Beef Stock in the Pressure Cooker

By RoketJSquerl

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 pounds meaty beef shanks and oxtails
• 1 large onion, trimmed, peeled, and sliced thin
• 2 large carrots, trimmed, peeled and sliced thin
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 dried star anise pod (or substitute 2 bay leaves)
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 2 quarts of water, or a little more to cover the ingredients

Details

Adapted from dadcooksdinner.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Brown the beef in two batches: Heat the vegetable oil in the pressure cooker pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half the beef and sear for 3 minutes per side, or until well browned. Remove the beef to a bowl, add the second batch of beef, and brown for 3 minutes per side. Add to the bowl with the rest of the beef.

2. Saute the aromatics: Add the onions and carrots to the pot and saute for 5 minutes, or until just stoftened. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until the tomato paste darkens and the onions start to brown on their edges.

3. Deglaze the pot with wine: Add the red wine, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pot thoroughly to loosen up any browned bits. Add the beef and any juices in the bowl, then add the water, which should just cover the beef.

4. Pressure cook the stock: Lock the lid on the pressure cooker and bring the cooker up to high pressure. Lower the heat to maintain the pressure at high and cook for 1 hour. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the pressure to release naturally, usually about 20 minutes.

5. Strain the stock: Strain the stock into another large pot through a fine mesh strainer and cheesecloth. See my stock straining post for details.

6. Defat the stock: (Optional, but a good idea) Refrigerate the stock overnight, or up to 2 days, so the fat floats to the surface and forms a hard cap. Remove the fat cap from the top of the stock.

7. Use or freeze the stock: Use the stock immediately, or freeze for later use. I portion the stock into both 1 quart and 2 cup containers for freezing.

Variations:
*Skip the wine: The wine is optional. It adds a hint of fruit and acid to the flavor of the stock, but you don't need it for great tasting stock.

Notes:
*If you want to make more (or less) stock, here's the ratio I use:
1 pound beef (mix of meaty shanks and oxtails)
2 cups water (a pint's a pound the world around)
1/4 pound aromatics (mostly onions, some carrots)
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 star anise (or 1/2 bay leaf)
1/4 tsp whole black peppercorns

*As I mentioned in the opening, the big advantage to making stock in the pressure cooker is the sealed cooking vessel. Flavor compounds that would boil off are trapped in the pressure cooker, and condense back into the stock, giving it extra flavor. If the pressure cooker is venting, it loses those flavors to the air - they smell great, but they are not in the stock any more. What does this mean? The best stock is made with a second generation pressure cooker, one that doesn't vent steam when it is at high pressure. Also, when cooling the stock down, don't use a quick release method that vents steam - let the heat come down naturally. By not venting steam during the cooking, the trapped flavor compounds condense back into the stock where we want them.

*Red wine - I avoid Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, both of which tend to be made with a lot of oak. I prefer cheap blends in the Cote Du Rhone style; look for wines with a mix of Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre.