Pressure Cooker Braised Beef with Herb Salad
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Boneless beef chuck roast cut into 6 pieces, seared in vegetable oil then braised under pressure with aromatics like ginger, lemongrass, and red chili. Cooking liquid enriched with low-sodium beef broth, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. After pressure cooking, sauce is strained and reduced to thicken. Herb salad made from coriander, Thai basil, mint, scallions, garlic, fresh chili and lime zest and juice serves as topping. Lime wedges to serve. Adaptations include swapping oyster sauce for fish sauce and adding toasted sesame oil for depth.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
6 servings
#pressure cooking
#beef
#Asian fusion
#herb salad
#quick braise
#savory
#umami
Braised beef under pressure cooker? Done that slow oven roast dozens of times. This method slashes time but keeps that tear-apart texture. The aroma hits you even before opening the pot—ginger zing, lemongrass floral, steamy heat of chili. Key is brown that meat well, build layers. Sauce reduction is where it all comes together, don’t rush, stir frequently. The herb salad is no garnish fluff; chopped fresh herbs, chili and lime slice through all that fat, balances heavy braise with a bright punch. Learned the hard way: herbs wilt fast, do last minute prep. Acid splash at end wakes dish. Tried fish sauce swap for oyster sauce here; slightly less sweet yet deeper. Your pot—watch it, hear it, keep that sizzle alive for best flavor. And if sauce glues finger-tips when cooled? Right consistency.
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg boneless beef chuck roast trimmed, cut into 6 pieces
- 25 ml vegetable oil
- 700 ml low-sodium beef broth
- 1 large red onion thinly sliced
- 2 French shallots finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 5-cm piece fresh ginger sliced thin
- 1 10 cm stalk lemongrass bruised, cut in 3 segments
- 2 fresh red bird’s eye chilies
- 20 ml light soy sauce
- 15 ml fish sauce
Herb Salad
- 30 g chopped coriander leaves
- 10 g chopped Thai basil
- 10 g chopped fresh mint
- 3 scallions thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 red bird’s eye chili deseeded and minced
- 5 ml lime zest grated
- 25 ml fresh lime juice
- Lime wedges for serving
About the ingredients
I upped the beef quantity by about 10% because chuck tends to lose some weight when trimmed and we want generous portions. Substituted fish sauce for oyster sauce—oyster can overpower or get too sweet; fish sauce keeps savory depth but lighter. Could do half and half for balance. Lemongrass bruising is critical, don’t skip or slice fine; bruising releases essential oils slowly in braise. Added a bit more lime juice in salad for brightness; few extra grams of herbs for crunch and herbal nerve. Skip oil or reduce if avoiding fats – broth alone can sometimes brown meat but expect less fond. Use low-sodium broth or homemade if possible; reduces salt shock after reduction. If you lack Thai basil, swap with holy basil or regular basil but flavors shift. Red chilis can be halved for milder versions; residual heat comes out after long cook. Garlic quantity increased in salad for bite in contrast with mellow braise.
Method
Braised Beef
- 1. Heat pressure cooker on sauté mode 2-3 minutes until oil shimmers. Brown beef pieces evenly - listen for that hearty sizzle, deep browning for flavor crust. Salt and pepper lightly; remember inferior seasoning leaves flat taste after long cooking.
- 2. Remove beef, set aside. In same cooker, toss in onions, shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, chilies. Stir fast; aromatics release intense fragrance, onions translucent, about 3-4 minutes - don’t let brown to avoid bitterness.
- 3. Pour beef broth, deglaze the fond stuck on base; lift all those browned bits. Add soy sauce and fish sauce now for umami boost - oyster sauce replaced here for a lighter but pungent edge. Return beef pieces in.
- 4. Seal lid, set to meat/poultry or manual high pressure for 50 minutes (a bit longer than usual, watch for fork-tender meat). Natural pressure release at least 15 minutes to avoid meat drying or toughening. If short on time, quick release but expect slightly chewier texture.
- 5. Open carefully, remove beef to plate. Pour the braising liquid through fine sieve into pan, discard lemongrass, ginger, chilies and solids. Set to sauté simmer, reduce liquid by approx. 30% until glossy and slightly thickened — about 10-12 minutes. Stir often; sauce should coat back of spoon, not watery.
- 6. Return beef to sauce, coat thoroughly. If sauce feels thin, pinch cornstarch mixed with water to thicken at this point, but avoid starch overuse; ruins clean flavors and mouthfeel.
Herb Salad
- 7. Toss all herb salad ingredients in bowl except lime wedges. Chop herbs fresh just before serving to keep brightness and texture. Garlic and chili finely chopped, for punch but not overpowering.
