Best Instant Pot Pot Roast

Best Instant Pot Pot Roast

from inspiredtaste.net
Main Dish
150 min
6 servings
456 kcal / serving

This easy Instant Pot pot roast recipe creates incredibly tender, flavorful beef. It’s perfect for the whole family. I use my Instant Pot, but this recipe works with any pressure cooker. For this recipe, use tougher cuts of beef, such as chuck, brisket, or round. In the pressure cooker, these become melt-in-your-mouth tender. I love adding baby potatoes. They become very soft, so I mash them to serve with the pot roast. We also add carrots, celery, and garlic for extra flavor. Since they get soft during cooking, we consider them flavor additions rather than side dishes. If you’d like to serve this with carrots, I highly recommend these roasted carrots.

Ingredients

  • 3 poundsbeef chuck, brisket, or round
  • salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoonsonion powder
  • 1 teaspoongarlic powder
  • 1 teaspoonground black pepper
  • 1 largeonion
  • 5 mediumcarrots (12 ounces)
  • 4celery stalks
  • 5garlic cloves
  • 1 ½ tablespoonshigh-heat cooking oil
  • 3 cupsbeef broth, try homemade beef broth
  • 1bouillon cubes or use bouillon mix, optional
  • 3 tablespoonsapple cider vinegar
  • 4rosemary sprigs
  • 4thyme sprigs
  • 1bay leaf
  • 12 ouncesbaby potatoes, optional
  • 2 tablespoonscornstarch, optional for gravy
  • 2 tablespoonscream, optional for gravy

Directions

Cook your pot roast

  1. 1

    Season the beef: Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Generously sprinkle it all over with salt (I use 2 to 3 teaspoons). Let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

  2. 2

    Make the spice blend: In a small bowl, stir the onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper together.

  3. 3

    Prepare the veggies: Peel and cut the onion into large chunks. Peel and slice the carrots and celery into thick, long sticks. Smash the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife and peel away the skins.

  4. 4

    Brown the beef: Rub the spice mixture all over the beef. Add the oil to your Instant Pot and set it to Sauté on high heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully brown the beef on all sides, about 4 minutes per side, until a deep golden crust forms. Transfer the browned beef to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.

  5. 5

    Sauté the veggies: Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic cloves to the pot. Cook until they soften and get lightly browned in spots, about 6 minutes. Remove them to the same plate as the beef.

  6. 6

    Make the cooking liquid: Add the beef broth, bouillon, and vinegar. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. This adds a ton of flavor and helps prevent the Instant Pot’s “Burn” notice.

  7. 7

    Pressure cook: Turn the Sauté function off. Return the browned beef and vegetables to the pot. Add the rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, and potatoes (if using). It’s okay if the liquid doesn’t fully cover all of the ingredients. Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to cook at Manual High Pressure for 60 minutes. Note: Adjust the time based on your roast’s weight, cooking for 20 minutes for every pound.

  8. 8

    Release the pressure: When the cooking time is up, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes before you use the quick-release method to vent the remaining pressure. Be careful to keep your hands and face away from the venting steam.

  9. 9

    To finish: Remove the beef and shred it to your desired size on a cutting board. Serve with the cooked potatoes (whole or mashed). The carrots and celery will be very soft, but you can serve them or blend them into the gravy.

Optional quick gravy

  1. 1

    Reduce the liquid: Remove the vegetables and herbs from the cooking liquid. Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté (high heat) and boil the liquid until it reduces by about a quarter.

  2. 2

    Thicken the gravy: Whisk the cornstarch and ¼ cup of water in a small bowl. Slowly whisk this mixture into the simmering liquid, stirring constantly until it thickens. Turn off the heat.

  3. 3

    Finish and serve: Season the gravy to taste with salt and pepper. If you want a richer texture, add a splash of cream. Optionally, blend in some of the veggies. For an even richer, thicker gravy, add the gravy and about ½ cup of the soft cooked veggies (carrots, onions, and celery) to a blender. Blend until smooth. Be sure to vent the steam from the blender by leaving the small inset out and covering the top with a kitchen towel.