Instant Pot Beef Stew

I had heard about the Instant Pot and was intrigued because I had never cooked with a pressure cooker.  I liked that it was electronic and less scary than stovetop pressure cookers and the Instant Pot seems to have a cult following.  Amazon Prime Day sealed the deal- W and I both saw the IP for a great price and texted each other at the same time.

I've had a good amount of success with the IP thanks to Facebook groups and online recipes, and I appreciate the amount of time I've saved with it.  I made this Instant Pot Beef Stew for some friends and it got rave reviews.  

Thanks, Jennifer Robins of Predominantly Paleo!  I didn't make this recipe paleo but it was great as written.

Instant Pot Beef Stew

Ingredients:

• 16 ounces tenderloin, cut (or stew meat -aka chuck roast)
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 zucchini chopped
• 3 yukon gold potatoes chopped (replace with sweet potatoes for AIP)
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 2 cups beef bone broth, organic or homemade (make sure AIP compatible if observing)
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil, ghee, or lard (stick to avocado oil or lard for AIP)
• 1-2 teaspoons sea salt (or more to taste)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon pepper (omit for AIP)
• 1 teaspoon paprika (omit for AIP)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (omit for AIP)
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour - I used cornstarch
• Worcestershire sauce to taste (omit for AIP)
• Optional: sweet potato, parsnip, turnips

1. Turn your Instant Pot onto “Saute” and put in your oil and tenderloin
2. Saute until the meat is no longer pink then toss in your remaining veggies
3. Stir to combine then add in the broth and seasonings
4. Stir once more then place the lid on your Instant Pot and press “Stew/Meat”
5. The setting should automatically set itself for 35 minutes on high pressure
6. Make sure your steam valve is closed and let it cook as indicated by the display
7. Once cooking is complete, your Instant Pot should automatically switch over to warm – You can leave it as is or quick release the pressure. I let mine rest and release the pressure on its own slowly.
8. After about 20 minutes passed on the “Warm” setting, you can then open the top
9. Carefully ladle out about 1/4 of the liquid and combine that in a small bowl with the arrowroot flour
10. Add the slurry back into the pot and stir to thicken
11. At this time you may taste the stew and see if you’d like to add in additional salt; it is better to start low and add then to over-salt from the beginning
12. At this time you may serve the stew or leave it on the “Warm” setting until ready to enjoy

Beef Chow Fun

I think everyone loves beef chow fun.  We love a version at Sam Woo with beef and black bean sauce but we also like a more plain version (especially my daughter.)  I wish I had a wok to make this properly but my wok-like Calphalon does a decent job, too.  I think the hardest part is separating the rice noodles cuz they're so oily.

Thank you, Woks of Life!  My daughter loves it when I make "flat noodles!"

Beef Chow Fun

Ingredients

For the beef & marinade:

8 oz. flank steak

1/4 teaspoon baking soda (optional)

1 teaspoon corn starch

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon oil

For the rest of the dish:

12 oz. fresh flat rice noodles

3 tablespoons oil

4 scallions, split in half vertically and cut into 3-inch pieces

3 thin slices ginger

2 tablespoons shaoxing wine

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

2 tablespoons regular soy sauce

Pinch of sugar

salt and white pepper, to taste

4 to 6 ounces fresh mung bean sprouts

Combine the beef and marinade ingredients and let it marinate for about an hour. The little bit of baking soda tenderizes the meat.

Some rice noodles come as large sheets, while others are already cut. If you have the sheets, slice the rice noodles so they're about 1/2-3/4 of an inch thick.

Heat your wok over high heat until smoking, and add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to coat the wok. Add the beef and sear until browned. As long as your wok is hot enough, the meat shouldn't stick. Set aside. Add a little more oil to the wok. Then add the ginger first to infuse the oil with its rich flavor for about 15 seconds. Add the scallions.

Spread the noodles evenly in the wok and stir-fry the whole mix on high until it is mixed evenly, about 15 seconds. Add the shaoxing wine around the rim of the wok.

Next, add the sesame oil, soy sauces, pinch of sugar, and a bit of salt and pepper to taste (taste the noodles before adding salt) along with the beef. Stir fry, making sure your spatula scrapes the bottom of the wok and you lift the ho fun in an upward motion to mix well and coat them evenly with the soy sauce.

If the noodles were cold and refrigerated when you started, you may have to toss the noodles longer to heat them through properly. If the noodles are fresh, then less time will be required. Your heat should remain as high as possible at all times. Add the bean sprouts and stir-fry until the bean sprouts are just tender. Serve!

Japanese Beef Stew

A friend of ours "made up" a Japanese beef stew one year and I haven't been able to find a recipe that captured his flavorful broth.

UNTIL NOW.

I prepped everything the night before and put it all together early the next morning.  I would have added more water to make more broth and made sure the beef was submerged (I had put the potatoes and carrots on the bottom).  I also added shiitake mushrooms and a couple pieces of ginger to add to the flavor.  Our guests enjoyed it over rice.

Thanks, Miss Diggy!

