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The BEST Instant Pot Beef Stew

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Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds stew meat, cut into 1 inch pieces (stew meat is also called chuck roast)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 6 slices bacon, cut into bite size pieces (pro tip: use kitchen scissors to cut the bacon — so much easier than a knife!)
  • 3 onions sliced about 1/4″ thick
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup all purposed flour
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 24 ounces Belgian beer (I love using blond Leffe because it has both bitter and sweet notes, but use a beer you like to drink!)
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon whole grain or dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • Freshly shopped Italian flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
  • Serve with: mashed potatoes, roasted carrots and a bottle of your favorite red wine.

Instructions

  • You can make this in a Dutch Oven or Instant Pot, but I’ve found the Instant Pot creates even MORE flavor!

For the Instant Pot:

  • Set your IP on the “Sauté” setting. If you can adjust the setting I’ve found that “4” works really well. Your IP may also have a “low” setting, so you can use that, too.
  • Melt the butter and add the bacon, Sauté for a few minutes the bacon has cooked.
  • When the bacon is cooked, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add onions to the bacon drippings and cook until they are golden and caramelized, about 10 – 15 minutes.
  • Use a slotted spoon and remove onions from IP and set aside with the cooked bacon.
  • Add the meat, and cook for 5-6 minutes, until it’s golden brown on all sides. Depending on the size of your IP, you may need to do this in separate batches.
  • Add the onions and bacon back into the IP with the garlic and meat and sprinkle with flour. Sauté for 1-2 minutes to cook the flour. By cooking the flour a bit you’re cooking out any flour taste which you definitely don’t want in the stew. You want the flour to thicken the stew, not flavor it.
  • Turn off the IP.
  • Add the broth, beer, thyme, bay leaves, and mustard.
  • Give the mixture a stir, and then turn on your IP and cook on the Manual Setting, High (or choose Stew setting) for 40 minutes. I like using Natural Release, and while it releases naturally I use the time to set the table, get out the plates and pour a glass of red wine.
  • When the pressure has released naturally, carefully remove the lid and stir in the brown sugar, apple cider and season with salt and pepper.
  • Taste and adjust the seasonings — does it need more sweetness? Add another spoonful of brown sugar. Need more bite? Add another splash of apple cider. Need to mellow things out a bit? Swirl in a tablespoon of butter.
  • Serve over mashed potatoes with roasted carrots and sprinkle fresh parsley over everything!