- 8. Heap salad on braised beef, squeeze lime wedges generously over all. Lime acidity cuts fat, lifts dish freshness.
- 9. Serve with steamed jasmine rice or sticky rice, absorbs sauce, balances spice.
Tips and Substitutions
- Use duck fat instead of vegetable oil for richer flavor, skip if avoiding saturated fat. Fish sauce swap for soy sauce for vegetarian adaptation but lose savory depth. Lemongrass bruising essential—pierce stalks with back of knife to release oils.
- If you lack pressure cooker, slow braise in covered Dutch oven 3 hours @ low heat until meltingly tender. Keep an eye on liquid reduction. Beware overcooking times; beef chuck varies in connective tissue content.
- Don’t overcrowd when browning beef - goes gray, steams instead of browns. Work batches if needed. Lift all solids on stove before pressure cooking to deepen flavor with fond dissolved in broth.
- Herb salad not just garnish but integral contrast; herbs wilt rapidly if preassembled too early.
- Sauce thickness key. Too thin? Simmer longer. Too thick? Splash broth or water back.
- Adjust chili count according to heat tolerance, but whole bird’s eye chilies in braise mellow with long cooking. Reserved fresh chopped chili in salad keeps fresh heat.
- Got leftovers? Reheat covered on low – beef benefits from sitting overnight, flavors meld better. Save herb salad fresh; don’t mix in advance.
- Squeeze lime right before serving or it will turn herbs soggy and bitter.
- Listen for sizzle when browning. Smell ginger and lemongrass releasing oils during sauté. Watch beef edges caramelizing; look for mahogany, never black burnt spots.
- Visual check: meat should shred easily when poked after pressure cooking. If tough, cook longer next time or check pressure seals on cooker.
- Indoor aromatic chaos — keep ventilation on, ginger and chili aroma is sharp and potent but addictive.
Cooking tips
Skip adding garlic early with aromatics in cooker if you prefer gentle flavor; garlic burns if left too long sautéing. I start with onions, shallots, ginger, lemongrass, chilies first, then add garlic just before liquid to preserve aroma without bitterness. Using pressure cooker function labeled ‘meat’ is helpful but adjust timing manually if old model. Natural pressure release preserves tender texture better than quick release—you’ll feel difference in bite. Simmer reduction afterward is crucial to avoid watery stew; takes patience but watch for sauce thickening and glossy visuals as cue. Straining removes fibrous lemongrass and chili seeds - texture would annoy the mouth. Herb salad tossed and served immediately - herbs wilt fast under steam. Don’t mix herb salad several hours prior, or it loses crunch and freshness. Squeeze lime over just before plating to keep zing bright and aromatic oils potent. Serve with plain rice—carries sauce well and sustains richness without competing flavors. Never overcrowd meat when browning in batches; otherwise you lose caramelization and end up with boiled edges. Always watch the pot when reducing sauce—stir frequently to prevent burning on bottom. Keep spoon handy to check coating consistency; if sauce runs off too fast, cook longer. Taste as you go, especially for salt and acidity balance. Multipurpose tip: leftover sauce great over noodles or stir-fried vegetables.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Brown beef in batches; crowding kills caramelization. Listen for sizzle, that deep crackle means flavor build. Too slow browning? Meat steams, dull edges, flat taste.
- 💡 Bruise lemongrass stalks well. Back of knife press, release oils slowly under pressure. Slice fine? Oils vanish too quick, bitterness appears after long cook.
- 💡 Natural pressure release critical. Quick vent toughens meat edges. Wait at least 15 mins or texture flakes differently—drier, chewier, not my favorite.
- 💡 When reducing sauce, watch carefully. Stir often or bottom scorches. Look for glossy coating on spoon, thickness that clings but not gluey. Add cornstarch mix if really thin but sparingly.
- 💡 Herb salad must be fresh chopped, last minute. Lime juice squeezed too early? Herbs wilt, bitter edges rise, salad soggy fast. Toss just before plating, keeps brightness alive.
Common questions
How to fix overcooked beef?
Use sauce to moisten. Slice thin cold slices, reheat in sauce gently. Next time lower pressure time or natural release longer. Could slow braise if no pressure cooker.
Can I skip fish sauce or oyster sauce?
Yes. Soy only, but lose depth. Try half soy half mushroom sauce for umami. Or add a splash toasted sesame oil for aroma. Not same but close.
My sauce won’t thicken?
Reduce longer on sauté simmer. Stir, check thickness often. Add cornstarch slurry little by little. Avoid starch overload or sauce gets pasty, dulling flavors.
How to store leftovers properly?
Cool quickly, fridge in sealed container. Sauce separate better if heat breaks fat, keeps fresh longer. Salad always fresh toss separately day of. Reheat beef low covered.