Niku Jaga Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Ingredients:

2 lbs beef stew meat
1 cup water
1/2 cup Japanese sake (dry white wine)  (I used Mirin instead)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt (I omitted this based on reader reviews)
1/2 lb baby carrots (I cut and peeled my own carrots cuz I was being paranoid about baby carrots)
3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 white onion, diced

Directions:
1. Put all into crock pot and cook on low 10-12 hours or on high 4-6 hours.
2. Stir before serving.

Korean Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs

Super long title for a ridiculously easy recipe!  I made these for W one night and he insisted that I make it for a fundraiser dinner we were having to introduce our friends to a fundraiser that we support (Our Piece of the Pie, in case you're curious.)  That sentence seemed unnecessarily long.

Anyway, everyone loved the short ribs and one friend even requested the leftovers (which I considered as a huge compliment since he's such a good cook himself!)

Thanks to Stephanie O'Dea, author of one my new favorite blogs: A Year of Slow Cooking.

Crockpot Korean Short Ribs

--package of beef short ribs

--1 cup soy sauce 

--1 cup brown sugar

--5 whole jalapeno peppers 

--1/2 cup water

The Directions.

Place solid beef ribs into the crockpot.

Add the soy sauce, water, and brown sugar.  

Add the whole jalapenos on top (Do not cut them!)

Cook on low for 7-8 hours.  Half way you might want to rotate the short ribs so any exposed meat gets saturated in juice.

We ate it with white rice and sauteed spinach the first time, white rice and baby bok choy the second time.

Beef in Black Pepper Sauce

I love Chinese food but I think it's one of the hardest cuisines to cook because people generally don't write down ingredients or techniques.  Plus, there are so many different kinds of dishes within the genre, and there can be different variations.

Thankfully OTHER bloggers are skilled at developing recipes for Chinese dishes.  This Beef in Black Pepper Sauce totally rocked the other day- the beef was tender, it was peppery, and it was great with angel hair pasta.  I think it'd be awesome with chow fun noodles or just plain rice, too.  I only had time to marinate it for an hour (I used sirloin) but it was enough time to be tender and flavorful.

Thanks for Raymund of Ang Sarap for the recipe!

Beef in Black Pepper Sauce

Ingredients

600g Beef fillet, sliced thinly
1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 large green capsicum, sliced
4 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp Chinese wine
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp corn flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup water
peanut oil

Method

1. Marinate beef in 2 tbsp light soy sauce, Chinese wine, Worcestershire sauce, corn flour, 1/2 tbsp black pepper and baking soda for at least 2 hours.
2. Using a wok in high heat add peanut oil and toss in the beef and brown on all sides, this will take roughly 1 minute in a really hot wok.
3. Add garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds.
4. Add in the onions, remaining black pepper and green capsicums and stir fry for 2 more minutes
5. Add water and remaining light soy sauce then season with salt if needed.

Beef and Leek Stew

I've tried lots of beef stew recipes and I think this is my favorite one so far.  Usually I rely on lots of reviews for recipes but this one just sounded right.  Plus, it had a popover recipe with it, and I can't say no to popovers.  I didn't have sun-dried tomatoes so I used a fresh tomato and ketchup.  I'd probably use less liquid next time, too.

Thanks to Rose Murray for posting it!

Beef and Leek Stew

Ingredients

• 1¼ lb (625 g) stew beef
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil
• 4 small leeks, thickly sliced
• 4 carrots, cut in 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) all-purpose flour
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) balsamic vinegar
• 2½ cups (625 mL) beef stock
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) sun-dried tomato strips
• 1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme
• Pinch hot pepper flakes
• Chive Popovers (recipe follows)

Chive Popovers (Makes 12 Popovers):

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup (250 mL) milk
• 1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) snipped fresh chives or green onions
• ½ tsp (2 mL) salt

Directions

1. Cut beef into 2-inch (5 cm) cubes. In large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat; brown beef all over, about 10 minutes.

2. Add leeks and carrots; cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Sprinkle with flour, and salt and pepper to taste; cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Stir in vinegar, then stock, 1 cup (250 mL) water, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme and hot pepper flakes; bring to boil, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pan. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding a bit more water if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning. Split open popovers and serve stew on top.

For the Chive Popovers:

1. In large bowl, beat eggs; stir in milk, flour, chives and salt until blended. (Don’t overmix; ignore a few lumps.) Fill 12 well-greased muffin cups three-quarters full with batter.

2. Place in cold oven. Turn oven to 450°F (230°C); bake for 25 minutes. Remove and prick each popover with point of sharp knife to release steam. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown and puffed. (Popovers can be cooled, placed on cookie sheet, covered with clean towel and set aside at room temperature for up to 8 hours. Reheat in 350°F/180°C oven for 5 to 10 minutes.)

Steak Tips

I was commenting to W the other day that I think I'm least proficient in cooking meat.  I usually leave grilling up to him (men like fire, right?) and whenever I cook meat in the oven or on the stove it usually comes out just okay.  The slow-cooker is probably my biggest ally, but I really can't take credit for the work that she does.

