The Broke Baker

Category: Beef

  • Pressure Cooker Chili

    Pressure Cooker Chili

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    After searching online for a chili recipe for my Instant Pot, I was disappointed to find that most of them used canned beans. So, I decided to come up with my own recipe for chili. Everyone that has tasted it so far has loved it, so hopefully you will too.

    The first thing you need to do is par-cook your beans. I used small red beans. You can use red kidney beans if you prefer, but I like these better.

    The goal is to cook the beans about 3/4 of the way through. This way, they can finish cooking once the chili is fully prepared. For these beans, I cooked them for about 20 minutes with a 15 minute Natural Release.

    Preparing the beans can be done a day in advance. Just store the beans in the refrigerator until you’re ready to prepare your chili.

    Once you’re ready to begin making the chili, get all of your ingredients together. This will help the process go much faster.

    Brown your ground beef in 1 tbsp of oil on the Saute setting of the pressure cooker. When the meat is browned, add the onions and cook until soft. Then, add the garlic and diced jalapenos. Cook for an additional minute or so, until fragrant. Then, add the spices and beef bouillon.

    Add the beer and use your spoon to scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the diced tomato and tomato sauce. Lastly, add the par-cooked beans. Cover the pressure cooker, seal, and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes. Once the timer is done, allow the pressure to release naturally for about 15 minutes before you release any remaining pressure. Give the chili a stir, then taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

    Let the chili rest at least 20 minutes before serving. I prefer making it a day in advance to let the flavors REALLY meld, but I understand that not all of us are that patient.

    Pressure Cooker Chili

    Ingredients

    • 1lb dry red beans
    • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
    • 2 lbs lean ground beef
    • 1 medium onion, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 jalapeno peppers, diced
    • 2 cans fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles
    • 3 8oz cans of tomato sauce
    • 1 12oz bottle of beer
    • 2 tbsp chili powder
    • 1 tbsp cumin powder
    • 2 tsp oregano
    • 2 tsp smoked paprika
    • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
    • 2 small beef bouillon cubes (or 1 large)
    • 1 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
    • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

    Directions

    Add the beans to the liner of your electric pressure cooker with 4 cups of water. Cover, seal, and cook on High Pressure for 20-25 minutes. When the timer completes, allow the pressure to release for 15 minutes before releasing any remaining pressure. Drain the beans and set aside.

    Preheat the liner of your pressure cooker on the Saute/Browning setting. When the liner is hot, add the oil and ground beef and cook until no more pink is visible. Add the diced onion and cook until soft. Add the minced garlic and diced jalapeno. Cook until the garlic is fragrant.

    Add all of the spices, stirring until the meat mixture is evenly coated in the seasonings. Add the beer and scrape up any browned bits that stuck to the bottom of the liner. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, then stir in the beans.

    Cover, seal, and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes. When the timer completes, allow the pressure to release naturally for an additional 15 minutes before you release any remaining pressure. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

    Allow to rest at least 20 minutes before serving, then serve with your choice of toppings.

  • Pressure Cooker Cheeseburger Mac

    Pressure Cooker Cheeseburger Mac

    Sometimes, it’s the simple things that give us happiness.  Like cheeseburger mac.  My mom used to make it for us when we were kids.  She used boxed mac and cheese (the kind with the liquid cheese packet).  Now that I’m an adult, I figured I should elevate it a little bit.  That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t need to be easy to make, though!  Making it in my Instant Pot takes care of that part.

    This recipe is best eaten as soon as it is made, but leftovers can be reheated if needed.  Just microwave in 30-second intervals with a little bit of milk until it’s creamy again.

    Pressure Cooker Cheeseburger Mac

    Ingredients

    • 1 tbsp oil (use a high heat oil)
    • 1 1/2lbs (24oz) lean ground beef
    • 1/2 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tsp onion powder
    • 1 tsp ground black pepper
    • 1/4 tsp mustard powder
    • 1/2 tsp chili powder
    • 1lb dried macaroni noodles (I used cavatappi, but you can also use elbow noodles)
    • 4 cups low sodium beef broth or water
    • 3 tbsp butter
    • 1/2 cup half-and-half (you can also use milk or heavy cream)
    • 4oz cream cheese, cut into cubes
    • 8oz shredded colby jack cheese
    • 8oz shredded cheddar cheese (I used white cheddar)

    Directions

    Heat the oil in the liner of your pressure cooker in the Saute/Browning setting.

    When it is hot, add the ground beef.  Cook, breaking up the pieces, until no longer pink.  Stir in the seasonings, then turn off the pressure cooker.

