Making BEEF STEW in a PRESSURE COOKER has always been the best method for me, even beating out my beloved crock pot! The meat comes out so very tender and soft yet it does not shred!
I’ve made it this way for years in a pressure cooker. I love that it only takes just 11 minutes of pressure cooker time! The dumplings take longer than the stew! There is some prepping you have to do beforehand, but the taste of this stew is worth it!
If you never tried a pressure cooker, you might like it! I did!
I have used my first Presto pressure cooker since the 1970’s and only recently upgraded to a new one which is even easier to use.
These directions are for my new Presto Pressure Cooker, so if you use a pressure cooker that is not Presto, always use the directions that came with your pressure cooker brand.
There is nothing to fear with pressure cookers! They are so easy to use! Just be sure to carefully follow your own pressure cooker’s directions on how to use it. Just always BE SAFE and check that your pressure is down or released on the pressure cooker brand you are using before you open the lid. That is the important thing.
The bay leaves are important in this recipe; without them, it is not the same.
I have included the recipe for the DUMPLINGS I make with BISQUICK. You can leave them out if you want.
We eat this delicious beef stew not only in winter, but we crave it in the summertime as well!
See some of the steps how I make it in my PRESTO PRESSURE COOKER
in the slideshow below.
Enjoy!
Beef Stew and Dumpkings (In a Pressure Cookier)
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- BEEF STEW
- 1 pound stew meat cut into chunks
- 2 cups water
- 2 onions cut into chunks
- 4 potatoes quartered
- 4 carrots cut into chunks
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3 bay leaves
- THICKENING
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons flour
- DUMPLINGS
- 1⅔ cup Bisquick
- ⅔ cup milk
Instructions
- STEW: Place the beef chunks, water, and onions in the pressure cooker. Secure the cover according to your pressure cooker directions and cook on the stove for 8 minutes after the correct pressure has been reached, which only takes a few minutes. For my Presto pressure cooker I start on highest heat until I hear the steam, then I reduce the heat to very low and start the timer for 8 minutes. You should hear a slow, steady flow of steam for 8 minutes.
- Remove the pressure cooker from the heat and COOL IT AT ONCE by putting it into the sink and running cold water over the cover. Wait for the pressure knob to lower. You will hear and see the pressure knob lower.
- Remove the cover and add the potatoes, carrots, salt, black pepper, and bay leaves.
- Secure the cover, and place on the stove over the highest heat. When you hear the steam in a slow, steady flow, reduce the heat to very low and start the timer for 3 minutes.
- Remove the pressure from the heat and COOL IT AT ONCE by putting it into the sink and running cold water over the cover. Wait for the pressure knob to lower. You will hear and see the pressure knob lower.
- Remove the cover. Now you will thicken the stew. Here is an easy way.
- THICKENING: In a plastic 8-ounce cup, stir the water and flour together to form a paste. Pour the paste into a small strainer held over the stew. Use a spoon to scrape the paste into the stew. You will see the stew thicken. Gently stir the stew. For a thicker broth, add a little more flour and water mixture. For a thinner broth, add more water. Depending on how much thickening you use, you might need more salt and pepper. Taste the broth, and add more salt and pepper if you'd like. (Discard the plastic cup! No clean-up!)
- DUMPLINGS: In a medium bowl, mix the Bisquick mix and milk together to form a soft batter. Bring the stew to a very gentle boil on medium low heat top of the stove. Drop dollops of dumpling batter in whatever size you want, on top of the boiling stew. Cook UNCOVERED on low heat for 10 minutes, then place a COVER on the pot, and cook covered, for 10 minutes more.
- Serve immediately.