Last weekend I made what I call "stewed beef." This is basically cubes of beef that are pressured cooked in liquid until the beef is very tender, then after the pressure has been released in the cooker, you can thicken the gravy and serve the beef over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.
Stewed Beef (which is not the same thing as beef stew)
1 1/2 to 2 lbs. cubed stewing beef or chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch cubes
vegetable oil, a couple of TB
1 onion, chopped
salt and fresh ground pepper
2 t. to 3 t. Worcestershire sauce
water or beef broth or a combination of both, 1 1/2 to 2 cups
brown beef cubes in oil until well seared on all sides, add chopped onion and cook a few minutes to brown the onion -- season with salt, pepper, and the Worcestershire sauce
add the water and beef broth
heat the beef and liquid until boiling, put on the lid making sure the pan is sealed correctly, put on the pressure gauge if your cooker uses one, bring up the pressure over high heat until the gauge starts to rock -- lower the heat to a low simmer so that the gauge just slowly rocks and set the timer for 15 minutes for smaller cubes or about 18 minutes for larger cubes of beef
when the time is up, cut off the heat under the pot and let the pressure decrease naturally until all the pressure is out of the pot, then open carefully
thicken the gravy with a water and flour slurry, turn on the heat under the pot again and with the lid off, cook the mixture on med. high until the gravy is thick
Another favorite recipe:
Pressure Cooker Ribs and Sauerkraut
3 1/2 lbs. country-style pork ribs, cut up
(1 1/2 t. caraway seed) -- optional
5-6 medium potatoes, peeled and halved
1/4 cup brown sugar --packed
1/4 cup chopped onion
garlic clove or two minced
5-6 carrots, peeled and cut into 2'inch pieces
1 bag sauerkraut, drained and liquid reserved
1 t. salt
fresh ground pepper
1/2 to 1 t. dried thyme, crumbled
apple juice or apple cider or water
Stir together the (caraway), brown sugar, onion, and sauerkraut. In a 6 qt. pressure cooker, layer the sections of the ribs, sauerkraut mixture, then place potatoes and carrots on top. Season with the salt, pepper, and thyme. Measure the reserved sauerkraut liquid and add water or juice or cider to make 1 cup. Pour into the cooker. Cover and cook as directed by the manufacturer for about 20 minutes at full pressure. Turn heat off and let pressure decrease naturally. Serves 4-6.
