Preparing the pressure cooker roast is not only a quick way to achieve a tasty second course perfect for grand occasions, but also a recipe that allows you to achieve a tender and succulent roast, which sometimes isn’t the case with oven-cooked roast. The pressure cooker roast, however, generally remains softer and releases a flavorful and inviting cooking base.
You can prepare pressure cooker roast with your preferred type of meat: of course, there are more tender and fine cuts, like the veal eye of round, but also good less expensive cuts like the piece or rose. Pressure cooker roast also turns out great with pork tenderloin or pork loin: in this case, I suggest adding some fennel seeds to the aromas. As mentioned, the pressure cooker roast has the remarkable advantage of cooking much faster than the oven version: for every kilogram (2.2 lbs) of meat, 30 minutes from the whistle will suffice, plus another ten minutes to thicken the sauce. This recipe, taught to me by my mother, whose pressure cooker roast has been a family favorite for years, and now it’s mine too! 😉
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Pressure cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for 2.2 lbs of roast cooked in the pressure cooker
- 1 kg veal eye of round
- 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1/4 cup Dry white wine
- 1 tsp Fine salt
- to taste Pepper
- 1 sprig Rosemary
- 5 leaves Sage
Tools
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Pressure cooker 7 liters
How to prepare the pressure cooker roast
To prepare the pressure cooker roast, first ensure your pressure cooker is wide enough to accommodate the roast piece: if not, you can divide it into two pieces. Season it generously with salt and pepper; if you want, you can also tie it or place it in the appropriate nets (1). Pour the oil on the bottom of the pot and add the peeled garlic cloves and half of the sage and rosemary (2). Place the roast inside, making sure it touches the bottom of the pot entirely (3).
Add enough water to reach halfway up the meat (4). Place a few very thin slices of butter on top (5) and lay the remaining rosemary and sage on top (6). The butter, as it melts, will make the meat more tender and flavorful. Seal the pressure cooker tightly and put it on the stove; once it begins to whistle, count 30 minutes per kilogram (2.2 lbs) of meat. For a larger roast, such as 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs), it will take 45 minutes.
After the cooking time, open the valve to release the steam and, when it is completely released, open the pressure cooker (7). The roast will still look quite boiled and the sauce will be very watery. Using a spoon, turn it and prick it to check that it is cooked (8) (no blood should come out, especially if using pork).
Reignite the flame and sear it over high heat for a couple of minutes, then deglaze with white wine (9) and cook for another 6-7 minutes, so that the sauce thickens and the meat takes on color (10). Then remove it from the pot and strain the sauce (11). Let the roast cool slightly before slicing it, so it doesn’t crumble. You can then reheat it in a pan or oven with its sauce, or reheat just the sauce and serve the roast warm.
Serve the pressure cooker roast for a special dinner or Sunday lunch.
Notes
Storage
The roast keeps for 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator, sealed in an airtight container.
Variants and tips
As mentioned, you can prepare the pressure cooker roast using the cut of meat you prefer, always calculating 30 minutes per kilogram (2.2 lbs) of meat for cooking times. If you use beef eye of round and want to keep it rosy in the center, cook it for 23-24 minutes from the whistle.
If you want a thicker cooking base, simply dissolve half a teaspoon of cornstarch in a little sauce, add it to the rest of the sauce, and put it back on the heat for 2-3 minutes.
If you’re looking for more recipes and tips on how to cook in a pressure cooker, consult this special.
If you’re thinking of purchasing a pressure cooker, I can only recommend Lagostina, reliable and practically indestructible. You can also buy it on Amazon.
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