    Place the dried noodles over the ground beef, then pour in the broth or water.  Top with butter.

    Cover, seal, and cook on Manual (High Pressure) for 4 minutes.  When the timer is up, leave the pressure cooker on Keep Warm and release the pressure manually.

    Add the cubed cream cheese and stir until melted.  Add the half-and-half, then gradually add the cheese, a little bit at a time, until completely melted and creamy.  Serve hot.

  • Pressure Cooker Rabo Encendido (Oxtail Stew)

    Pressure Cooker Rabo Encendido (Oxtail Stew)

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    In my circle of friends, I am notorious for not being a particularly adventurous eater.  Keep those beef hearts and chicken feet away from me, and don’t even get me started on the time that I found out that beef tongue (something my mom made for us a lot growing up) was meant to be taken literally.  I mean, it’s not like “pigs in a blanket” means you’re eating blankets, right!?  With that in mind, I can’t really explain why I still love rabo encendido (oxtail stew) so much.  Yes, you’re technically eating a cow’s tail. I don’t care.  It’s delicious.

    According to my mother, she and my father first had rabo encendido at a Cuban restaurant long before I was born.  He liked it so much that he begged her to learn how to make it.  This was long before there was the Internet and sources to get copycat recipes from, so she just set out to figure it out on her own.  In the end, her version of rabo encendido is different than what you get at a traditional Cuban restaurant, but it’s what I grew up eating.  As a result, none of the versions that I get at Cuban restaurants ever tastes “right” to me.  So, thanks Mom for ruining my palate for the real thing, but I love you anyway because your version tastes better.  🙂

    Originally, making oxtails was a stovetop affair that took a good 6 hours.  Nowadays, I make them in my Instant Pot, and it makes the process MUCH faster.  I can get rabo encendido on the table for dinner on a weeknight after work, which is a VERY big deal.

    The base of the sauce is made from tomato, garlic, and red pepper.  Just throw this into a blender with white wine and puree.  Add your oxtails to the liner of your pressure cooker and throw the chunks of green pepper and onion on top, along with the bay leaves.  Pour the tomato and red pepper puree over the ingredients in the pressure cooker liner, then add the seasonings.  Seal the pressure cooker and set to 45 minutes.  When the timer goes off, allow the pressure to release naturally for another 15-20 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.

    When it is safe to open the pressure cooker, do so and remove the cooked oxtails and vegetables, but leave the liquid in the pressure cooker liner.  Set the oxtails aside and discard the cooked onions and peppers.  Skim as much fat as you can from the cooking liquid, then set the pressure cooker to Saute/Browning on the highest possible setting, allowing the liquid to come to a simmer.  When the liquid is simmering, add the cooked oxtails and continue heating until the sauce has reduced by about half.

    This results in oxtails that are tender, but may still have a little bit of resistance near the bone.  This is how I like them, but if you like them to be completely falling apart then you might want to add another 10-15 minutes of pressure-keeping time.  Either way, they will be flavorful and delicious!  I like to serve them with a side of white rice, and sometimes I’ll fry up some sweet plantains if I have them.

    Pressure Cooker Rabo Encendido (Oxtail Stew)

    Ingredients

    • 3 lbs oxtails
    • 1 medium onion, cut into large chunks
    • 1 green pepper, cut into large chunks
    • 1 red bell pepper
    • 2 Roma tomatoes
    • 4 cloves of garlic
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 packet Goya seasoning (the kind that says “con Azafran”)
    • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 tbsp vinegar (I use red wine vinegar)
    • 1 tbsp hot sauce
    • 1 cup white cooking wine
    • 1 8oz can Spanish-style tomato sauce
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Directions

    Using a blender, blend the tomato, red pepper, garlic, and white wine until a coarse puree is formed.

    In the liner of the pressure cooker, combine the oxtails, green pepper, onions, bay leaves, Goya seasoning, cumin, hot sauce, vinegar, and salt and pepper.  Pour the red pepper and tomato puree over the ingredients in the pressure cooker, then cover and seal.

    Cook on Manual (High pressure) for 45-60 minutes (depending on desired tenderness), then allow the pressure to release naturally for about 15-20 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure.  Open the pressure cooker and remove the oxtails and vegetables, but leaving the liquid in the liner.  Discard the vegetables and set the oxtails aside.  Strain as much fat from the cooking liquid in the liner as you can.

    Add the tomato sauce to the liquid in the pot, then set the pressure cooker to the highest Saute/Browning setting.  When the liquid starts to simmer, return the oxtails to the pot.  Continue cooking until the liquid has reduced by about half, then taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.  Serve hot.

    Makes about 4 servings.