Instant Pot Beef Tips and Gravy
A pound and a half of cubed beef chuck goes into the Instant Pot for 25 minutes at high pressure and comes out tender, sitting in a glossy brown gravy.
Start on the sauté setting and brown the cubes in olive oil in batches, without crowding the pot, so they sear instead of steaming. A cup of beef broth then loosens the dark bits stuck to the bottom, and that scraping adds a lot of flavor to the gravy. Worcestershire, soy sauce, minced garlic, dried thyme, a bay leaf, salt and pepper join the beef before the lid goes on and the valve is set to sealing.
Once the cooking time is up, let the pressure come down naturally for ten minutes, then quick-release the rest. Fish out the bay leaf, switch back to sauté, and stir in a slurry of cornstarch and two tablespoons of water. A short simmer turns the cooking liquid into gravy, and a little more slurry makes it thicker.
Worcestershire and soy are both salty, so taste the gravy before adding any more salt at the end. Chopped parsley on top is optional. The dish belongs to my collection of soups, stews and hearty dinners.
PrintInstant Pot Beef Tips and Gravy
Cubes of beef chuck browned and pressure cooked in a broth seasoned with Worcestershire, soy sauce, garlic and thyme, finished with a cornstarch-thickened gravy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs beef chuck, cut into cubes
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté and heat the olive oil. Brown the beef on all sides in batches, setting each batch aside.
- Pour in the beef broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon.
- Return the beef to the pot and add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
- Close the lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before quick-releasing the rest.
- Remove the bay leaf and set the pot to sauté again. Stir the cornstarch into the water to make a slurry, add it to the pot and simmer until thickened.
- Serve hot, sprinkled with parsley if you like.
Notes
A splash of red wine when you deglaze makes a richer sauce. Sliced onions browned along with the beef add sweetness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to brown the beef first?
It is not strictly required, but browning builds much of the flavor, so it is highly recommended.
How do I get the gravy thicker?
Stir the cornstarch slurry into the pot on the sauté setting and let it simmer, stirring, until it thickens. Add a little more slurry if you want it thicker.
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