Ever feel like you have a lot to do and not enough hours in the day to get it done? Like you want a nice hearty stew but you’re totally impatient and don’t want to wait hours for it to cook and simmer? Well say hello to my best friend: the pressure cooker.
I think it was made for people like me who want/need more hours in the day. It produces the tastiest results in lightening fast time. Sure there’s a part of me that’s afraid I’m going to blow off my arm or blow up my kitchen, but once you taste this stew you’ll probably agree it’s totally worth it!
Ingredients
1 pound stew beef
1 {14.5-ounce} can crushed tomatoes
3 cups beef stock
1/2 cup pearl barley
3 large carrots, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
Directions
Brown the beef in the pressure cooker over high heat for about 7 minutes and then drain fat. Add in the tomatoes, beef stock and barley. Close the pressure cooker and on high heat, bring to full pressure. Reduce the heat until you hear a hissing sound and then cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Using the cooker’s release device, release pressure, carefully remove the lid and add the remaining ingredients. Replace the lid and reheat on high heat to full pressure. Reduce the heat {high enough to maintain pressure} and cook another 10 minutes. Release the pressure again, cool for 5 minutes and serve.
Cassie says
Sounds pretty good for some of these colder days we have been having here!
Judy says
Oh yes, pressure cookers are fantastic! We bought our first one 5 or 6 years ago, and got a second, larger one a couple of years later. I can’t remember how to boil potatoes in a saucepan anymore, because I always cook them in my pressure cooker.
And we cook corned beef, pulses, lentils, casseroles, stews, pasta sauces, creamed rice, risottos. Of all the ‘stuff’ I have in my kitchen, my pressure cookers would be the most-used items.
Patty says
Can I use my slow cooker, I dont have a pressure cooker, but I like the recipe sounds yum.
charla echlin says
Ha! Must be something in the air, I just made a Cooking Light version of this for dinner last nite- along with your recipe for No Knead Bread! Which was AWESOME by the way! It was soooo yummy!! Thanks for that recipe- I love it!!
Rosaleen says
I LOVE my pressure cooker. Or, I did. I just replaced all the seals: gaskets, plugs, etc. It “works” beautifully, but the liquid in the pot now tastes like rubber. So, if I cook potatoes on a rack or something similar, the food is fine. I can’t use the remaining liquid for anything, however. So, a food like a stew isn’t going to taste good. I’ve tried cooking vinegar water to kill the rubber taste without any great result.
Does anyone know how to get the rubber taste to go away?
Thanks!
D. Smith says
My cheapo pressure cooker doesn’t have a release valve. Anyhow, I have the recipe in my crockpot right now. Only thing I changed was reduced the broth to two cups and cubbed up a chuck roast which I browned before placing in crock pot. The acid in tomatoes will act as tenderizing agent on the meat. Could have made with homecanned beef and it would have probably only taken 3-4 hrs. on hi to cook.
Rosaleen says
D.-
Old fashioned-stove-top pressure cookers don’t have release valves. Maybe the electric ones do. To do a quick release on a stove-top model, carefully run cold water over the cooker, pressure regulator in place, until the indicator plug drops and you hear a hiss. You should be able to open the cooker safely, add the vegetables, reseal, and finish cooking the stew.
Rachel says
Hi There! This sounds absolutely delicious, but I was wondering if it could be made in a crock pot. Any suggestions on how long to cook it? Thanks!
Connie says
The recipe sounds great, but I don’t have a pressure cooker. Can I use the crockpot for this recipe?
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes!