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Cold weather means stew weather, and there truly isn\u2019t a dish that\u2019s much more comforting than beef stew. When cubes of beef, sweet carrots, and potatoes cook slowly together in a savory sauce, the resulting stew just makes you want to grab a hunk of crusty bread and dig in. But when you\u2019re stuck for time, you forgot to thaw your meat<\/a>, or you simply can\u2019t be bothered with an all-day cooking fest, Instant pot beef stew is the way to go. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n While there\u2019s no denying that a pot of classic beef stew<\/a> bubbling away for a few hours on the stovetop makes for an amazing-smelling kitchen, using an Instant Pot instead makes for a beef stew that can go from pulling ingredients out of the refrigerator to sitting down at the dinner table in just about an hour. Here\u2019s how to do it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The best way to ensure your beef is tender in your Instant Pot stew is to braise it (aka pan sear it first, then let it stew). Braising turns tough cuts of beef into tender, fall-apart bites. But skip the pre-cut stew beef.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Oftentimes, stew beef is cut into irregularly shaped pieces and can have a lot of tough gristle that will never get tender. Picking up a piece of boneless beef chuck instead means that you can easily trim off all the unwanted parts first. Once you\u2019ve trimmed the meat, make sure the pieces are cut into uniform 1 1\/2-inch pieces that will cook evenly and quickly in the pressure cooker.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Searing the beef cubes first creates all those tasty browned bits that make the finished sauce that much more delicious, but you don\u2019t have to spend a lot of time searing the cubes all over. Searing just one side saves you time, so be patient with the process, working in two batches, and letting one side of the beef get really nice and dark.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n All of the settings on an Instant pot <\/a>are just pre-timed, so there\u2019s nothing inherently special about them. For this recipe, it\u2019s not necessary to use the stew button for a beef stew recipe. Instead, follow the instructions for the specific cook times. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n When it comes to deciding where to cook your beef stew (in an Instant pot versus a slow cooker<\/a>), the winner really comes down to time. If you are a person who often forgets to thaw out meat, or who gets nervous about the idea of leaving on a slow cooker all day while you\u2019re at work, an Instant pot is the way to go. (This also goes for other beef-based dishes like beef chili<\/a>.) <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nHow to Make Sure Your Beef Gets Super Tender in the Instant Pot <\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Should I Use the Stew Setting on My Instant Pot?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Which Is Better for Beef Stew: Instant Pot or Slower Cooker?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n