Instant Pot Five Spice Beef Stew
Instant Pot Five Spice Beef Stew has big flavors and is sure to be a hit with your family!
Things to know:
What is 5 Spice made up of?
Five-spice powder is a spice mixture of five or more spices—commonly star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and fennel seeds—used predominantly in almost all branches of Chinese cuisine.
What is the best way to use Chinese five spice?
Chinese five spice blends sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and savory into one versatile mix that works in meat, sauce, and dessert recipes. Great uses include pork rubs and braises, poultry and duck, a flavored barbecue sauce, baked goods and fruit, soup, plus quick stir fries.
Is Five Spice and allspice the same?
Allspice is a single, dried berry with a flavor like cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and pepper, used in both sweet and savory dishes (Caribbean, baking). Chinese Five Spice is a blend of five spices (star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, fennel), creating a complex, savory, licorice-forward profile for Asian cuisine. The key difference is one ingredient versus a complex blend, leading to distinct uses, though both offer warm, aromatic notes
What is the secret to good beef stew?
A good beef stew features tender, flavorful beef (like chuck roast) seared for a deep crust, a rich broth built with aromatics (onion, garlic, celery) and depth from tomato paste, red wine (optional), and herbs, plus hearty vegetables (potatoes, carrots) cooked until tender, all thickened naturally by flour and starch for a satisfying, deep-flavored comfort food.
What makes the most tender beef stew meat?
The most tender beef stew comes from using well-marbled, collagen-rich cuts like beef chuck or shoulder, cooking it low and slow for hours until connective tissue breaks down into gelatin, and searing the meat first to build flavor before a long braise. Adding acid (wine) or a touch of baking soda can also help tenderize, but the key is patience with a gentle, moist heat to achieve “melt-in-your-mouth” results, not boiling.
Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
2 pounds beef stew meat (we used chuck)
1½ t kosher salt
1 t freshly ground black pepper
1 T Chinese Five Spice seasoning
1 T MSG
1 medium sweet yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup tomato paste
4 cups beef broth
¼ cup dry red wine
1 bay leaf
3 T Hoisin sauce
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup scrubbed and chopped carrots
1 sweet potato peeled and chopped
2 parsnips peeled and chopped
2 turnips peeled and chopped
2 T minced fresh cilantro
fresh basil, chopped for garnish
1. Sprinkle the stew meat with salt, pepper and Five-spice seasoning.
2. Set the Instant Pot to sauté. After 1 minute, add the olive oil and sesame oil. Place half of the stew meat in the pot and cook it until meat has seared on both sides. Transfer the meat to a plate and repeat with the remaining stew meat. Set aside.
3. If needed, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the Instant Pot. Add the onion and sauté until onion is translucent. Add the minced garlic and stir.
4. Add the tomato paste, stir and cook for 1 minute.
5. Pour in the beef broth and wine and add the bay leaf. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the brown bits.
6. Add Hoisin sauce and the seared beef. Mix well.
7. Add celery, carrots, sweet potato, parsnip and turnips.
8. Close the lid on the Instant Pot and be sure the steam valve is closed.
9. Set the manual button to 25 minutes of high pressure and allow the pressure to release naturally.
10. When pressure has released, remove the lid and taste the stew. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
11. This is delicious served on a bed of white rice and with a side of roasted broccoli. ENJOY!
*Note: If stew needs thickening, mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and add it to the stew. Stir to thicken.
Equipment used:
Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Fryer
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