Pressure Cooker Beef Stew

This entry was posted on July 12, 2012 by , in Comfort Food, Main Dishes. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment

This whole pressure cooker business is extremely new to me.  We “inherited” a pressure cooker with the house we moved into in Gulu but the seal was missing.  I wasn’t really planning on using it until I heard so many of my friends talking about how much they use their pressure cookers.  After a little research, I decided it might be something we need to try in our kitchen, too!  On a whim and a prayer, Jesse was able to find a seal to fit our cooker in Kampala and since  then I have been doing lots of experiments as I try to figure out just exactly how to use this contraption.  I have had a few failures, but some MAJOR successes including this delicious and comforting stew.  While I used beef this time around, I am thinking this could  be equaly wonderful with pork.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tablespoon oil
  • 1-1/2 lb. beef (or pork) roast, cubed
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 4 potatoes, well cleaned (or peeled) and cut into chunks
  • 1 teaspoon parsley
  • 3/4 cup red wine
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 2 + 3/4 cup water
  • 1 Tablespoon flour or cornflour
  • Splash of balsamic vinegar
  • salt & pepper to taste

Prepare by cutting your roast into chunks and getting all your veggies ready.  Get the oil hot in the cooker and add meat.  Sear the meat and keep stirring until all the meat has browned.  Scrape all the bits off the bottom of the pot and add the red wine, 3/4 cup water, a splash of balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, and parsley.  Cover the cooker and allow it do its magic for about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat to allow the pressure to reduce before opening the top of the cooker.  Carefully open the lid and add the garlic, onions, carrots and potatoes.  Also add your desired amount of salt and pepper.  Mix 1 Tablespoon flour with up to 2 cups of water or enough water to just cover everything in the cooker.  Put the lid back on and cook over medium heat for another 20 – 40 minutes.  The best part of this meal is that it tastes like it cooked all day long and it is on the table in less than 1 hour!

 

Leave a comment