Instant Pot Chinese Beef Stew (土豆烧牛肉)
Warm up your day with this comforting one-pot beef stew! Made in an Instant Pot for convenience, this recipe is flavorful, hearty, and perfect over a bowl of rice.
Equipment
- Instant pot (Add more water if cook on a stovetop)
Ingredients
- 2 lb Beef finger meat 900g, cut into chunk pieces as it will shrink while cooking
- 1-2 tbsp Vegetable oil
- ½ large Onion diced
- 1 large Tomato diced
- 1 large Carrot cut into chunks
- 1 lb Baby potatoes cut in half, or use peeled russet or yellow potatoes
Aromatics:
- 1 stalk Green onion cut into slices, and chop some of the green part for garnish
- 3-4 cloves Garlic sliced
- 1 tbsp Ginger sliced
- 1 Star anise
- 3 Bay leaves
- 2 Dried red chilies optional
Condiments:
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine substitute with 1 tbsp vodka, 2 tbsp sake or ½ cup beer. You can also leave it out if preferred.
- 3 tbsp Soy sauce 45g
- 1 tbsp Dark soy sauce 15g
- 2 tbsp Oyster sauce 30g
- 1 tbsp Sugar 13g
- Black Pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup Hot water
Instructions
Prepare the Beef
- Soak beef chunks in cold water for 20-30 minutes to remove excess blood. Drain and pat dry.
Sauté in the Instant Pot
- Set your Instant Pot to “Sauté” mode. Add 1-2 tbsp of oil, then sauté ginger, garlic, green onions, bay leaves, star anise, and dried chilies (if using) until fragrant.
- Add the beef to the pot and sear until browned on all sides.
- Stir in diced onions and tomatoes. Add Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and black pepper. Stir to combine. Continue Sauté for 1-2 minutes to allow the alcohol in the Shaoxing wine to evaporate.
Cook the Beef
- Pour in 1 cups of hot water (or beef stock). Close the lid, seal the vent, and set the Instant Pot to “Pressure Cook” on High for 30 minutes. Once cooking is complete, manually release the steam by turning the pressure release knob to "Venting." Be cautious of the hot steam; if you prefer, you can let it sit to allow the pressure to naturally release.
- If the meat isn’t as tender as you'd like, you can cook it for a longer time to reach your desired texture.
Add Vegetables
- Once all the pressure is released, unlock and open the lid. Add potatoes and carrots, and season with salt if needed.
- Close the lid and set the Instant Pot to “Pressure Cook” on High for an additional 10 minutes. Let it sit for 15 minutes to naturally release the pressure. Afterward, manually turn the pressure release knob to "Venting" to release any remaining steam.
- If there's too much liquid or the seasoning needs adjustment, switch to “Sauté” mode and cook the liquid down to your desired consistency.
- Serve the beef stew over steamed rice or with crusty bread. Garnish with fresh green onions if desired.