Instant Pot Beef Stew is a delicious and easy dinner recipe that tastes every bit as good as grandma’s, but so much easier! Just toss and go.
Do you love a hearty meal on a chilly day? It has been snowing like crazy here and so I have been making meals like this Beef Stew for dinner.
I love it because not only does it 100% hit the spot when it comes to good ol’ fashioned comfort food, but it is insanely easy to make and I don’t have to mind the pot all day long like in years past.
I mean, I have been making this beef stew recipe for at least 20+ years. Only back then the babies were babies, I was home caring for them and I was doing all the cooking on the stovetop.
But once the recent craze of pressure cooking came around – it was a game changer. No longer did I have to dedicate the whole day to dinner.
Making in the pressure cooker also basically guarantees that the meat will be “fall-apart-tender” – so that is a huge win!
Instant Pot Stew
Here are some commonly asked questions
What is the best way to store leftover beef stew?
Place any leftovers in a shallow airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 4 days. To reheat, portion out into individual servings and microwave until hot.
*note – it is normal for the fats and oils to separate once it has been refrigerated. You can either skim that off the top before serving again – or you can leave it in for flavor. It will melt and dissolve once the stew is reheated.
Why use a shallow container to store the leftovers?
Well, when the container is shallow, the contents chill faster than if you were to use a large, deep container. Ideally, you don’t want it to take too long for the leftovers to get to their chilled/stored temperature.
As I mentioned, if the food remains above about 35 degrees for more than 1 hour after cooking, the bacteria starts to grow.
Should I use salted or unsalted butter?
Usually I would say that this is a personal preference. However, I used salted butter in mine and along with the broth it was perfectly flavored without me having to add additional salt to the recipe.
If you are watching your salt intake, opt for unsalted butter and while you are at it – you might want a lot-sodium broth too.
All that being said – these days with groceries being more difficult to find – I basically get whatever the store has available at the time and make it work, adjusting the other ingredients as needed.
Can this be made with another type of meat?
Sure – you can make this stew with a pork roast instead. Cooking time would be 20 minutes per pound of meat. You can also make it with boneless skinless chicken breast – cooking at 6-8 minutes per pound.
Can I add red wine to this recipe?
Of course, if you want to add a little red wine to this recipe – I recommend no more than a half-cup. It isn’t a carbonated beverage, so it will do just fine in the cooker.
Keep in mind that although it is believed that all of the alcohol cooks out when adding things like wine or beer to recipes. The reality is that only about 70% of the alcohol is removed in the cooking process. So keep that in mind depending on who will be enjoying this stew.
pressure cooker beef stew
Can this recipe be cut in half?
Oh of course! If you only need a handful of servings, this recipe can be cut to suit your needs.
Is it necessary to use a specific type of pressure cooker?
No, not at all. I just happen to have an Instant Pot, but pressure cookers have become so popular over the last couple years that just about every big & small appliance company makes one. This will work with them all.
Can I use a gluten-free flour?
You bet. This will work with Gluten-Free flour. I would recommend using a 1:1 flour like this one as it is the most like a standard all-purpose flour.
How do I properly measure the flour?
The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need.
However – if you fluff your flour with a spoon, then gently scoop the flour into the measuring cup, taking care to not pack the flour – that should work for this recipe.
Can I use yellow or russet potatoes?
Using another type of potato will work fine – they just yield a different texture and may need more or less time cooking depending on what you choose. Just be sure to cut them to about the same size as you would the red potatoes.
Is beef stew Irish?
I have heard that stew is actually the recipe of choice in Ireland when celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. But a true Irish stew contains just a handful of ingredients – mutton, onions, potatoes, and sometimes carrots, this is what distinguishes it from a stew made from beef that you typically find in the US.
You’ll also find that Irish stew is thickened with mashed potatoes instead of making a roux or cornstarch or flour slurry.
Can I add other vegetables?
Of course – more veggies can always be added. However, if you want to keep this as close to a traditional stew – just the potatoes and carrots are needed.
Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe
What cut of beef should I use?
You can use already cut beef that is labeled “stew meat”. For this, I happened to have already purchased a large beef chuck roast and had other plans for it. But then I decided to make this stew and so I just cut that roast into the pieces here. You can use flank, shank, or chuck roast. That will work just fine.
Can I use water instead of broth?
Yes – water will work fine. It won’t have as much flavor and you will most likely need to add salt and other seasonings to make up for the lack of flavor.
Why is my stew meat tough?
This is where using the pressure cooker comes in handy – because I have yet to cook any meat in there and not have it turn out perfectly tender and juicy. The pressure cooker locks in the moisture and the high pressure helps to break down the fibers of the meat to make it tender.
If the meat isn’t tender it is possible that it either didn’t cook long enough or the wrong cut of meat was used. Make sure you are using flank, shank or chuck roast for this recipe.
What is “natural pressure release”?
Often, an Instant Pot recipe would call for you to release all the pressure at the end of the timed pressure cycle. However, the cooking process stops when the pressure is released.
For recipes that call for a natural pressure release, you would refrain from releasing the pressure from the unit for a set amount of time. This allows for a little extra cooking time as the pressure inside naturally goes down.
At the end of the natural pressure release cycle, you would then use the valve to release the remaining pressure and stop the cooking process.
Can this recipe be doubled?
Yes and no. You’ll notice that the recipe mentions that I have increased the beef to up to 6 pounds – but I left the remaining ingredients the same. This was extra meaty – which the family loves. I must say that it maxed out my 8-quart Instant Pot.
Due to the space constraints of the pot, I don’t recommend a full double batch. You can increase the meat by itself, but I would maybe keep it to 4 pounds instead of the 6 that I did if you have a smaller pot.
Can beef stew be frozen?
Yes – but it isn’t as easy as it sounds. You will start with making sure you choose a shallow container as you would for storing leftovers in the fridge. This goes back to the bacteria growth we discussed.
There are a couple of ways you can freeze the stew. First -You need to make sure the stew has come to room temperature before freezing. Place it in the shallow containers and then submerge the bottom of the container in cold water to help rapidly cool the stew before you freeze it. Then put the lid on- label with the date and store for up to 3 months.
The second way (that we do most often) is we let the stew sit in the pot while we eat – this is because people go back for seconds, and we are usually done eating and onto the clean up within 30 minutes. This allows the stew to cool to a reasonable temperature without entering the danger-zone of being out for too long.
Then we place any leftovers in the shallow containers and refrigerate. We enjoy it for the next night – because I love not having to cook when possible. Then if there is anything leftover, we place that in a clean airtight container, label with the date and freeze.
Instant Pot Beef
How can I thicken the stew?
If you want the base of the stew to be thicker than the broth consistency here – you can easily thicken it.
Just ladle out 2 cups of the broth into a bowl. Then whisk in 2 tbsp of flour until it looks like gravy. You can add more flour if you want it thicker or more liquid if it gets too thick. Then add it back to the pot and stir well. This should make the stew nice and thick.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Beef Stew
- beef stew meat
- all-purpose flour
- butter
- beef broth
- red potatoes – washed and cut into quarters
- carrots – peeled and sliced
- Worcestershire sauce
- tomato paste
- minced onions
- minced garlic
Stew Meat Instant Pot
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT BEEF STEW?
- Combine the cubed stew meat in a bowl with the flour. Toss to coat.
- Set the Instant Pot to saute. Once hot, add the flour-coated meat along with the butter.
- Brown the meat, turning only a handful of times until all of the pieces are just browned.
- Add the broth and then scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to deglaze – this helps make sure the pot can come to proper pressure.
- Turn off the saute setting and then add the potatoes, carrots, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, minced onions, and garlic. Stir.
- Put on the lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook on manual high for 40 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is done – allow for a natural pressure release for 30 minutes, then do a quick release of any remaining pressure.
- Carefully remove the lid, and then check the tenderness of the meat. It should be falling apart and the vegetables should be “fork-tender”.
- Stir the stew again before serving.
Can this be made in the slow cooker?
Yes, you can make this in the slow cooker. Just follow steps 1-3 using a skillet on the stovetop. Then transfer the browned meat to the slow cooker, add the other ingredients, cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.
Can this be made on the stovetop?
You bet – I made it on the stovetop for decades. Follow steps 1-5 using a large Dutch oven or stockpot on the stovetop – cooking just the meat, leave the veggies for later. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 hours 30 minutes or until beef is almost tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender before serving.
Instant Pot Stew Recipe
What to serve with beef stew
- artisan bread
- 20-minute cheddar biscuits
- 1-hour dinner rolls
- Irish soda bread
- cheesy spinach crescents
- beer bread
Products I love when making beef stew in the Instant Pot…
This beef stew recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade stew before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this stew recipe.
- Instant Pot
- wooden spoons
- cutting boards
- knives
- vegetable peeler
- ladle
- all-purpose flour
- beef broth
- Worcestershire sauce
- tomato paste
- minced onions
- minced garlic
If you love this Easy Beef Stew recipe, you’re going to love these other easy dinners too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
Don’t miss these Instant Pot Beef Recipes!
Be sure to check out our Oven Roast Beef too!
pressure cooker stew
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Beef Stew Recipe Instant Pot
Instant Pot Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef stew meat – cut into 1-2" pieces
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tbsp butter
- 8 cups beef broth
- 12 small red potatoes – washed and cut into quarters
- 3 medium carrots – peeled and sliced
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp minced onions
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
Instructions
- Combine the cubed stew meat in a bowl with the flour. Toss to coat.
- Set the Instant Pot to saute. Once hot, add the flour-coated meat along with the butter.
- Brown the meat, turning only a handful of times until all of the pieces are just browned.
- Add the broth and then scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to deglaze – this helps make sure the pot can come to proper pressure.
- Turn off the saute setting and then add the potatoes, carrots, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, minced onions, and garlic. Stir.
- Put on the lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook on manual high for 40 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is done – allow for a natural pressure release for 30 minutes, then do a quick release of any remaining pressure.
- Carefully remove the lid, and then check the tenderness of the meat. It should be falling apart and the vegetables should be “fork-tender”.
- Stir the stew again before serving.
Notes
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Joanne B says
I made this beef stew and it was very delicious. I would make it again. The only Improvement that would be beneficial for making this would be a “jump to recipe ” button on this page.
Mary says
This came out great. Tender meat and perfectly cooked veggies. I added red wine. Served over egg noodles. Didn’t have taters. Thanks
Gina Kleinworth says
That sounds incredible. Thank you for letting me know!!!
Lynn says
Where can I find the nutritional content?
Gina Kleinworth says
Since many of the calculators vary so greatly, we have not provided calculations until recently. We ask that readers use their preferred calculator so there isn’t a question of accuracy. We are currently working through all 3000 recipes on the site to update them with nutritional information. But it is a slow process due to a lack of manpower to do more than a couple of them at a time.