Rich and comforting and yet packed with vegetables this Pressure Cooker Guinness Beef Stew will help you get through the last days of winter.
Oh, March. You really are a wildcard when it comes to weather. While we will be saying hello to spring by the end of the month, there’s still plenty of snow and freezing temperatures hanging around.
So what does that mean food wise? Well to start, I’m still cooking up lots of comforting stews and soups to keep us warm. But if I’m being honest, my enthusiasm for stirring a pot of bubbling stew for hours and hours sort of wanes by this time of the season and I’d rather just be curled up on the couch until we’re totally thawed out.
Which is why this Pressure Cooker Guinness Beef Stew is the perfect compromise especially with St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner. It’s packed with tender pieces of beef, LOTS of vegetables and a comforting broth that’s been spiked with just the right amount of stout. Not to mention it’s ready in under an hour thanks to your hard-working pressure cooker (aka Instant Pot).
A few more notes about this Pressure Cooker Guinness Beef Stew:
Feel free to use any electric pressure cooker or Instant Pot but be sure to refer to the manufacturer’s guide for further instructions on how to use it. Here’s the one I have and really like it!
The honey in this recipe is optional but I like to use it for balancing out the acidity in the beer and tomato paste.
Be sure to get a good brown outside on your beef cubes in the first step! This is critical to making sure the beef becomes nice and tender. Work in batches if you need to so you don’t overcrowd the pan.
If you’d like to swap the potatoes for a lighter option, use rutabaga like in my Hearty Beef Stew.
I hope you give this recipe a try and with any luck, spring will be here soon!
Pressure Cooker Guinness Beef Stew
Serves: 4
Time: 45 Minutes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 sprigs of thyme, stems removed
2 cups roughly chopped carrots
2 cups half-moon sliced leeks
2 cups sliced white mushrooms, stems removed
1 1/2 pounds small red or white potatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon honey (optional)
16 ounces stout beer (such as Guinness)
1 cup beef broth or stock
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for seasoning beef
1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for seasoning beef
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
Instructions:
1. Season the beef well with sea salt and pepper, ensuring to season all sides.
2. Set your pressure cooker on the “Brown/Sauté” option on high. Once hot, add the oil and then carefully place the beef in the pan. Be sure to leave some room between the pieces (you may need to do this in batches). Cook for about 2 minutes per side or until browned evenly all around.
3. Remove the meat from the cooker and set on a plate. Set aside.
4. Add the onion to the pot and cook for 3-5 minutes or until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the leeks, carrot, mushrooms and potatoes and stir well. Add in the cooked beef, tomato paste, honey (if using), salt and pepper. Toss well to coat.
6. Pour in the stout and beef broth. Stir well and make sure the beef is almost entirely covered by the liquid. Close and lock the lid as well as the steam valve.
7. Set your pressure cooker to the “Meat/Stew” setting and cook for 35 minutes on HIGH pressure (it will take a few minutes for it to come up to pressure as well).
8. Once done, let the pressure release naturally (refer to your manufacturer’s settings) before unlocking the lid. Carefully remove 2 tablespoons of the liquid and place in a small bowl or jar. Add the arrowroot to the liquid and whisk well until smooth. Pour into the larger pot and stir to combine (this will help thicken the stew slightly).
9. Serve hot with some brown bread!
