3 Simple Stew Meat Recipes – Tasty Tuesday
While we receive a monthly Butcher Box (free bacon for life if you sign up right now) with a great mix of pork, beef and chicken, there are still a few items I pick up on our monthly shopping trip to Sams Club. Typically you will find me grabbing pork loin, chuck roast and this time of year a large package of stew meat. If you have ever lived on a budget then you probably know finding a lean stew meat can create a hearty dinner at a lower cost. Of course until this year all I’ve ever used it for was making actual stew!
After being too lazy to section the large package into meal size portions, I decided to look for alternatives to making stew to create a few new options for our meal rotation. I’m super happy to report all have been delicious! Of course using the Instant Pot has been a win as the meat always turns out tender and juicy and the flavor is perfection.
Today I’m sharing two recipes I’ve tried using stew meat as the base along with the beef & noodles recipe of my own!
Barbacoa
So I modified this beef barbacoa recipe just slightly and opted to add some fresh peppers and onions. Trust me the flavor is amazing and you will be the queen of Taco Tuesdays for days when you put this on the menu! Broiling the meat on a cookie sheet at high heat to crisp it up just a bit before serving just seals the deal just be sure to cover it with plenty of juice from the instant pot. 
Beef and Broccoli 
The one thing I know for sure is my man kind of loves some broccoli. Of course when we were first married he loved it most covered in cheese (who doesn’t) but I had to work on some healthier alternatives. This beef and broccoli recipe is flavorful but also Whole 30 approved so it’s a win, win.
Beef & Noodles
Finally, this is a family favorite I knew would be even better converted to the Instant Pot. Typically I use venison cutlets for this recipe cut into bite size chunks but decided to try the stew meat when it was readily on hand. Super tender and delicious!
Ingredients: 1 pkg Lipton onion soup mix, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup beef broth, 1-2lb of beef (stew meat, round steak, beef tips)
Using the saute feature on the instant pot, add a splash of avocado oil (or olive oil) and brown the meat a bit. It’s a nice touch to add some fresh onions and garlic if you have on hand and are really feeling like getting your Betty Crocker on.
Add the soup mix, cream of mushroom soup and beef broth and seal up your instant pot. Use the manual setting and cook for 12 minutes.
When done, you want to go ahead and use the manual release to let the steam escape so the pot will still be hot enough to cook the noodles. The best idea is to place a kitchen towel over the release valve to catch the steam as it will be heavy.
Once the lid releases you will add your noodles (I use no yolk wide noodles) and change the setting on the instant pot to saute. This will allow the remaining liquid to come to a boil and cook the noodles. You may need to add additional beef broth but trust me, the noodles soaking up the juice makes this dish so amazing!
We are kind of crazy over some sprouts over here and roasting a few completed this dish perfectly!
No Instant Pot? You can make this dish in the crockpot by dumping all the ingredients (sans noodles) in at once and cooking on low for 6-8 hours. I would then boil the noodles separately before topping with the meat mixture. With this method I often had to use a little corn starch to thicken up the gravy.
If you haven’t converted just yet to the Instant Pot I totally get it. I was so intimidated at first too but I’ve definitely come to love it! This time of year is the best to snag one on sale if you change your mind!
You can find all the instant pot recipes I’ve pinning and giving a whirl on my Pinterest board.
Instant Pot Beef & Noodles
Ingredients:
1 pkg Lipton onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup beef broth
1-2 lbs of beef stew meat, steak tips or venison cutlets cubed
Directions:
Using the saute feature on the instant pot, add a splash of avocado oil (or olive oil) and brown the meat a bit. It’s a nice touch to add some fresh onions and garlic if you have on hand and are really feeling like getting your Betty Crocker on.
Add the soup mix, cream of mushroom soup and beef broth and seal up your instant pot. Use the manual setting and cook for 12 minutes. Open the release valve to manually release the instant pot pressure. Turn the instant pot back to saute and add the noodles. You may need to add additional beef broth at this point to insure enough liquid is available to cook the noodles. Let the instant pot come to a boil until the noodles are tender.
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This post seriously could not have come at a better time for me. We have 1/4 of a beef getting cut up this week and I am not a fan of stew meat. Now I know what to do with it other than make a stew! Thank you Shelly!