Cooking Lesson #341: Instant Pot Beef Tips

… from the California Kitchen

How you doin”? The longer the pandemic continues the more we crave “comfort foods.” This is a recipe that restaurants serve to use up “ends and pieces” or the trimmings of the beef that was cut in-house. Since many restaurants no longer cut their own meat, beef dishes like this have all but disappeared from many menus.
 
When you pressure cook in an Instant Pot the beef tips will be very tender and quite delicious. The braising and pressure cooking create a wonderful, unctuous (in a good way), rich gravy. Personally, I prefer to serve this amazing beef dish over mashed potatoes—that’s what mashed potatoes were invented for. The gravy even makes instant mashed potatoes taste great. But if you prefer, you can also serve them over rice or wide egg noodles.
 
Prep time:  25 minutes
Cook time:  25 minutes
Natural pressure release time:  10 minutes
Yield:  4 servings 
 
Ingredients 
For the dredge seasoning
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon corn starch
2 teaspoons steak seasoning
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1-teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
 
For browning the beef
2 pounds beef filets tips, cut in 2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil
 
For the gravy
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped yellow onion
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1/3 cup red wine 
1-1/2 cups beef stock
1-1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
 
Directions
To make the dredge seasoning

1. In a gallon sized bag, mix together the seasoning ingredients. Set aside.

To brown the meat

1. Turn on the pot's SAUTÉ setting (high temperature).
2. Cut the meat into 2-inch cubes and put them into the bag with the seasoning mixture. Close and shake the bag to coat the meat with the seasoning.
3. When the pot is hot, add the oil. Then add half of the steak cubes in one layer. Brown both sides, but don't cook through. Remove to a plate.
4. Repeat with the second half of the meat and remove to a plate.

To make the gravy

1. Still on the SAUTÉ setting, add the butter and onion to the pot. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot, loosening up all of the browned bits.
2. Add the garlic, stir and sauté about 30 seconds.
3. Add the red wine to deglaze the bottom of the pot.
4. Add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf and thyme. Cook well to blossom the spices.
5. Cancel the SAUTÉ setting.

To cook the beef

1. Add the browned beef cubes back to the pot. Seal the lid and the release the valve.
2. Set to HIGH PRESSURE for 25 MINUTES.
3. When the cook time finishes, let the Instant Pot NATURALLY RELEASE for 10 MINUTES.
4. After ten minutes, release the valve to vent to release the remaining pressure.
5. Stir, taste the gravy and adjust with salt and pepper, if necessary.
6. Serve over mashed potatoes, wide egg noodles or rice.

Chefs Secret:  Not quite thick enough for your taste? Whisk together 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of cold water until dissolved.  Turn on SAUTÉ function again and stir in the amount of cornstarch mixture until thickened to your taste.
 
Quip of the Day: “God, grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference.”
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

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                                           ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

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