Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon
A pressure cooker spin on a classic, rustic French stew. While this rich, melt-in-your mouth Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon is easy to make, it results in an impressive cold weather dinner or holiday dish.
Ingredients
- 4 slices uncured bacon, finely chopped
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine (recommended: Pinot Noir)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (sub: beef broth)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (sub: coconut aminos for gluten-free)
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme (sub: 1 sprig fresh rosemary)
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced or quartered
- 5 medium carrots, peeled and diagonally sliced about 1/2-inch thick slices (about 2 cups)
- 1 1/2 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes in 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
- 2 pounds beef stew meat (see Cooking Notes for alternative option)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (sub: arrowroot powder)
Instructions
- Saute Bacon: Turn on the Saute function. Fry bacon pieces until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside, leaving the bacon drippings in the pot.
- Make Sauce: Next, saute the onions until softened, about 4 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper and the red pepper flakes as they cook. Stir in the garlic the last 30-60 seconds. Whisk in the wine, broth, tomato paste, and soy sauce until smooth, scraping the brown bits off the bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 2 minutes. Press Cancel.
- Add All Ingredients: Add the cooked bacon, beef chunks, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir until combined. Add the thyme springs and bay leaf on top.
- Pressure Cook: Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 30 minutes, with a 10 minute natural release and then quick release of the pressure. Discard bay leaf and thyme stems.
- Thicken the Stew: Turn on the Saute mode. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Stir this slurry into the stew and cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. (It will thicken more as it sits.)
- Serve: Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Freezer Instructions
Freeze It For Later: Follow Steps 1 and 2. Let the bacon and sauce cool and then add to a one gallon freezer bag or pressure cooker-shaped container with lid. Place the beef, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, thyme, and bay leaf in the same bag or container. Seal, toss gently to combine, and freeze. (Notes: Set the freezer bag in a bowl in the freezer for a few hours to help it freeze in the shape of the pressure cooker. Make sure the potatoes are completely submerged in the liquid to avoid browning.)
Prepare from Frozen: Saute the frozen meal for 5 minutes to release some liquid. Follow Steps 4-6. (The frozen meat will cook the same amount of time as from fresh.)
Notes/Tips
- Slow Cooker Version: Try our Crock Pot Beef Bourguignon.
- Stew Meat Sub: If you can’t find stew meat, you can buy a chuck roast. Trim it of most visible fat and cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces. Tip: Place it in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes before slicing. It makes the meat much easier to work with.
- Meat to Vegetable Ratio: I gave a range of the amount of potatoes and meat you can use in this stew. I tend to like mine heavier on the root vegetables but the classic version is very heavy on the beef. You really can't mess this up. I've tested it all the ways and it's delicious!
- About the Wine: Buy a red wine you would enjoy drinking. America's Test Kitchen recommends Pinot Noir, so that's what I always use in this recipe.
- Gluten-Free Version: To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free Tamari soy sauce or coconut aminos.
Nutrition
Calories: 307 kcal (15%) | Carbohydrates: 25 g (8%) | Protein: 30 g (60%) | Fat: 6 g (9%) | Cholesterol: 71 mg (24%) | Sodium: 704 mg (31%) | Fiber: 4 g (17%) | Sugar: 4 g (4%)
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