Pressure Cooker Beef Stew

Using a pressure cooker to prepare beef stew is a great choice, as it reduces cooking time while keeping the meat tender and juicy. Here is a basic recipe for beef stew in a pressure cooker.

Ingredients

• 800 grams of beef for stewing
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 200 ml of red wine
• 500 ml of beef stock (or bouillon cube broth)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Flour (optional, for dusting the meat)
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste (optional, for a richer sauce)

Preparation

1. If you wish, you can lightly flour the meat pieces. This step helps to seal the juices inside the meat and thicken the sauce.
2. Heat the oil in the pressure cooker. Once hot, add the meat and brown it until golden on all sides.
3. Remove the meat and set it aside. In the same oil, sauté the onion, carrot, and celery until soft. Also add the garlic and let it brown for a minute.
4. Put the meat back into the pot.
5. Deglaze with the red wine and let the alcohol evaporate for a few minutes.
6. If using, add the tomato paste and stir well.
7. Add the beef broth until it almost completely covers the ingredients.
8. Add the rosemary and bay leaf. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
9. Close the pressure cooker and, following the instructions of your model, cook for about 20-30 minutes after reaching pressure. Cooking times can vary depending on the cut of the meat; consult the manual to be sure.
10. Once cooking is finished, let the pressure release naturally before opening the pot.

Curiosity

Stew is a dish widespread in various Italian regions, with small regional variations that may include adding mushrooms, olives, or other local ingredients. Moreover, in the peasant tradition, it was often prepared with less prestigious cuts of meat which, thanks to long cooking, became tender and flavorful.