Okay, Let’s Talk About This AMAZING Beef and Potatoes Dish!
Right, so picture this: it’s Tuesday night, everyone’s knackered, and the thought of making a complicated dinner is just… no. That’s usually when these Cooker Garlic Butter Beef Bites and Potatoes save my bacon! I think I first threw this together ages ago when I had some leftover steak tips and a bag of spuds needing using up, and honestly? It was one of those happy accidents that turned into a family legend. It’s comfort food dialed up to eleven, and using the pressure cooker means it’s ridiculously quick. Plus, garlic butter? Come on, everything’s better with garlic butter.
Why We Basically Live Off This Now
- It’s SO FAST: Seriously, form start to finish, you’re looking at maybe 30-40 minutes? Most of that is hands-off time while the cooker does its magic. Perfect for chaotic weeknights.
- One Pot Wonder: Fewer dishes = happier me. Everything cooks right in the pressure cooker insert. Hallelujah!
- That Flavour Combo: Tender beef, fluffy potatoes, rich garlic butter… it’s just *chef’s kiss*. My kids actually cheer when they know this is for dinner (a rare event, let me tell you!).
- Foolproof (Mostly!): Even if you’re a bit nervous about pressure cookers, this one’s pretty straightforward. I did once forget the sealing ring – messy mistake, don’t do that! – but generally, it’s plain sailing.
What You’ll Need (Give or Take)
Okay, here’s the shopping list, but don’t sweat it if you need to swap things around a bit.
- Beef: About 1.5 lbs (maybe 700g?) of beef stew meat or sirloin tips, cut into bite-sized cubes (like 1-inch pieces). Chuck works too but might need a tad longer cooking.
- Potatoes: Around 1.5 lbs (another 700g-ish) of small potatoes, halved or quartered if they’re bigger. Yukon Golds are my fave because they get creamy, but baby reds work great too. Honestly, whatever potatoes you have are probably fine.
- Butter: Half a stick (4 tablespoons / 57g) of unsalted butter. You can use salted, just maybe cut back on the added salt later. Sometimes if I’m out, I’ll use a mix of butter and olive oil.
- Garlic: Loads. Like, 4-6 cloves, minced. Or more! Don’t be shy. I sometimes use the pre-minced stuff form a jar when I’m feeling lazy, works okay but fresh is best.
- Beef Broth: 1 cup (about 240ml). Low sodium is good so you can control the saltiness.
- Worcestershire Sauce: A good splash, maybe 1 tablespoon? Adds a lovely depth.
- Herbs: Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish is lovely. Dried herbs work in a pinch too – maybe a teaspoon of Italian seasoning?
- Salt and Pepper: To taste. Obviously.
- Oil: A tablespoon or so of vegetable or olive oil for searing.
- Optional: A sprinkle of red pepper flakes if you like a tiny bit of heat, or maybe some onion powder added with the salt and pepper.
Right, Let’s Get Cooking!
- Prep First: Get your beef cubed, potatoes chopped, garlic minced. It makes everything smoother once you start cooking. Pat the beef dry with paper towels – helps it brown better. Season it generously with salt and pepper.
- Sear the Beef: Set your pressure cooker (like an Instant Pot) to the ‘Sauté’ function on high. Add the oil. Once it’s shimmering hot (don’t rush this bit!), add the beef cubes in batches. Don’t overcrowd the pot, or it’ll steam instead of sear. Brown them on all sides. This adds SO much flavour. Remove the beef to a plate once browned. This is where I usually sneak a taste… purely for quality control, you understand.
- Garlic Butter Time: Turn the Sauté function down to medium or low. Add the butter to the pot. Once it’s melted, toss in the minced garlic and sauté for just a minute until it smells amazing – don’t let it burn! Oh my goodness, the smell.
- Deglaze!: Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. That’s pure gold, flavour-wise! Turn off the Sauté function.
- Combine and Cook: Return the beef (and any juices from the plate!) to the pot. Add the chopped potatoes on top. Don’t stir too much right now.
- Pressure Up: Secure the lid, make sure the steam release valve is set to ‘Sealing’. Select the ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ setting and set the timer for about 8-10 minutes on high pressure. (Maybe 8 mins for sirloin, 10 for chuck or stew meat).
- Release!: Once the cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally for about 5-10 minutes (this helps keep the beef tender). Then, carefully perform a quick release to vent any remaining steam. Stand back when you do this!
- Finish it Off: Open the lid. Give everything a gentle stir. The potatoes should be tender and the beef super juicy. If the sauce seems a bit thin, you can turn the Sauté function back on for a few minutes and let it bubble away and reduce slightly. Or, mix a teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water and stir that in to thicken it up quick-smart.
