Instant Pot carne con papas recipe is a version of our favorite classic Cuban dish made in half the time. It’s tender pieces of chuck beef are seared then braised with potatoes and vegetables for the ultimate beef stew.
What is Carne Con Papas
Simply said, Carne con papas is very similar to a pot roast. It’s a comforting dish of braised beef surrounded by veggies in a thick gravy-like sauce. Our traditional low and slow version of Carne con Papas takes about 3 hours to make. The instant pot tenderizes the meat much quicker with the pressure-cooking setting and you don’t miss out on the flavor.
Unlike the traditional recipe, we do add cornstarch to this version of Instant Pot carne con papas. We find that it helps thicken the sauce slightly. You can skip the cornstarch, just anticipate the sauce will be a lot thinner than what you may be used to. Ideally the sauce resembles a thin gravy.
Our Tips for the Instant Pot Carne Con Papas
Searing the Carne
Searing the meat at the start of the recipe is a big step. It takes a little bit of time, around 20 minutes. There are days where maybe you don’t have the time, and it’s ok. Searing is not absolutely required. This recipe can be done without searing. You can skip straight to the sofrito step (cannot be skipped). HOWEVER, searing the meat really gives it so much added flavor. It does make a big difference. This step is what gives the dish a lot of flavor. The crust and caramelization of searing are worth the extra time.
If you do sear the meat pieces, don’t over crowd your pan, otherwise the meat won’t brown and will steam.
Liquid
The rule of thumb here is balance. We don’t want too much and we don’t want too little.
It’s important to add the right amount of liquid. Too much liquid will make the stew too brothy and watery with very little body. If you use too little liquid in the pot will have you run the risk of the meat burning. It needs to be just right. A good rule of thumb when you are braising is that you don’t want the liquid to fully submerge the meat. You want it to cover it a little more than half way.
The Saute Mode
In our opinion, the best thing about the Instant Pot is being able to toggle between sauteing something and pressure cooking something. The sauté mode at the start of a braising recipe is essential because it gets the pot very hot. This setting is how you can sear everything and sauté the veggies before pressure cooking. When you finish the recipe the sauté mode will help you thicken the sauce if necessary and deepen the flavor.
If there is too much oil at the bottom of the pan, drain some of the excess. It should be just enough oil to cook the veggies. Add the onion and peppers to the pot with salt, sazon and pepper. If it needs more oil you can add it now. Cook for 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
Leftover City
If you have leftovers, Instant Pot carne con papas is always great to freeze for another day. Leftovers can also be shredded and stuffed into Empanadas.
Serve Instant Pot Carne Con Papas over The Perfect White Rice, Cuban Fufu Mash or Creamy Potato Malanga Mash.
Try Some of Our Other Instant Pot Recipes
Instant Pot Carne Con Papas
Course: Entree6
servings15
minutes1
hour30
minutes300
kcalIngredients
2 ½ pounds of chuck roast (also known as meat for stew)
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 bell peppers, I like using red and poblano
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 pound bag of mini baby potatoes, rinsed and left whole
3 large carrots, peeled and cut in large chunks
8 oz of vino seco (I like Artañan. If you don’t have use dry white wine you would drink)
2 cups of chicken or beef broth
1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch
2 tablespoons of salt
1 ½ tablespoons of sazon
2 bay leaves
¼ cup of parsley, chopped finely
¼ to ½ cup of olive oil
Directions
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté for 30 minutes add ¼ cup of oil.
- While it gets hot, pat the meat dry with a paper towel. Season the meat with 1 tablespoon of salt and freshly cracked pepper.
- By this time the Instant Pot should be hot. It should be hot enough that the meat sizzles once you put the meat in the pot. Add half of the meat, and sear the beef pieces on both sides. About 2 minutes on each side.
- Set the first batch of meat on a plate while you work on the next batch. Once all the meat has been browned, set it aside on a plate and work on the sofrito.
- If there is too much oil at the bottom of the pan, drain some of the excess. It should be just enough oil to cook the veggies. Add the onion and peppers to the pot with salt, sazon and pepper. If it needs more oil you can add it now. Cook for 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
- Then add the garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes.
- Add the meat back in. Move all the sofrito around the beef so it is completely coated.
- Add the cornstarch and mix together so it coats the meat.
- Finally, add the bay leaves, crushed tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, vino seco and the broth.
- Set the Instant Pot to high for 35 minutes or to “meat stew” if your machine has that setting.
Allow the steam to release naturally or force the release. - Check the meat for tenderness and seasoning. Pressure cook for an additional 10 minutes if the meat is not as tender as you want and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Finish with parsley.
