Chef Alex Guarnaschelli: Pressure Cooker Pot Roast

I love cutting the time down and getting a very flavorful pot-roast out of the pressure cooker. It’s really what this piece of equipment was made for. The carrots are the classic sweet vegetable with a great texture and the mustard and Molasses add body to the sauce. If you have “natural” release (versus “rapid” release which can make your meat chewy) on your cooker, use it here. While the pot roast “rests” a few minutes, reduce and adjust the sauce. Then, serve it up with loaves of crusty bread or fork-crushed potatoes.

3 -pound beef pot roast, trimmed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Canola oil
2 medium yellow onions, peeled, cut into ½-inch slices
6 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch “logs”
6 large garlic cloves
1 tablespoon Molasses
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
1-1/2 to 2 quarts beef stock
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Yield: 6-8 servings

Brown the pot roast: Season both sides of the pot roast on all sides with salt and black pepper. Over medium heat, heat the oil in the pressure cooker bottom on “sauté” setting. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, use metal tongs to add the meat to the pot. Sear the meat, undisturbed, over medium heat, on its first side until browned, 5-8 minutes. Turn on the other side and brown, 5-8 additional minutes.

Pressure cook: Lower the heat; add the onions, carrots, garlic cloves, Molasses and Balsamic vinegar and cook for 3-5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Cover with the beef stock to cover the roast completely. Lock the lid on top and bring the cooker to a high simmer. Lower the heat and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Once finished, allow the cooker to release its pressure naturally. On average, this takes about 20-25 minutes. The meat should be tender when pierced with a fork.

Finish: Remove the pot from the stove. Transfer the meat and vegetables to a serving platter. Season the meat again lightly with salt. Reduce the remaining cooking liquid over medium heat with the cover off until it becomes slightly thick, 5-8 minutes. Whisk in the mustard. Taste for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat.