The oldest recipe on record, preserved on Babylonian clay tablets from about 1700 B.C., is a recipe for a stew made with poultry. Many variations of stew have developed since then, including beef stew from humble beef with carrots and potatoes to the more elegant beef bourguignonne or the ethnic goulash. Beef stew is easy to make, but it is time-consuming. Using a pressure cooker saves time. When you make stew in a pressure cooker, add less liquid, because the high temperature of pressure cooking will draw more fluid from your ingredients, making the gravy more flavorful.
Step 1
Combine the paprika, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper in a bowl, and stir to combine the ingredients. Add the beef cubes and toss the ingredients to coat them.
Step 2
Heat the pressure cooker over medium-high heat with the oil. Add the meat and brown the cubes on all sides. Remove the meat to a plate and set it aside.
Step 3
Saute the onion, celery, salt, black pepper and mushrooms for about three minutes.
Step 4
Add the beef, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, red wine and broth to the onion and celery in the pressure cooker. Cover the pressure cooker and follow the instructions that came with your pressure cooker to cook the stew for 20 minutes.
Step 5
Move the pressure cooker to your sink. Run cool water over the sides of the pot until the pressure is reduced and no steam escapes if you jiggle the pressure gauge. Remove the lid, and add the carrots and potatoes. Cover the pressure cooker and cook the stew for five minutes more after the correct pressure is reached. Serve the stew immediately or reheat it the next day.
Tips and Warnings
- Roasts with fat and connective tissue, like chuck, will be more tender than leaner roasts. Change the vegetables, using squash, rutabaga or other hard vegetables instead of potatoes. Try leeks instead of onions, add paprika for more color and more black pepper for a spicier flavor.
- Wait until any steam has stopped venting before removing the pressure gauge or the lid. If you remove the pressure gauge too soon, you can wind up with beef stew gravy on your ceiling.
Things You'll Need
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 tbsp. flour
- 1 1/2 lbs. beef roast, cut in 2-inch cubes
- Mixing bowl
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- Pressure cooker
- Plate
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1 cup small mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 cup beef broth
- 4 carrots, peeled and cubed
- 4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
References
- Michigan State University; Meats; 2001
- Food Network; Emeril's Best Beef Stew; Emeril Lagasse; 2006
- Food.com; Mom's Beef Stew (Pressure Cooker); Curlee; 2006
- FoodNetwork.co.uk: Local-Style Pressure Cooker Beef Stew
- Oswald at Large; Tarru-Bird Stew -- The Oldest Recipe in the World; Oswald Rivera; September 2009
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