This recipe idea was inspired by Let’s Dish’s recipe but I made a lot of changes and will still make more. In fact the recipe card is written the way I want to make it next time. Feel free to play with the recipe too!
Getting Out The Instant Pot
You know it had been so long since I had taken out the Instant Pot to make ribs I thought it was the first time I was cooking with it since I got here. It is still hard to believe I have been in Toronto six months now.
I wanted to make a special meal for my sister and brother-in-law and what is more delicious and comforting than beef stroganoff? I figured the Instant Pot could help me out with making a cheaper cut taste like a million bucks.
Cooking Suggestions
I have some suggestions for making this meal:
- Prep ahead to make your life easier.
- Use a separate large frying pan to help with browning the meat. Instant Pots are not very wide and browning the meat is what takes the most amount of time. Just be sure to deglaze with some red wine or extra beef broth when you are ready to make the dinner.
- Lightly season the meat directly with salt and pepper. I just find this will make sure the meat is well seasoned no matter what.
- Add a bay leaf when you add the stock. I have not tried this yet but I think it would give the sauce more depth of flavour.
The Recipe
Put Instant Pot on sauté setting. When hot add enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the pot. You will need to keep adding more oil throughout this process. Don’t be stingy! Add more when you need it.
Mix together 3/4 cup flour, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, 1/4 tsp paprika either in a small bowl or very large plastic zip lock bag.
Toss 2 lbs cubed stewing beef cut into bite-sized pieces that have been lightly pre-seasoned in flour mixture in bag or large bowl.
Working in small batches (do not over crowd the pot) brown meat on all sides. Remove beef to a plate. When finished beef add more oil if necessary.
Add 2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms and 1 chopped medium onion to pressure cooker. Cook for 5 minutes. Add 3 cloves minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Return beef to pressure cooker, along with any juices that have accumulated on the plate.
Stir in the beef broth and bay leaf (if using). Place lid on the pressure cooker.
Set to medium (meat on mine) for 20 minutes.
Technical Difficulties
I thought my pressure cooker was sealed because it was counting down but watch this video to see that the Instant Pot was still whistling during the countdown, which it should not be.
As a result I turned it off. Then I opened it up and then had a wrestling match with it to make sure that it was on properly and started the process over again. Even after using it for five years, things can go wrong but it is still totally worth it.
Fixing the Flavour
I had used a sodium-free beef broth and found that the sauce was a bit lacking in flavour. I went looking in my sister’s pantry and discovered French’s Worcestershire Sauce! I added a few swigs and it still needed something so I added a little soy sauce. Perfect! Gotta have that umami…
Take the bowl off the heat and add 3/4 cup full fat sour cream. Stir until sauce comes together. Serve over egg noodles and let the swooning begin!
Foodie Results
Everyone loved it so much they went back for seconds which made me very happy. Slowly but surely I am getting my foodie mojo back. As you can see with cooking it is all about checking for flavours. If you use a high sodium broth you may not have to add the soy sauce. If I had directly seasoned the beef like I should have done, I would have tasted it more.
That is what I love about food. There is always more to explore and learn. An unending journey! This particular foodie tale had a very yummy ending. We all loved every bite that we devoured. Foodie bliss.
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