I don’t use my InstantPot as often as I should. I break it out once a week or two, usually for chicken stock from my leftover bones. I’ve had it for a couple of years now, kind of buying it just to see what all the fuss was about – but being pleasantly surprised by the power it wielded. The saute function has quite a bit of gumption, and you can get a pretty decent sear on a hunk of meat.
Searing your proteins in the same pan you cook your dish in yields a TON of flavor, that goes right back into whatever it is you’re making. In this case it made for one of the most incredible pan sauces I’ve had in my life. That’s another nice perk too – you can thicken your sauce right in the same pan as well. Who doesn’t love one less dish to wash?
I’d pinned this method for a cheap, lean cut of beef in the Instant Pot a couple of years ago. Scoffing at the idea that a rare roast could be attained in a pressure cooker! It got buried in my pins, and hadn’t given it a thought until I came across a nice sirloin roast marked down at my grocery store last week. For $9 I figured I could take a gamble…
Made it at lunchtime one day, thinking I could just slice it and use it for roast beef sandwiches for lunches. It ended up turning out so good we ate it for dinner, popping it in the oven for a few minutes to reheat. Everyone loved it. And it really couldn’t be any easier or more foolproof.
A quick sear on all sides. A few additions of onions, garlic, and spices. Beef broth. Then cook under pressure for 3 minutes, and let the pressure release naturally for 30 minutes. I then added some red wine to the pan drippings, along with a little cornstarch to thicken. Served it over the thinly sliced beef along with some roasted reds and asparagus. One of the best meals we’ve had in a long time! It was honestly just as good as prime rib, for about one quarter of the price and time involved in preparing it.
I used a 3 pound roast, and it was the perfect hair scant of medium-rare. If you want your roast more well done, or it’s larger – you can continue cooking by recovering and keeping InstantPot on warm for more time. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, get one. They’re cheap and are worth their weight in gold when it comes to worrying about the doneness of things.
Instant Pot Roast Beef with Red Wine Sauce
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 pound sirloin roast
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups beef broth
2 Tbsp soy sauce
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 cup red wine (Merlot or Pinot Noir)
3 Tbsp cornstarch
With InstantPot on Saute function, heat up 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Season roast on all sides with salt and pepper. Place roast into pot, cook for 4 minutes – then flip roast and cook for another 4 minutes on other side. Remove roast from pan to a platter and set aside.
Add remaining olive oil to pan, along with the sliced onions and garlic. Cook until onions are starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add thyme and bay leaf and cook for additional minute. Pour the beef stock in, and using a wooden spoon – scrape the bottom of the pan to scrape up any browned bits that are lingering. Add soy sauce and turn off.
Place the trivet in the bottom of the instant pot, on top of the beef broth mixture. Place the roast on top of the trivet. Close and seal the valve. Place on High pressure for 3 minutes. Once it’s done, let it sit for another 30 minutes to release the pressure naturally and continue to cook.
After 30 minutes, remove lid and check the temperature with a meat thermometer. You’re looking at 120-125 for rare to medium rare. And 130-135 for medium to well done (but, why would you do that?). Remove roast to a platter and tent with foil while you prepare the pan sauce.
If you like, strain the onions out of the pan drippings. Pour broth back into pot, along with the red wine, and place on Saute function. Bring to a boil. Whisk cornstarch with 1 Tbsp cold water, and add to sauce. Stir until just thickened – which happens very quickly.
Slice beef thinly across the grain and serve with pan sauce on the side.
