The beef in this Tex-Mex beef stew is so tender, you’re going to have a hard time believing it. Combine that with the silky richness of the sauce, and you’ve got something pretty remarkable. Combine that with the fiesta of flavors in this bowl as a whole, and you’ve got something truly fantastic going on.
The stew, beans, and rice can be made in advance and reheated. The relish is a last-minute item.
Ingredients
2 lb. boneless chuck roast
Salt and pepper
1 Tbs bacon fat
1 large white onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup porter beer
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomato
3 dried Thai chile peppers, stems and seeds removed, minced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground, dried tomato
¼-½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp New Mexico green chile powder
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ cup flour, divided, plus more to taste
¼ cups water, divided, plus more to taste
Balsamic vinegar, to taste
Refried beans, for serving
Rice, for serving
Avocado relish, for serving
Cilantro, minced, for garnish
Directions
- Pat the roast dry. Season generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Set the Sauté function to more (temperature), 13 minutes. Melt the fat, 2 minutes. Sear the roast, 4 minutes on each side. Remove from pot. Add the onion; stir for 2 minutes. When the pot shuts off, pour in the porter. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pot, until you’re sure you’ve loosened any stuck-on bits. Add the tomato, Thai chiles, and spices. Stir. Place the steam rack into the pot. Place the roast on the rack. Twist the lid onto the pot. Set the Meat/Stew function to more (temperature), high (pressure), 50 minutes. Natural Release for at least 40 minutes.
- Use the steam rack to remove the beef to a cutting board. (Optionally, strain the solids out of the liquid. Return the solids to the pot. De-fat the liquid and return it to the pot.) Set the steam rack aside, leaving the beef on the board. Stir 2 Tablespoons of the flour together with 2 Tablespoons of water until no lumps remain. Ladle a cupful of the hot liquid from the pot into the flour mixture and stir until well blended. Stir the flour mixture into the pot. Slice the beef into 1/4-inch slices and return it to the pot. Twist the lid back onto the pot, and set the Soup/Broth function to normal (temperature), low (pressure), 30 minutes. Natural Release.
- Remove the lid from the pot; set aside. Turn on the Sauté function and accept its default settings. Stir 2 Tablespoons of the flour together with 2 Tablespoons of water until no lumps remain. Ladle a cupful of the hot liquid from the pot into the flour mixture and stir until well blended. Stir the flour mixture into the pot. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened, about a minute or two. If the liquid is not as thick as you’d prefer, repeat this process until it is. Turn the pot off. Reach into the pot with kitchen sheers, and snip at the beef chunks until they are to your liking. Stir in a shot of vinegar. Correct seasoning.
- Serve with beans, rice, and avocado salsa, garnish with cilantro.
Notes
- This recipe was developed with a 6-quart Instant Pot. If you use a different type or different size of pot, you may need to make modifications.
- Technically, you’re supposed to wait for the pot to tell you that it’s “hot” before sautéing. I don’t bother with this, and the result seems OK to me; I got a decent sear.
- If you don’t have bacon fat, olive oil will do. But next time you cook bacon, save the fat.
- For the porter, I used a Ninja Bread Man 2020 Holiday Porter, Ashville Brewing Co, that I got for Christmas. Thanks, Chris! What I didn’t use for the stew, I drank – and it was delicious.
- You could substitute another heat source for the Thai peppers. Three is a lot. It leaves the stew decidedly spicy. If you were serving the stew alone, I think it’d be an acceptable level of heat. However, in the context of the dish overall, the three-chile spice level really works.
- I like the full 1/2-teaspoon of cinnamon in this spice blend. It really comes through, while still maintaining balance. However, I’d anticipate some people liking it to be pushed more into an I-wonder-what-that-is vibe; use the 1/4-teaspoon if you think you’re in that tribe.
- At the outset of Step 3, you’re going to be appalled at how awful the beef looks – and don’t even bother tasting it, because it will taste as gross as it looks. You’re going to be sure that something has gone wrong, and/or that I’ve seriously misled you. But trust me, real magic – I swear to you, actual magic – happens in the next cooking phase.
The Backstory
This represents real by-the-seat-of-your-pants cooking for me. I was prompted by a Guiso de Carne recipe that I found on The Chef Mimi blog. Thanks, Mimi! With that for inspiration, I just intuited my way through the creation of this dish.
What makes this stew worth your consideration? First, it’s deeply flavorful. Second, the beef is just incredibly tender. Third, the stew also reheats so beautifully that four days later, it is indistinguishable from fresh. And fourth, there’s so much going on!
I don’t know how you feel about mixing the food on your plate, but if you like that sort of thing, you’re going to flip over this dish. I think there are 15 possible combinations you could create in any given bite. And they’re all good. I especially like the combination of the cold (it’s actually room temperature, but it seems cold in context) avocado relish and the hot beef. (Note that this works best if the beef is piping hot.) I also like what the raw onion in the salsa brings to the dish overall – and I say that as someone who is only a limited fan of raw white onion.
Could you fancy this up Spanish rice instead of plain white rice? Of course.
Tex-Mex Beef Stew in an Instant Pot
Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man! This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything. Thanks, Kesor. Thanks Prosper Circle. In doing research for this post, I found these sites to be helpful: Wegman’s, Craft Beering, Instant Pot Cooking.
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Wow! I didn’t expect to see me in this post! Thanks! I love what you did here. The only chile peppers I have in powdered form are ancho and chipotle. It sounds like a good idea to have ground New Mexico chile pepper around as well. Love the beer addition, too. I used to make chili with chile pepper beer – a beer that actually had a jalapeño in it. They don’t sell it anymore. It was so good.
Chef Mimi recently posted…Bobotie
You’re such an inspiration, Mimi! Wow! Beer with a jalapeno in it!
It sounds amazing, Jeff — definitely want to try this, as I have been hearing of Tex-Mex chili four years. The herbs and spices you use must come together to make a really complex sauce.
I love it, that’s for sure. I hope you do, too!
That looks incredibly saucy, comforting and GOOD. I can tell that the beef is really tender and flavourful thanks to all the wonderful spices, porter and bacon fat :-))
angiesrecipes recently posted…Eggs with Herb Sour Cream Sauce
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This looks wonderful!
anne in the kitchen recently posted…Robert’s Rules of Dinner
Thank you, Ann!
Sounds great. And the porter is a good touch. Porter, I imagine, would add a lot to many recipes.
Thanks! Porter is great with beef.
I love this type of dish! Im such a “seat-of-the-pants” cook usually that this is perfect for me! And yay for the Instant Pot! I do love just tossing everything in and setting it to GO! Nice recipe, sounds incredibly flavorful!
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Oh man, there is so much flavor going on in this dish, Jeff! I like it! You, sir, are hereby crowned the King of Instant Pot. What a unique and delicious instant pot recipe. I love tender beef, and I love Tex-Mex flavors, so I know this would be a welcome sight here in our house! Also, I appreciate that you only used 8 oz. of porter – that means I can drink the rest while making this recipe.
David @ Spiced recently posted…Carta di Musica
Exactly, David! And then drink a second one with the meal!
Oh my goodness what a gorgeous dish Jeff! I can totally see how all these flavors go beautifully together. Each bite must be AMAZING!!!
Shannon recently posted…Beyond Meat Grilled Potato Spinach Quesadillas
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A new word learned, chuck. Haven´t seen this here yet!
Reheating is better? Try our kale, yummmm… over days! Hoping to find some tomorrow (it´s a winter-dish here).
Iris Flavia recently posted…No Milk Today
Cuts of meat have different names in different parts of the world.
Love Tex-Mex flavor. And this dish looks outstanding. Lotta flavor here — winner! 🙂
John / Kitchen Riffs recently posted…Scallion Gratin
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Woow looks great! Very unique ingredients, and very special recipe. Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome!
What an incredibly dish, Jeff. “A fiesta of flavors” indeed! I don’t have an instant pot, but I’m thinking my Dutch oven will work well. 🙂 ~Valentina
I’ll bet that’d work. You might lose more liquid, so you’ll have to check that.
Jeff, just last night Eva and I were discussing which kitchen appliances we could not live without and my choice was our Instant Pot (Hers was the espresso machine). I love this recipe as it melds the classic pot roast stew with a touch of chili. The sides are perfect and the leftover would make amazing soft tacos.
Ron recently posted…A Swedish nouveau-salmon dish…
I’d have a hard time choosing between an espresso machine and the instant pot. I do have to say, though, that I’m loving the instant pot!
This looks wonderful and delicious !!!
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I love that you are using slow cooked beef for this recipe Jeff and not minced beef , I can tell it would be delicious. Any beer would do I guess, I’m not familiar with the one you use or the word porter. There’s always something to learn which makes blogging such fun. Thanks so much for this, so flavoursome.
Pauline recently posted…Slow Cooker Vietnamese Pulled Pork with Char Sui Sauce and a Wombok Salad
Thanks, Pauline. Porter is a dark, happy, English beer. I’ve made similar dishes with pilsner, which are perhaps easier to find. A flavorful liquid is what you’re after, with a touch of bitterness.
I haven’t succumbed to the Instapot yet but with recipes like this, I can’t imagine it will be long before I do! We adore Tex Mex flavours and JT adores stews so I’m sure thiscwould be a huge hit.
Eva Taylor recently posted…Tanzghong Brioche Slider Buns
I’m not one for fads, but I have to tell you that I’ve very much adopted the instant pot. It’s useful.
Love all the flavors in this one, Jeff! And all that spice! Looks completely delicious, and I’m looking forward to trying when I get back to my Instant Pot!
Molly Pisula recently posted…Easy Puff Pastry Cheese Straws
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sembra molto gustoso questo piatto !
buon week end
Alice
Alice recently posted…Zeppoline di pasta cresciuta
Thank you! It really is!
This Texas girl really likes the sound of your beef stew…so much flavor going on. I’m not of the few who doesn’t have an Instant Pot but it seems like everyone loves them.
Karen (Back Road Journal) recently posted…Spring Pea And Lamb Pasta With Minty Pea Pesto
I’m thinking you meant to say you ARE one of the few? If so, I empathize with you. I was given the pot, and at first used it only out of curiosity. Turns out, I really have found it to be rather useful.
lots of fab flavours here jeff. Sounds very hearty and tasty.
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Sounds delicious, Jeff! I especially like the porter beer, gives beef such a wonderful, intense flavor.
Thanks, Frank!
You are absolutely right – there is A LOT going on in this dish. A lot of goodness for sure. Beer and beef is always a great start then all of the seasoning is so tasty. I can see why this just got better with time. A very interesting addition with the chilled avocado relish on top. Very creative dish!
Thank you!