Instant Pot Roast Beef

Roast Beef is so easy to make in a few steps, minimal preparation with simple ingredients. It works for weeknight meals, yet fancy enough for special occasions and holiday feasts!

Many readers have asked if it’s even possible to cook a delicious Roast Beef in the Instant Pot (especially those who may not have an oven, or wants an alternative method that won’t heat up the house). Let alone a beautiful Medium Rare Buttery Tender Juicy Beef Roast.

So we decided to give it a shot! Well, many shots…hehe~

How? How can we cook the best Instant Pot Roast Beef, without roasting the beef roast in the oven?

Buttery . Tender . Juicy . Rich . Flavorful

We tested our Roast Beef Recipe with eye of round roast (cheaper cut) and top sirloin roast (mid price cut) in the Instant Pot. The results were very promising and this method will work for higher end cuts as well 🙂

Super buttery rich medium rare roast beef dipped into umami-savory-beefy gravy, each bite bursts with beefy juice – oh sooooo delish~

*Note: This method of cooking roast beef in Instant Pot works great if you’re cooking a small roast.

Here are the Instant Pot Beef Roast Experiment Results:

Which Cut of Beef to Use? Round of Eye Roast is great for making deli-style cold cut roast beef, while Top Sirloin Roast is great for making medium-rare steak-size sliced roast beef.

*Pro Tip: Beef cuts such as chuck roast with tough connective tissue will not be optimal for this Instant pot Roast Beef Recipe.

Time for Cooking Instant Pot Roast Beef~

Step-by-Step Instant Pot Roast Beef Cooking Guide

Prepare ingredients for cooking Instant Pot Roast Beef and Gravy. The ingredients are quite simple and preparations are easy.

Tools for Cooking Roast Beef in Instant Pot

• Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker
• Wooden Spoon
• Pyrex Measuring Cups
• Instant Pot Trivet
• Food Thermometer

Brown Beef Roast in Instant Pot

Press “Saute” button to “Sauté More” function to heat up Instant Pot. It will switch to “ON” on the screen.

Wait until it says “HOT” on the screen (takes roughly 8 minutes).

*Pro Tip: Make sure Instant Pot is as hot as it can be in order to induce a Maillard reaction.

Add 1 tbsp olive oil (15ml) in the Instant Pot’s inner pot. Ensure the whole bottom is coated with olive oil.

*Note: In total, there are 6 sides to a beef roast. We are browning 4 sides of the beef roast excluding both ends (the two ends that are parallel to how you’re slicing into the roast).

Pat dry the beef roast with paper towel. Generously season one side of the beef roast with kosher salt and black pepper.

Place the beef roast in Instant Pot (with the seasoned side facing down).

Brown the first side for 4 minutes. Generously season the other side with salt and black pepper.

Brown that side for 3 minutes and 30 seconds.

Finally, brown the other 2 sides for 2 minutes and 30 seconds per side (no need to add more seasoning).

Set aside the browned beef roast.

Saute Onion and Garlic

*Note: Your Instant Pot’s inner pot should look quite brown. Don’t worry! Your pot didn’t burn, those caramelized brown bits add yummy flavors to your roast beef. 🙂

Add in one more tbsp (15ml) olive oil. Add in sliced onions, then saute for 3 minutes.

Add in 2 bay leaves, ¼ tsp (0.3g) dried rosemary, and minced garlic in Instant Pot. Saute for another 30 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze Instant Pot

Pour 1 cup (250ml) unsalted chicken stock or high quality unsalted beef stock in Instant Pot, then deglaze by scrubbing all the flavorful brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Give it a quick mix.

Pressure Cook Roast Beef

Add in 1 tbsp (15ml) regular soy sauce. Give it a quick mix.

*Note: We’re adding the other tablespoon of soy sauce after pressure cooking.

Place a trivet in Instant Pot, then layer the browned roast beef in Instant Pot on the trivet.

Close lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing position.

• For 2.5″ Thick Roast Beef: Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 3 minute + 25 minutes Natural Release
• For 3.25″ Thick Roast Beef: Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 3 minute + 30 minutes Natural Release

Open the lid, then measure the roast beef’s temperature at its’ thickest part with a meat thermometer.

*Pro Tip: For medium rare roast beef, we are aiming for 120°F. If the temperature is too low, simply place the roast beef back in Instant Pot on the trivet, then close the lid. Do not pressure cook again because we’re using the “Keep Warm” mode to slow roast the beef roast. The temperature should rise 7°F – 10°F per 5 minutes.

*Note: The thicker your beef roast, the longer it’ll take to reach the desired temperature. Keep in mind that if your beef roast is much thicker than the one we used to develop our recipe, it may take a much longer “Keep Warm” time. Keep checking the temperature every 5 – 10 minutes depending on the size of your roast.

*Pro Tip: From our four temperature tests in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker, it is fine to open and close the lid to check the temperature, and the “Keep Warm” mode is great for slow roasting the roast beef in Instant Pot.

Make Roast Beef Gravy

Once the roast beef has reached 120°F, remove and set aside on a chopping board.

Loosely wrap the roast beef with aluminum foil & let it rest for 8 – 10 minutes before slicing (*Note: The temperature will continue to rise while resting).

While the roast beef is resting, bring the beef sauce to a simmering with the “Saute” function.

Taste the roast beef gravy to make sure it is not too salty before adding another tbsp of regular soy sauce.

*Pro Tip: If the beef gravy is too salty, don’t add any more soy sauce at this step.

Mix 1.5 tbsp (12g) all purpose flour with 3 tbsp (45ml) water.

Mix flour mixture into the beef gravy in Instant Pot one third at a time until desired thickness.

Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and black pepper if necessary.

Serve Instant Pot Roast Beef

After 8 – 10 minutes rest, your Instant Pot Roast Beef is ready to be sliced 🙂

*Pro Tip: Cut pressure cooker roast beef against the grain for best result.

For Round of Eye Roast: you will want to slice it as thin as you can (deli style roast beef).

For Top Sirloin Roast: you can slice it into steak size. 

Serve this classic Instant Pot Roast Beef and Gravy with your favorite side dishes. Enjoy~

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