Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon

Tips for making instant pot beef bourguignon:

• There’s a long list of ingredients, so have everything measured and ready to go. Don’t start the recipe until you have all of the ingredients prepped.
• Use kitchen scissors to “dice” the bacon instead of a knife and cutting board. So much easier!
• I use xanthan gum as a thickener because it’s low carb. To substitute with corn starch, mix 2 tablespoons of corn starch with 1/2 cup cold beef stock in a small bowl until the corn starch is dissolved. Then pour it into the pot and stir together with the stew to thicken.
• To make this dish paleo and whole 30 compliant, replace the red wine with beef stock.
• Beef bourguignon is best enjoyed right after cooking and I’m not a fan of how the leftovers look and taste. If you must have leftovers, I suggest reheating in a saucepan on the stove top for best results.

Ingredients

• 1.5 - 2 pounds beef chuck roast cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 5 strips bacon diced
• 1 small onion chopped
• 10 ounces cremini mushrooms quartered
• 2 carrots chopped
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 3 bay leaves
• 3/4 cup dry red wine
• 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (or corn starch, read post for instructions)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Generously season beef chunks with salt and pepper, and set aside. Select the saute mode on the pressure cooker for medium heat. When the display reads HOT, add diced bacon and cook for about 5 minutes until crispy, stirring frequently. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate.
2. Add the beef to the pot in a single layer and cook for a few minutes to brown, then flip and repeat for the other side. Transfer to a plate when done.
3. Add onions and garlic. Cook for a few minutes to soften, stirring frequently. Add red wine and tomato paste, using a wooden spoon to briefly scrape up flavorful brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Stir to check that the tomato paste is dissolved. Turn off the saute mode.
4. Transfer the beef back to the pot. Add mushrooms, carrots, and thyme, stirring together. Top with bay leaves. Secure and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 40 minutes, followed by a manual pressure release.
5. Uncover and select the saute mode. Remove bay leaves. Evenly sprinkle xanthan gum over the pot and stir together. Let the stew boil for a minute to thicken while stirring. Turn off the saute mode. Serve into bowls and top with crispy bacon.