Instant Pot Italian Pot Roast
Adding Italian herbs and tomatoes to a basic pot roast recipe enhances the flavors. Pressure cooking makes for fast preparation and seals in all the juices. The result is a super tender pot roast enhanced with aromatics.
Adding Italian herbs and tomatoes to a basic pot roast recipe enhances the flavors. Pressure cooking makes for fast preparation and seals in all the juices. The result is a super tender pot roast enhanced with aromatics.
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 3-3 1/2 pound beef chuck roast (boneless trimmed)
- 3 cloves garlic (very thinly sliced)
- 1 tablespoon butter (or ghee)
- 1/4 teaspoon pink himalayan salt
- 2 cups beef bone broth
- 1-2 stalks celery (chopped)
- 2 teaspoons thyme leaves (fresh or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 2 teaspoons oregano (fresh chopped or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 tablespoon basil leaves (chopped or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 pound white onions (cipollini or pearl onions blanch for 1 – 2 minutes and peel)
- 4 carrots (peeled and cut into bite-size rounds)
- 3 parsnips (peeled and cut into bite-size rounds)
- Carbohydrate 1.03217083246079 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.0256541666449799 g
- Fiber 0.223791661272012 g
- Protein 0.235799999800666 g
- Saturated Fat 0.00545833332871913 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (84g)
- Sodium 5.34916666214475 mg
- Sugar 0.808379171188775 g
- Trans Fat 0.00780541666006835 g
- Calories 4 calories
Step-by-step
- With a sharp knife cut small slits about 3/4 inch deep in the roast and insert garlic slices, pushing down with your finger.
- Set your Instant Pot to the Sauté setting. When hot, heat butter and brown roast on all sides.
- Pour in beef bone broth, coconut aminos, tomato paste, celery, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and basil and seal the lid.
- Bring the Instant Pot up to full pressure by using Manual and adjusting to high pressure. Cook for 45 minutes. When time is up, use the quick-release method to lower the pressure.
- Add onions, carrots, and parsnips, and seal the lid.
- Bring the cooker up to full pressure again and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Use the quick-release method again and transfer the roast and vegetables to a serving platter. Enjoy!
Opening the pressure cooker too early ruins the texture of a chuck roast. High pressure forces collagen to break down into gelatin during the initial 45-minute cooking window. Quick-releasing pressure at this stage stops the heat before the meat shreds excessively.
Fresh Versus Dried Herbs
Using fresh oregano, thyme, and basil changes the aromatic profile significantly compared to dried alternatives. Fresh leaves contain volatile oils that release quickly in high heat. Dried herbs require a 1:2 or 1:3 substitution ratio because their flavors are concentrated through dehydration. Add delicate fresh leaves directly into the liquid before sealing to infuse the broth without scorching.
- Meat remains tough after 45 minutes: The roast likely exceeded three and a half pounds. Return it to high pressure for 10-minute intervals.
- Root vegetables turn to mush: Hard vegetables require a separate 10-minute cooking cycle after the meat finishes. Do not add carrots and parsnips at the very beginning.
- Broth lacks body: Whisk an additional tablespoon of tomato paste into the warm liquid to emulsify the fats.
