Pressure Cooker Red-Braised Beef with Carrots and Star Anise

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A Chinese-style soy-and-ginger braise that tastes like it simmered all afternoon but comes out of the pressure cooker in about an hour. Chuck turns silky, the sauce goes glossy and faintly sweet from brown sugar and star anise, and carrots finish in the same pot. Spoon it over rice with a shower of scallions.

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 inch piece fresh ginger, sliced into coins
• 6 scallions, whites cut into 2-inch lengths, greens thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 3 whole star anise
• 1.25 cups water

• 4 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1.5 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

1. Pat the beef cubes very dry with paper towels. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté on high, add the vegetable oil, and once it shimmers brown the beef in two batches, about 4 minutes per batch, turning once or twice so at least two sides are deeply browned. Return all the beef to the pot.
2. Add the ginger coins, scallion whites, soy sauce, brown sugar, star anise, and water. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot for 30 seconds so nothing is stuck (this prevents a burn warning), then press Cancel.
3. Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then move the valve to Venting to release the rest.
4. Open the lid, skim off any surface fat with a spoon, and fish out the star anise and ginger coins. Add the carrots, set the pot to Sauté on high, and simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, until the carrots are tender and the sauce has reduced slightly.
5. Stir the cornstarch into 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth, pour it into the simmering sauce, and stir gently for 1 to 2 minutes until glossy and lightly thickened. Press Cancel, scatter the sliced scallion greens over the top, and serve over steamed rice.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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