- Serve!: Stir in the fresh parsley (if using). Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve it up hot!
A Few Notes From My Kitchen
- Seriously, don’t skip searing the beef. I tried it once to save time and the flavour was just… meh. Not worth it.
- If your potatoes are really small (like tiny new potatoes), you might even get away with leaving them whole. Just make sure they’re all roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
- The natural pressure release is kinda important for tender beef, I reckon. Rushing it with a full quick release can sometimes make stew meat a bit tougher.
- Don’t worry if it looks a bit liquidy when you first open the pot – it often thickens up as it cools slightly, or just use the Sauté trick I mentioned.
Fancy Trying Something Different? (Variations I’ve Played With)
Sometimes I chuck in a sliced onion with the garlic for extra flavour. Mushrooms are also ACE in this – add them after searing the beef and sauté them before the garlic. I also tried adding some chopped carrots once, which was nice but made it feel a bit more like a traditional stew. Oh, and one time I tried using lamb instead of beef… honestly, it wasn’t my favourite, the flavour balance felt a bit off for *this* particular recipe, but maybe you’d like it?
You could also play with herbs – thyme or rosemary would be lovely instead of (or as well as) parsley. Maybe check out a guide to herbs if you’re unsure what goes well, something like this one from The Spruce Eats is pretty handy.
Gadgets You’ll Need (or kinda need)
- Electric Pressure Cooker: Yeah, kinda essential for the ‘cooker’ part! An Instant Pot or similar multi-cooker is perfect. I suppose you *could* adapt this for a slow cooker (sear first, then cook on low for 4-6 hours maybe?) or even a Dutch oven on the stovetop (sear, then simmer covered for like 1.5-2 hours), but the pressure cooker is where it’s at for speed. If you’re thinking of getting one, there are loads of reviews online, maybe check out Serious Eats’ guide?
- Wooden Spoon: For scraping those tasty bits!
- Knife and Cutting Board: For the chopping. Standard stuff.
Storing the Leftovers (If You Have Any!)
This stuff keeps really well in the fridge for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Just reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Though honestly, in my house, leftovers are a mythical creature – it usually gets demolished on day one! I actually think it’s flavour might even be better the next day sometimes, though the potatoes aren’t *quite* as perfect texture-wise.
How We Like to Eat It
Honestly, it’s a meal in itself! We just scoop it into bowls and dig in. Sometimes, if I’m feeling fancy or we need to stretch it further, I’ll serve it with some crusty bread to mop up that gorgeous garlic butter sauce, or maybe a simple green salad on the side. My youngest insists on having his with a dollop of sour cream, which is… an interesting choice, but hey, whatever floats your boat!
Pro Tips Learned the Hard Way
- Don’t overcrowd when searing! I mentioned it before, but it bears repeating. Soggy grey beef is sad beef. Brown in batches, trust me.
- Check your cooker’s seal! Make sure the silicone ring is properly seated in the lid *before* you lock it. I once spent 10 minutes wondering why it wasn’t coming to pressure, only to find the ring sitting on the counter. D’oh!
- Liquid measurement matters: Too little liquid and you might get a ‘burn’ notice. Too much and your sauce will be watery. The 1 cup of broth seems to be the sweet spot for me in my 6-quart pot.
- Cut potatoes evenly: It really does help them cook through at the same rate. No one wants a mix of mushy and rock-hard spuds.
Oh, I nearly forgot! We went apple picking last weekend, completely unrelated I know, but the sheer volume of apples we now have is slightly terrifying. Any good apple recipes, send them my way!
Got Questions? I Might Have Answers! (FAQ)
- Can I use frozen beef?
- You probably *could*, but I’d recommend thawing it first for best results, especially for searing. If you cook form frozen, you’ll likely need to add a few extra minutes to the pressure cooking time.
- What’s the best cut of beef for this?
- Sirloin tips are great because they’re already quite tender. Stew meat (like chuck) works really well too, it becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender after pressure cooking. Just make sure it’s cut into reasonably small, even pieces.
- Is it spicy?
- Nope, not as written! It’s rich and savoury. If you *want* heat, add those red pepper flakes I mentioned earlier, or maybe even a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- My sauce is too thin, help!
- Easy peasy! Just use the ‘Sauté’ function for a few minutes to let it bubble and reduce, OR whisk up that cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp cold water) and stir it in while the sauce is simmering. It’ll thicken up right away. Sorted!
- Can I add other vegetables?
- Definitely! Onions, mushrooms, carrots, even peas (stirred in at the very end) could work. Just be mindful that some veggies might need different cooking times or release more water.
simo
Med