The thought of a Sunday roast intrigued us as we planned our weekend meals. Judging from our Instagram feed, it’s a thing. People roast meat on Sundays. Other days too. But, a lot on Sundays. Probably because of time.
We logged into our computer, pulled up the internet and with a few clicks ordered a three-pound beef chuck roast from Amazon Prime Now along with carrots, onions, potatoes, etc. It was our first time using Amazon Prime Now. We used to live in Chicago and dabbled in grocery delivery, but that was a decade ago. Technology has evolved. It's too easy. Dangerously easy. And, because it was Whole Foods, dangerously expensive.
Within a few hours, the food arrived, and we commenced to cooking. Only after we’d got going did our beloved wife confess that she's not a big fan of roasts. She said nothing earlier, allegedly, because we seemed so excited.
Instant Pot (Pot) Roast
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 3-lb. beef chuck roast
- Salt and pepper
- 1 1/4 cup of beef broth
- 6 gloves of garlic, pressed
- 3 bay leaves
- 8-10 baby potatoes, halved
- 8 ounces of baby carrots
- 2 ribs of celery, roughly chopped
- 1 yellow onion, cut into 1/8 slices
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- Cornstarch and water, for thickening
Directions
Turn pressure cooker to sauté function. Add olive oil.
Cut beef chuck roast into three equal chunks. Rub each generously with salt and pepper. When pressure cooker is hot, brown meat—three minutes per each of the four sides. Remove meat.
Add beef broth and garlic to pot. Return meat to pot. Place bay leaves and sprigs of thyme on top of the meat. Cook at high pressure for 70 minutes.
Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then flip the quick release switch to release the remaining pressure.
Add potatoes, carrots, celery and onion. Cook at high pressure for five minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then flip the quick release switch to release the remaining pressure.
Discard bay leaves and sprigs of thyme. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables then the beef to a platter for service. Season with salt to taste. Cover with tinfoil to keep warm.
To use the remaining liquid for gravy, turn pressure cooker back to sauté. Let it cook down for five minutes. If you have an immersion blender, blend the gravy together. Add butter. If the gravy needs thickening, whisk (or blend) in a premixed tablespoon corn starch and tablespoon of water.
Serve in a shallow bowl. Recipe feeds four to six people depending on appetite.
