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Recipe: Pressure Cooker Pot Roast

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If you have a pressure cooker, you should be cooking delicious recipes in it! This pot roast from America's Test Kitchen is simple and quick. Enjoy!

Photo courtesy Cook's Illustrated
Photo courtesy Cook's Illustrated

Pressure Cooker Pot Roast
Serves 6 to 8

1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) boneless beef chuck-eye, pulled into two pieces and trimmed
Kosher salt and pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, in 4 pieces
1 onion, sliced thick
1 celery rib, sliced thick
1 carrot, peeled and sliced thick
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup beef broth
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon red wine
1 spring fresh thyme

Using three pieces of kitchen twine per roast, tie each crosswise at equal intervals into loaf shape. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in pressure cooker over medium heat; refrigerate remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add onion, celery, carrot and baking soda to pot and cook until onion breaks down and liquid turns golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, soy sauce, and bay leaves, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle roasts side by side on top of vegetables in cooker.

Lock lid in place and bring pot to high pressure over high heat, 3 to 8 minutes. As soon as indicator signals that the pot has reach high pressure, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 55 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain high pressure.

Remove pot from heat and let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Quick-release any remaining pressure, then remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you. Transfer roasts to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, strain liquid through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator; discard bay leaves. Transfer vegetables in strainer to blender. Let liquid settle for 5 minutes, then pour defatted liquid into blender with vegetables. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer sauce to medium saucepan. Add wine, thyme, and 2 tablespoons chilled butter and bring to boil over high heat. Cook until sauce is thickened and measures 3 cups, 5 to 8 minutes.

Remove twine from roasts and slice against grain into 1/2-inch thick slices. Transfer meat to serving platter and season with salt to taste. Remove thyme sprig from sauce and season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon half of sauce over meat. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.

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