Sup-sup-supper time: My one pot take on a Beef Plov using an Instant Pot - Rijacki's Plov

 

During the pandemic lockdown I have had more time to experiment with the Instant Pot we got a couple years ago as a gift from my sweetie's dad. I was fishing about on Google for recipes using chicken in the Instant Pot and stumbled on Beef Plov after a few meanderings. I tweaked it a bit over time and now it's my favourite thing with beef and rice and vegetables. 

My beef plov inspired one pot dish, Rijacki's Plov, ends up being a bit like a beef stew but with rice instead of the broth. The recipe is inexact because I make it with "hmm.. a bit of this, a bit of that, more of that this time, less of this" with lots of options. It's a hearty meal for a chilly day. 

Beef Roast 2-3lbs: I use a small roast of whatever type was conveniently on sale. Stewing meat would be okay but generally has a lot more connective tissue and is a lot of end cuts.

1-2 Onions: Yellow onions though a mix of yellow and red is good, too, if that's what in your pantry and needs to be used. Two small or one large onion is good, though more if you like it more oniony works, too.

2-4c cut-up carrots and/or other root vegetables: Carrots and brown turnip (also called rutabaga) are my choices. They make for a hearty stew and a hearty plov, too. Brown turnip is not as sweet as white turnip. It's a lot more like potato but not as mealy. It has a very mild flavour but adds vitamins and a nice texture difference. For tonight, I used two different types of carrots because the big one needed to be used and the little ones just fill in extra. I love the huge carrots that we get up here. They're a different variety of carrot that just grows jumbo and is available in Autumn and winter. 

2-3c brown rice: Brown rice takes longer to cook so stands up to the longer cooking time of the beef.  I generally use 2c of brown rice and add mixed wild rice and grains and barley for a bit of variety. Basically, you want about 3c of grains. 

Optional: 1/2-3/4c Mixed grain and wild rice: The mixed rice adds more favour and texture

Optional: 1/4-1/2c barley: My sweetie and I like barley in our stew, so I started adding it in the plov as well.

Optional: 12oz can stewed tomato: My first variation from a traditional plov was dropping the tomatoes. I don't like them and they don't like me, so off they go. But, if you want to add them, a canned of stewed tomatoes with the bits cut up, reduce the other liquid by at least 1/4c. 

1 tbs olive oil: I prefer olive oil but any vegetable oil can be used instead

2 tsp salt: adjust to taste

1-2 tsp black pepper: adjust to taste, I use a pepper grinder for fresh pepper. 

1 tsp powdered garlic: If you prefer you can mince a clove of garlic. The powdered kind is just easier on my digestion. 

1 tsp dried mustard: Dried mustard adds a mild zing. 

1/2 tsp thyme: Thyme adds savoury to the rice and the beef.

2 bay leaves: Bay adds big flavour to soups and stews and plovs.

Optional 1/2 tsp fennel seed: Fennel seed adds a bit of rusticness. 

3c water or beef broth (less if using stewed tomato): We use Knorr beef stock bullion. One pod makes 3 cups broth. We often heat the pod with the water before pouring it in, but occasionally toss the pod into the pot with everything else and just mix.

I cut up the meat first into 1 inch (ish) cubes I keep the fat, too, because it adds flavour. While cutting the beef, I set the Instant Pot for saute to pre-heat and add the oil to cover the bottom of the pot. I start sauteing the beef while I cut up the rest, onions first because they go in to saute with the beef.

Sauteing the beef and the onion can be omitted but they do add favour if they're browned first. 

Cut up the carrots and brown turnip into bite-size pieces, about an inch-ish. I don't peel them, more vitamins, but do wash them well and trim the ends. 

Everything gets dumped into the pot and mix well. Make sure you don't go over the pot's max line.

Set the pot for Meat Stew and 40 mins. Put on the lid, making sure the pressure thingy is in not in the release position. 

And then comes the waiting..... It's best to let it to a natural release and not turn the release knob as soon as the pressure cooking has dinged to say it's done, but if the smells are driving you nuts and you suddenly remember you forgot to have lunch, you can carefully release the steam. However, if you let the steam naturally release, it will continue to cook on low and blend its flavours. Tonight we only waited about 10 mins after the ding and then another 8 mins of release.

When you first open it up, you might see some liquid. All is good, just stir it up and serve. Careful, it's hot. Don't forget to discard the bay leaves when you find them. 

The leftovers can be frozen just like a stew.