicious.
- Mix to make sure all the beef is browned on all sides.
- Meanwhile, add the spices. My favorites are:
- salt, pepper
- paprika and/red pepper flakes
- cumin
- thyme
- vegetable seasoning
- bay leaves (do not forget to remember how many you have added, you will need to take them out before serving)
- Once the meat is ready add a tablespoon of vinegar to deglaze the goodies in the bottom of the pressure cooker.
- Add chopped onion and several sliced garlic cloves.
- Make sure there is water/juice in the bottom of the pressure cooker before closing the lid.
- Once pressure cooking is over, open the lid taste to adjust spices and to check if the meat is done to your liking. You can also use an internal thermometer if it has reached 70° Celsius (160° F).
- If you choose to add vegetables add them now and cook for another turn of pressure cooking.
Which vegetables are suitable for stew?
Here is a list of my favorites. You can mix and match them. For the stew in the above picture, I have used mushrooms, onions and garlic. Adding diced and fried potatoes add amazing crispiness to a stew too.
- Peas
- Beans
- Mushrooms
- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Celeriac
- Sweet potato
- Turnips
- Parsnips
- Squash
- Cauliflower
- Colorful peppers
What to serve the beef stew with?
A salad, a carb dish, mashed potatoes the list can be very long, it all depends on what you have and what you want to prepare. Might sound unusual but we mixed our last beef stew into cooked pasta and it turned out to be a delicious idea.
Have a lovely meal. I hope you’ve liked my recipe, if so you might want to try some of my salad recipes as sides:
Pressure Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 500 grams diced beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon flour optional
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste optional
Instructions
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil into a heated pressure cooker. Then drop in the beef chunks.
- To make your beef chunks creamy sprinkle about half a tablespoon of flour onto the beef chunks and mix to coat. This step is optional.
- Mix to make sure all the beef is browned on all sides. Meanwhile, add all the spices.
- Once the meat is ready add a tablespoon of vinegar to deglaze the goodies in the bottom of the pressure cooker.
- Add chopped onion and several sliced garlic cloves.
- Make sure there is water/juice in the bottom of the pressure cooker before closing and activating the lid.
- Once pressure cooking is over, open the lid taste to adjust spices and to check if the meat is done to your liking. You can also use an internal thermometer if it has reached 70° Celsius (160° F).
- If you choose to add vegetables, add them now and cook for another turn of pressure cooking.
Notes
Interested in more recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please view my disclaimer page for more information.