Instant Pot Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 1 lb beef stew meat, cubed
• Salt and pepper
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 14 oz bag frozen pearl onions
• 8 oz mushrooms
• 1 lb carrots
• 0.75 lb potatoes

Directions

1. Put the stew meat into a bowl, then give it a light sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add the flour and toss everything together until the beef is coated.
2. Add the butter to the Instant Pot and switch on the sauté setting. Let the butter melt and get lively in the pot, then add the beef. Brown it on every side, resisting the urge to fuss with it constantly, because it needs contact with the pot to build that crisp, browned outside. If some flour sticks to the base, that is fine; just keep an eye on it so it does not scorch.
3. Pour in the beef broth and scrape the bottom as you stir, loosening all those browned bits into the liquid. When the bottom is clear, stir in the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, tomato paste, rosemary, and thyme.
4. Rinse the mushrooms and cut them into quarters. Peel the carrots and slice them into 1-inch sections. Scrub the potatoes well, peel them if you like, and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Add the pearl onions without thawing, along with the mushrooms, carrots, and potatoes, then stir the pot well so everything is combined.
5. Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and seal the steam valve. Use the "meat/stew" button, or cook at high pressure for 35 minutes. When the 35 minutes are up, let the cooker cool down on its own and release pressure naturally.
6. After the pressure has come down, open the steam valve, then lift the lid carefully. Stir the stew, taste it, and add more salt if it needs it. Serve hot with crusty bread.