cooking, Food, Recipes

The 3-Minute Pressure Cooker Roast Beef That Tastes Like You’ve Been Cooking All Day

Posted by JH-M on

When I was growing up in New Jersey, roast beef and mashed potatoes were a regular part of our dinner rotation. There was something comforting about a perfectly cooked roast, smothered in gravy and served alongside creamy mashed potatoes. Too bad this was a one thing at my mother could not make. The meat was overcooked and I had to slap mashed potatoes on top just so I could eat it. But I enjoyed it anyway.

The other day, I had such a craving for roast beef and mashed potatoes that I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I wanted that old-fashioned comfort food without spending hours tending a roast in the oven.

Enter the pressure cooker.

Now before you think I’ve lost my mind, yes—the actual pressure cook time is only three minutes. Three! The magic happens during the natural release. The roast continues cooking while it rests in the sealed pot, resulting in a beautifully tender roast that’s perfectly rare to medium-rare.

I used an eye of round roast that weighed just under three pounds, and after a 40-minute natural release, it came out absolutely perfect. Slice it thin, spoon over some homemade gravy, and serve it with mashed potatoes and sautéed shiitake mushrooms for a meal that feels like it took all day.

Don’t be fooled by that three-minute cook time—it definitely keeps cooking while it’s waiting. Trust me on this one!

Pressure Cooker Roast Beef

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2–4 lb beef roast (eye of round or rump roast)
  • Sea salt and organic black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon organic extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 organic onion, thickly sliced
  • 1 cup organic beef broth
  • ½ cup red wine
  • 4 teaspoons organic tamari
  • 4 cloves organic garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh organic thyme
  • 1 teaspoon fresh organic rosemary, minced

For the Gravy

  • 4 tablespoons organic flour
  • ¼ cup water

Instructions

  1. Season the roast generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
  2. Turn your pressure cooker to the Sauté setting. Once hot, add the olive oil and brown the roast on all sides.
  3. Remove the roast and set aside.
  4. Add the onion, beef broth, red wine, and tamari to the pot. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up all the flavorful browned bits from the bottom.
  5. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and rosemary.
  6. Return the roast to the pressure cooker. You can place it on a trivet if desired, but I placed mine directly in the pot.
  7. Cancel the Sauté setting. Secure the lid and cook on High Pressure for 3 minutes. Make sure the Keep Warm setting is turned on.
  8. When the cooking time ends, allow the pressure cooker to sit undisturbed for a 20–45 minute natural release. I found that 40 minutes produced the perfect rare-to-medium-rare roast.
  9. Check the temperature if desired:
    • Rare: 115–120°F
    • Medium Rare: 125°F
    • Medium: 140°F
    • Medium Well: 150°F (add an extra minute of cook time)
  10. Transfer the roast to a platter and loosely tent with foil while making the gravy.

Make the Gravy

  1. Turn the pressure cooker back to the Sauté setting.
  2. Whisk together the flour and water until smooth.
  3. Slowly stir the mixture into the simmering cooking liquid.
  4. Continue stirring until the gravy thickens.
  5. Turn off the heat and serve over thinly sliced roast beef.

My Favorite Mashed Potato Pairings

The beauty of this roast beef is that it pairs perfectly with creamy mashed potatoes. Here are a few of my favorite versions:

  • Horseradish Mashed Potatoes from Epicurious
  • Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes by Ree Drummond at Food Network
  • Brillat Savarin Triple-Cream Mashed Potatoes from Gourmet de Paris

Whether you’re craving an old-fashioned Sunday dinner or simply want an easy comfort-food meal during the week, this pressure cooker roast beef delivers every time. Tender slices of beef, rich homemade gravy, creamy mashed potatoes, and sautéed mushrooms make this a meal worthy of company—but easy enough for a Tuesday night.

And remember, while the pressure cooker only cooks for three minutes, that roast is working hard during the natural release. Sometimes the best recipes are the ones that seem too good to be true!

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