Friday, February 28, 2020

Pressure Cooker Beef Pot Pie and Tutorial


For years, my husband has asked that I come up with a beef pot pie recipe that would surpass any that you could get at a restaurant or buy at a grocery store.  Once I got my pressure cooker, I knew the perfect filling was possible and in less time than preparing it in a Dutch oven.  After many, many tries, I finally succeeded.  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!


 Pressure Cooker Beef Pot Pie

Yield:  6 servings
Approximate Total Time:  2 hours, 45 minutes
Electric Pressure Cooker Size:  6 quarts

3/4 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat (do not use beef stew meat labeled lean)
3/4 cup chopped onion
3 cloves of garlic, minced or 1 1/2 teaspoons of jarred minced garlic
3 cups beef broth, divided
3/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups diced red potatoes
3/4 cup diced carrots
4 Tbsp. cornstarch
4 Tbsp. milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1 box refrigerated pie crusts

Measure out peas and set aside to thaw.  Cut any large stew meat pieces into bite-size chunks and remove any fat.  Add stew meat to the pressure cooker pot along with the onion, garlic, 1 1/2 cups beef broth, thyme, and bay leaf.  Stir.  Lock the pressure cooker lid in place and set steam vent to Sealing.  Select PRESSURE COOK (Manual) and cook for 30 minutes on High pressure.
 

While it's cooking, cut up the potatoes (with or without the skin--I prefer with) and carrots into 1/2-inch pieces.
 
When the 30-minute cook time ends, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, and then open the steam vent to release any remaining pressure (Quick Release).  When the valve drops, carefully remove the lid.  Remove bay leaf.

Add the potatoes, carrots, and peas.  (You can stir them in or just add them on top.) Lock the pressure cooker lid in place and set steam vent to Sealing.  Select PRESSURE COOK (Manual) and cook for 3 minutes on High pressure.  After the 3 minutes have passed, open the steam vent to release pressure (Quick Release).  Carefully remove the lid.  Select CANCEL.

Place a large colander over a large bowl.  Remove the pressure cooker pot from the unit and pour the filling into the colander to separate the broth from the meat/vegetable mixture.  Once drained, place the colander of meat and vegetables on top of a plate to catch any remaining drippings.  Set aside.  Pour pot pie broth from bowl into a 4-cup measuring cup.  Add enough of the remaining 1 1/2 cups beef broth to the pot pie broth to equal 3 cups.

Place the pressure cooker pot back into the unit.  Pour the 3 cups of pot pie broth into the pressure cooker pot.  Select SAUTE.  Stir together the cornstarch and the milk until smooth.  Slowly add to the pot pie broth stirring constantly until the pot pie broth is like gravy--about 4-5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Select CANCEL.  Remove the pressure cooker pot from the unit and set on a cooling rack to cool.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Remove refrigerated pie crusts from box and allow to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.  This time is important to allow the gravy to cool.  Gently unroll one crust, and place it in an ungreased 9-inch pie plate.  Press crust firmly against side and bottom.  If the pie plate is a traditional glass or aluminum pie plate, trim the crust along the pan edge.  If the pie plate is a deeper pie plate like Fiesta pie plates, press the crust against the side and bottom but do not trim--allow the crust to stand up along the rim of the pie plate.

Pour the desired amount of meat/vegetables onto the bottom crust.  If your pie plate is shallow, you may not use it all.  Pour the desired amount of pot pie gravy on top of the meat/vegetables.  My pie plate is deep, so I use all of the meat/vegetables and all of the gravy.  Place second crust over filling.  Wrap excess top crust under bottom crust edge.  Press edges together to seal; flute.  Cut slits in top crust.  Bake at 425 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes; serve.

Click here for printable format


Pressure Cooker Beef Pot Pie 101:

Place a large colander over a large bowl.  Remove the pressure cooker pot from the unit and pour the filling into the colander to separate the broth from the meat/vegetable mixture.  Once drained, place the colander of meat and vegetables on top of a plate to catch any remaining drippings:



Pour pot pie broth from bowl into a 4-cup measuring cup.  Add enough of the remaining 1 1/2 cups beef broth to the pot pie broth to equal 3 cups.

Place the pressure cooker pot back into the unit.  Pour the 3 cups of pot pie broth into the pressure cooker pot.  Select SAUTE.  Stir together the cornstarch and the milk until smooth.  Slowly add to the pot pie broth stirring constantly until the pot pie broth is like gravy--about 4-5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Select CANCEL.  Remove the pressure cooker pot from the unit and set on a cooling rack to cool:



Gently unroll one crust, and place it in an ungreased 9-inch pie plate.  Press crust firmly against side and bottom.  If the pie plate is a traditional glass or aluminum pie plate, trim the crust along the pan edge.  If the pie plate is a deeper pie plate like Fiesta pie plates, press the crust against the side and bottom but do not trim--allow the crust to stand up along the rim of the pie plate.

Pour the desired amount of meat/vegetables onto the bottom crust.  If your pie plate is shallow, you may not use it all.  Pour the desired amount of pot pie gravy on top of the meat/vegetables.  My pie plate is deep, so I use all of the meat/vegetables and all of the gravy:


   
Place second crust over filling.  Wrap excess top crust under bottom crust edge:



Press edges together to seal; flute.  (To see photos of how I flute pie crust, see this post:  http://www.easyaspiecanbe.com/2013/12/perfect-pie-crust-recipe-and-tutorial.html) Cut slits in top crust.  Bake at 425 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes.  Enjoy!



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