Making Stock In the Instant Pot

I’ve been on an Instant Pot tear ever since the Beloved threatened to hide it because I was ruining perfectly good food. One thing I knew it was good for absolutely was stock. I’d found a few pounds of beef bones at the store and 1-1/2 pig’s trotter, and having promised my lofthold beef stroganoff this week, wanted to have good. I’ve got a simple 1 hour beef stock in the new book (using ground beef and gelatin), but the best fast way for stock is the Instant Pot or a pressure cooker.

I learned this when I reviewed Modernist Cuisine for the NYTimes (see the attached recipe for chicken stock). It’s brilliant.

For this stock though, I roasted the bones (this adds flavor and eliminated the protein-blood scum that comes from raw beef bones), put it all in the instant pot (no measuring), added, onion, carrot, parsley, covered it with water, and pressure cooked for 2 hours. Important to let it cool for a natural release, other wise it boils furiously when pressure is manually released.

Strained, I had 8 cups of very rich beef stock.

Of course if you don’t have a pressure cooker or instant stock, you can combine all and put it in a 200˚F oven overnight, another great method.

They don’t call stock the le fond de cuisine for nothing. It makes everything better. It may even call for that old fashioned cocktail my mom used to have at lunch when she worked the garment district in NYC long ago: The Bull Shot.

Note, I’d have put celery in there if I’d had it. I like celery in beef stock (not in chicken or veal). Long ago when I was a cook at Sans Souci in Cleveland, my chef told me to leave the skin on the onion I was using for stock (unless it were dirty). It adds flavor color and nutrients to the stock. Now I always leave the onion skin on when making stock.

Happy cooking, one and all!

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Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Beef Stock
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Make beef stock quickly using a pressure cooker

Course StockCuisine American, French, UniversalKeyword Beef, Stock

Prep Time 10 minutesCook Time 3 hours

Servings 2 quarts


Cost $8
EquipmentPressure cooker or Instant Pot
Ingredients3 pounds meaty beef bones (Or however much you have)2 carrots (more or less)1 large onion, root removed, skin on1 bunch parsley or thyme optional1 bay leave optional2 tbsp tomato paste optional
InstructionsCombine all ingredients in an instant pot or pressure cooker. Cover with water. Pressure cook for 2 to 3 hours. Allow to cool, then remove lid and strain.

NotesUse whatever is on hand. I’d have put celery in there if I’d had it. I like celery with beef only. Long ago when I was a cook at Sans Souci in Cleveland, my chef told me to leave the skin on the onion I was using for stock (unless it were dirty). It adds flavor color and nutrients to the stock. Now I always leave the skin on.