Beef Pot Roast (Instant Pot)

Your family will love this deliciously flavourful pot roast and potatoes with the rich umami gravy.

1-3 lbs chuck or blade roast (2" or 5 cm thick) (1,176 g)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 small onions, sliced
1 cup chicken or beef stock (250 mL)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce (15 mL)
1 Tbsp. fish or soy sauce (15 mL)
1 Tbsp. olive oil (15 mL)
1 pinch dried rosemary
1 pinch thyme
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp. red wine or balsamic vinegar (30 mL)
kosher salt
black pepper, freshly ground
8 white mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots, chopped
2-4 potatoes, quartered

Thickener:
1½ Tbsp. cornstarch (12 g)
2 Tbsp. water (30 mL)

Brown Chuck Roast:
Heat up Instant Pot using Sauté More function. Wait until it says HOT (8 minutes).

Pat dry the chuck roast steak with a paper towel, then generously season one side of the roast with kosher salt and black pepper, freshly ground. Drizzle the inner pot with 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) olive oil, and ensure to coat the oil over the whole bottom of the pot. Then, place the seasoned side of the roast in Instant Pot. Season the other side with more salt and black pepper.

Let it brown for 10 minutes per side (don't need to constantly flip the roast) to develop some awesome deep flavours. Set browned roast aside.

Sauté Onion and Garlic:
Add in sliced onions and sauté until softened. Add in a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper, freshly ground to season. Add in garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add in mushroom and sauté for 2 minutes. Then season with another pinch of kosher salt.

Deglaze Instant Pot:
Pour in a dash of red wine or balsamic vinegar, then deglaze by scrubbing all the flavourful brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.

Pressure Cook Pot Roast:
Add 1 cup (250 mL) of chicken stock, 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) soy sauce, 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) fish sauce, 1 pinch of dried rosemary, 1 pinch of thyme, and 2 bay leaves in Instant Pot. Taste the seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired.

Place the chuck roast and all its meat juice in Instant Pot.

With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure cook at High Pressure for 45 minutes and Full Natural Release (25 minutes). Open the lid carefully.

Pressure Cook Vegetables:
Set aside the chuck roast, and cover it with aluminum foil. Let it rest as you pressure cook the vegetables.

Submerge the quartered potatoes into the yummy gravy, then stack the chopped carrots on top of the potatoes. With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure cook at High Pressure for 4 minutes and Quick Release. Open the lid carefully.

Make Gravy and Serve:
Taste the gravy again, then adjust the seasoning if necessary. Mix 1½ Tbsp. (12 g) cornstarch with 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) water, then mix it into the gravy one third at a time until desired thickness.

Slice the roast against the grain. High five your family. Serve pot roast and potatoes with the gravy. Immediately enjoy this umami filled dish you've just created.

Makes 4-6 servings.