Tastefully Simple Beef Stroganoff in the Instant Pot

As a Tastefully Simple consultant, I have been directing freezer meal workshops for a few years now.  I LOVE these parties!  I have met some of the most amazing people–some of whom I now consider dear friends!  At these parties, the host brings together friends and family members in their home and we spend a few hours preparing 10-20 freezer-ready meals.  These are tried-and-true recipes that are guaranteed delicious!  Since I started down this magic-pot-road a few weeks back, I have been so looking forward to putting together some freezer meals and then preparing them from frozen in the Instant Pot.  I just haven’t had time to get the shopping done for a big freezer meal prep day and I couldn’t wait another minute to try one of my FAVORITE Tastefully Simple dishes: Superb Beef Stroganoff.  So, I made it fresh (which you can do with any of our meals) and adapted it to the magic pot instead of the slow cooker.  Give this one a try!  It is amazingly tasty and tender!

  1.  I took a chuck roast we had in the freezer and trimmed the bones and fat off (and saved for bone broth–more on that at the end.) I cut the beef into cubes.  wp-1470943409902.jpg
  2. While I was cutting the beef, I heated the Instant Pot on Saute until it was hot.  I poured in a few tablespoons of olive oil–remember “hot pot, cool oil” to get less sticking.  I then tossed the beef cubes in along with 2 Tablespoons of Tastefully Simple Onion Onion (our shaker jar lids are 2 Tablespoons so no need to get a measuring spoon dirty!) and 2 teaspoons of Tastefully Simple Garlic Garlic (and I still didn’t get a measuring spoon dirty–I just guesstimated!)  Now this browning step isn’t strictly necessary, but it does pull out a little more flavor.  wp-1470943409469.jpgwp-1470943409467.jpgwp-1470943409468.jpg
  3. When the meat was browned, I turned the magic pot off and and dumped in 14.5 oz of beef broth and 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce (I won’t tell you how many times I had to type that before spell-check could even help.)  This is where most normal people who like good food would also add 8 oz of sliced fresh mushrooms.  Alas, my darling husband can’t stand the sight of mushrooms (right up there with rice in his mind) so I left them out.  I highly recommend you add them!  I would, however, not put them in for the entire time.  I would pressure cook the beef for 32 minutes, quick release and add them and then continue to pressure cook the last 3 minutes.  I think if you had them in the entire 35 minutes they would pretty much disintegrate.  wp-1470943409387.jpgwp-1470943409351.jpg
  4. I set the pot on high pressure, manual for 35 minutes and went back to my regular programming.  Love being able to leave it unattended!
  5. When the beeping sounded indicating the end of the pressure cycle, I put water on to boil on the stove for the egg noodles and when it was boiling, I dumped in the noodles.
  6. When the pot was done releasing pressure, I opened the lid, turned the pot off and back on to saute.  I took out a ladle of the broth and stirred it together with a 2 Tablespoons of corn starch in a small bowl.  When it was totally dissolved, I added it back to the pot.  Stirring it into a small amount of broth first prevents it from being lumpy.  I then added 1 cup of sour cream and stirred until it was bubbly and thickened.  wp-1470943408918.jpgwp-1470943408879.jpg
  7. I drained the noodles and served it. Pressure cooking the beef chunks made them incredibly tender and infused them with flavor!  No weird texture like you can sometimes get with slow cooking.  Definitely a keeper!  2 lbs. cubed beef stew meat

2 lbs. cubed beef stew meat
14.5 oz. can beef broth
2 Tbsp. Tastefully Simple Onion Onion
2 tsp. Tastefully Simple Garlic Garlic
2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
8 oz. pkg. fresh sliced mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
16 oz. box your favorite cooked pasta

Set Instant Pot on Saute and let it get hot before adding 2 Tbl of oil to the pot followed by the meat and then 2 seasonings.  Stir until brown.  Turn off the pot and add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce to the pan.  Set pot to high pressure for 32 minutes.  When the pressure cycle ends, turn off pot and do a quick pressure release.  When pressure is gone, open lid and add mushrooms.  Close the lid and set it another 3 minutes of high pressure.  This time let the pressure release naturally.  While that is happening, cook the pasta.  When pressure has released (10-15 minutes), open pot, turn it off and then back on to saute.  Ladle out scoop of the broth and stir it into the cornstarch.  When it has totally dissolved, scrape it all back into the pot and stir.  Add sour cream and stir until sauce thickens to your preference.  Serve over pasta.  

What’s the deal with bone broth? 

There is a great description of bone broth here: Oh Lardy–benefits of bone broth

I added the bones and fat I had cut off the chuck roast into the Instant Pot and filled it about 2/3 full of water.  I set it on high pressure for 120 minutes and went to bed!  One of the features of the magic pot that I love is when it is done doing its pressure-cooking-thing it turns on a keep-warm to keep food at a safe temperature.  It is sealed still, so not much evaporation takes place.  In the morning, I poured it into a bowl and put it in the fridge.  wp-1470947223048.jpg

When it had chilled, I skimmed the fat off the top and had a whole bowl full of beef bone broth.  I used some of it the next day in the Salisbury Steaks!  The rest is waiting in the fridge for the next time I need it.  I’ve poured a little over my wiener dogs’ food the past few days as well.  It is so good for them and us!wp-1470947223044.jpg



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