If you look around my site for about 5 seconds, you know that healthier comfort food is my jam. Sure, there’s the occasional over the top dessert (it’s all about balance, right??), but you won’t see a lot of green salads or smoothie bowls.
It’s not because there’s anything wrong with those things, I just really believe in nourishing our bodies with real food, full flavors, and enjoying every bite.
Not that smoothie bowls aren’t delicious or nourishing — they are! Green salads on the other hand…. ?
I haven’t always been sold on the Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker (I use the Instant Pot brand, but other brands of pressure cookers will work just as well), but at the beginning of the year I set out to really give it a chance and see what all the hype was about.
I discovered that I actually liked it (surprise!) for certain things, but that it wasn’t going to replace my slow cooker, stove top or oven.
My favorite things to cook in the Instant Pot? The recipes that also usually do well in the crock pot, but in the Instant Pot they take just a fraction of the time. Large, tough cuts of meat, roasts, soups with lots of veggies (like this Chicken Noodle Soup!), and macaroni when you need it to cook in two minutes.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons seasoning salt (I use Lawry’s)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 lb beef chuck roast Or another, cut in half
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup low sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1.5 lb Little Potatoes
3 large carrots peeled and cut into thick slices
OPTIONAL: corn starch to thicken juices
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine seasoning salt, garlic, parsley, onion powder and pepper. Sprinkle over roast to season.
Turn Instant Pot to saute. When it reads “hot”, add the oil and sear roast on all sides. To do this, place the roast in the pot and do not move for 2-3 minutes. When you flip it, it should release from the pan easily.
To the Instant Pot add broth, tomato paste, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce — if there are brown bits stuck to the bottom from the meat, give them a scrape and they should release easily. Stir to combine.
Put the lid on and turn the valve to sealing. Select Manual or Pressure Cook and set the cook time for 55-65*** minutes, depending how large your pieces are. (65 minutes to be safe)
When the cook time is over, turn the Instant Pot off and let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before turning the valve to venting and opening the lid.
Add the Little Potatoes and carrots, put the lid back on, turn the valve to sealing and select Manual or Pressure Cook for 3 minutes.
When the cook time is over, let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before moving the valve to venting, releasing remaining pressure and opening the lid.
Remove beef from the Instant Pot and slice or pull as desired. Serve with potatoes and carrots.
OPTIONAL: If desired, combine equal parts corn starch and water, stir into the remaining juices and turn the Instant Pot to saute. Whisk continuously until juices are thickened and serve with pot roast.