French Onion Pot Roast with Corn Starch

Serves 8 in about 1 hour. A pressure cooker recipe built around bay leaf and brandy sherry.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp butter, unsalted
• 2 lg onions, cut in half and sliced thick
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp dried thyme leaves (not ground)
• 1 tbsp dehydrated onions
• 2 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 3 lb chuck roast, boneless (cut into 3 equal chunks)
• 1 (10 oz) can condensed french onion soup, or 1 (1 oz) packet of onion soup mix plus 1 cup water
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 heaping tsp beef bouillon
• ¼ cup brandy or sherry
• ¼ cup corn starch
• ¼ cup cold water

Method

1. Turn on the pot's Sauté setting. When it is hot, add the olive oil and the butter.
2. Tip in the onions and bay leaf. Stir. Then let them sit for a few minutes before stirring again. Simmer only until the onions start to turn translucent. Mix occasionally.
3. Stir in the garlic and stir. Simmer about 45 seconds, while stirring often.
4. Stir in the thyme leaves, dehydrated onions, and Worcestershire sauce, wine (if using), and stir.
5. Set the three chuck roast pieces on top of the onions.
6. Tip in the French onion soup over the meat. Don't stir.
7. Dissolve the beef bouillon in the beef broth and pour over the meat.
8. Cancel the Sauté setting. Close the lid and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
9. Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button or dial, then the +/- button or dial to select 60 minutes. High Pressure. The pot will take several minutes to come to pressure.
10. When the cook cycle has finished, turn off the pot and let it sit undisturbed for 15 minutes (15 instant natural release). Then turn the steam release knob to the Venting position to release the remaining steam/pressure.
11. When the pin in the lid drops back down, open the lid.
12. Use a large spoon to skim off some of the fat and then remove and discard the bay leaf.
13. Lift out the meat to a large plate and use 2 forks to shred the meat (or cut into bite sized pieces, if you want it).
14. Stir the corn starch and cold water together until dissolved to make a slurry.
15. Turn on the Sauté setting. When the sauce starts to simmer, stir in the corn starch slurry, and stir until the gravy is thickened.
16. Turn off the pot.
17. Stir in the meat back into the gravy and stir.
18. Plate over mashed potatoes, rice, or whatever you like!

More instant pot ideas are in the instant pot collection.