Shortcomings aside, I think I'm decent at choosing marinades for meat.  I discovered this marinade four years ago and it's always my go-to whenever we want to make steak tips.  I highly recommend it.  And I also recommend having someone else grill it for you.  Hurrah for division of labor!

Thanks to allrecipes again, especially Domenici, who apparently took one for the team and ate a lot of beef to perfect this recipe.  The only thing I would change is to marinate the beef overnight instead of only an hour.

Steak Tip Marinade

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup Italian-style salad dressing
• 2 teaspoons garlic pepper seasoning
• 1 cup barbeque sauce
• 2 pounds beef sirloin tip steaks

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix the Worcestershire sauce, Italian-style salad dressing, garlic pepper seasoning, and barbeque sauce. Place the meat in the marinade, and turn to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat grill for high heat.
3. Brush grill lightly with oil to prevent sticking. Place steaks on the grill, and discard marinade. Grill steaks 10 minutes on each side, or to desired doneness.

Chinese Beef, Tomato and Egg dish

Back in Boston we had this Beef, Tomato, and Egg dish at Taiwan Cafe in Chinatown that was the ultimate comfort food.  Eggs and tomatoes was entirely new to me even though W had grown up eating it, but adding beef completed it as a meal.  It's perfect for a winter day...or just a day when you have tomatoes that need to be eaten like we had yesterday. 

I've tried to make this dish at least three times and after some research I finally figured out the secret ingredient: ketchup.  It adds the right texture, it's just sweet enough, and it helps contribute to the tomato-ness of it all.  Feel free to add more if you love ketchup.

Here's the recipe that I used as a template (Thanks, ehow!  Who'd have thought?): Beef Tomato Egg

And here's my version- good luck!

Ingredients:
1 lb. beef sirloin, cut into thin pieces
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch
3 tomatoes (I used tomatoes on the vine)
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 eggs, beaten

1. Combine the sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce and cornstarch, then add beef slices.  Allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes.  If you're eating this with rice (highly suggested!) then I'd start making rice now, too.
2. Cut the tomatoes and beat the eggs while you're waiting for the meat to be ready.  Keep them separate.
3. Cook the beef until just about done.  Set aside.
4. Saute the tomatoes in a tbsp of vegetable oil on medium heat.  The tomatoes should start to lose their shape.  Make sure to stir them so they don't burn.
5. Add water and ketchup to the tomatoes.  Let the mixture come to a simmer.  There should be enough liquid to cover the bottom of the pan and maybe get a third of the way up to the height of the tomatoes.
6. Add the beaten eggs and stir gently so the eggs cook with the tomato mixture.  If you like your eggs more firm then I'd leave them alone for a few minutes before stirring.  If you like a soft scramble then you can stir more often.
7. Add the beef back into the tomato and egg mixture.  Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
8. Scoop over rice and enjoy! 

Beef Noodle Soup

One of my brother's favorite dishes is beef noodle soup.  We always go to Mandarin Noodle House when he's home to eat it, and one year I tried to make it when he visited.  Unfortunately I added too much tomato and didn't start it early enough, so it wasn't as good as I had hoped.  He showed his love for me by eating it anyway.

Every other time I've made this I've had great results.  I usually use miso instead of Chinese bean paste and I don't add cilantro (personal preference).  My only other tip is to not use too much tomato.  Eesh!  I usually throw this in a slow cooker to stew for ~6 hours on low, but you can easily use a Dutch oven or some other pot on the stove.  The house always smells delicious when we make it.

Thanks to Tasty Meals At Home!
Beef Noodle Soup (Niu Rou Mien)

What You Need

• 2 lbs Beef Shank/Short Ribs and Beef for Stewing (Optional)
• 2-3 tomatoes
• 1 Whole Onion
• 5-6 Cloves of Garlic
• 2 big pieces of ginger
• 3-4 stalks of Green Onion
• 2 tbsp Chinese Bean Paste
• 5-6 Star Anise pieces
• Noodles
• Spinach
• Cilantro
• 1/2 cup of Soy Sauce (Dark and Regular)
• 2 cups Beef Broth
• 5 cups of water

What to Do

First start by washing your beef under cold water and removing any excess fat. Bring a big pot of water to a boil and flash boil your meat in order to remove any excess membranes/harmful/particles from your meat. This makes your final soup clear and cleaner.

Next, cut your onions, tomatoes, ginger, and garlic into semi-large pieces and begin frying them in a big pot with some oil. We like to use vegetable oil but any will do.

After your vegetables have been cooking for a few minutes, add in the Chinese Hot Bean Paste and incorporate everything. After getting some color on your vegetables, add in the beef and star anise.

Cook everything for another minute or two and add in your dark and regular soy sauce (half cup each). Next cover everything with water–add enough water to cover the soup. You can use 1/2 water and 1/2 beef broth if you want a more meaty flavor. You can also adjust the water levels later if the soup is too salty.

Finally add in some green onion, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.

It will take at least 2hours to cook everything, 4-6 hours of stewing for the best results.

We like to cook the stew the night before actual serving so that all the flavors can come together. On the day you want to serve everything, just simply bring the broth to a boil, cook some Chinese noodles and spinach and assemble!