Pressure Cooker Round Steak and Vegetables

Pressure cooker round steak and vegetables

The Spruce Eats

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 75 mins
Servings: 6 servings

A pressure cooker is a home cook's secret weapon when it comes to long-cooking cuts of meat and limited time to prepare them. It cooks by trapped steam pressure, so cooking time is greatly reduced and the pressurized steam forces any liquid into the food. The result is melt-in-your-mouth tender meat. These days the Instant Pot and similar electric pressure cookers rule.

A round steak is a lean cut from the rear of the animal, and because it lacks the fat present in most steaks, it tends to become dry and tough when cooked without moisture. This recipe for round steak includes potatoes and onions, along with some bacon for flavor.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons shortening, or vegetable oil

  • 2 strips bacon, diced

  • 2 pounds round steak

  • 3/4 cup beef stock, low-sodium or unsalted

  • 1/2 cup dry white wine, or more beef stock

  • 2 (4-ounce) cans mushrooms, drained

  • 6 small white onions, or about 1 cup sliced onions

  • 6 medium potatoes, peeled and halved

  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, mixed with 2 tablespoons water, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for round steak and vegetables recipe gathered

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  2. Heat the pressure cooker and add the shortening and bacon. Cook until the bacon is almost crisp. Remove the bacon pieces to paper towels with a slotted spoon.

    Heat the pressure cooker and add the shortening and bacon

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  3. Cut the steak into cubes or serving-size pieces. Brown the beef in the hot shortening and bacon drippings. 

    Cubed steak in pressure cooker

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  4. Add the beef stock and wine and seal the cooker. Place the pressure regulator on the vent pipe. 

    Add the beef stock and wine

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  5. Cook the steak on high pressure for 8 minutes. 

    Cook the steak

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  6. Add the reserved bacon, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, parsley, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. 

    Add the reserved bacon, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, parsley, salt, pepper, and bay leaf

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  7. Seal the cooker again and cook for 8 more minutes; let the pressure drop of its own accord.

    Seal the cooker

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  8. Discard the bay leaf.

  9. Remove the meat and the vegetables to a warm serving platter to keep warm.

    Remove the meat and the vegetables

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  10. If desired, combine 1 tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of water; stir until smooth.

    Combine 1 tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of water

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  11. Add the flour paste to the liquids and simmer the sauce until thickened, stirring constantly.

    Add the flour paste to the liquids

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  12. Serve the round steak and vegetables with the thickened gravy. 

    Round steak and vegetables recipe on a plate

    The Spruce Eats

Recipe Variation

  • Feel free to add a cup of sliced carrots to the pot along with the potatoes and onions. 

Tips

  • Pressure cooker recipes don't require as much liquid as standard recipes, and that's why this recipe calls for only 1/2 cup of wine plus the mushroom juices. You can always add more liquid if you like—it won't hurt anything—but never use less than 1 cup. You need enough to build up trapped steam inside the cooker. 
  • For uniform cooking, make sure your steak is cut into pieces as close in size as possible. 
  • Steam can be affected by altitude. If you live at a high elevation, increase the cooking time by 5 percent for every 1,000 feet over 2,000 feet above sea level.
  • Pressure cookers can be either stove-top or electric. If you've never used one before, consider starting out with an electric cooker. It will provide you with easy, clear-cut directions and take a lot of the guesswork out of cooking. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
583 Calories
20g Fat
46g Carbs
54g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 583
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 25%
Saturated Fat 7g 37%
Cholesterol 142mg 47%
Sodium 736mg 32%
Total Carbohydrate 46g 17%
Dietary Fiber 6g 20%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 54g
Vitamin C 22mg 110%
Calcium 59mg 5%
Iron 7mg 37%
Potassium 1635mg 35%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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