Instant Pot Bistec en Cazuela

Once again, welcome to the Cuban Redneck Kitchen, where today we are going to make yet, another classic Cuban dish. And if you have an Instant Pot, you must try this recipe! I am talking about a Cuban Bistec en Cazuela. This easy-to-make, super flavorful recipe can be table ready in about 30 minutes, and needless to say, it can be very budget conscience.

I am not 100% of the origin of this recipe, but for as long as I can remember, it was a dish my mom used to make when things were tuff. More often than not, bistec en cazuela was made with the cheapest cut of beef. Bistec en cazuela is one of those Cuban recipes families would make just to say we had beef for dinner, but one that often required quite a bit of pressure cooking time to make it appetizing. Growing up, I was not much of a fan of Bistec en Cazuela, but over the years, it is something I don’t mind cooking every once in a while. So, when several in my viewership asked for cheap, easy-to-make recipes, I knew exactly what to make!

There is no question that this is a modern take on bistec en cazuela Cubano, but I will try to keep it as authentic as possible. To be honest, the only thing that doesn’t belong in this recipe is the potatoes and the carrots. However, you may run into a variety called bistec en cazuela con papas, which is close to what I am presenting here. One other addition and one I did not have are mushrooms, which, in my opinion, give the recipe a fantastic earthy taste along with added nutrition and hardiness.

Anyone who follows my channel knows that I am big on marinating, and one essential step of this recipe is the marinade. I remember my mom making something that was a bit more lemony. I don’t know if it was made with sour oranges or not. But working in the South Florida restaurant scene, this is how it was made. (If you don’t have access to sour oranges, see my mojo recipe video for alternatives)

Bistec en Cazuela Marinade Ingredients:

• 5 Tsp. Salt
• 1 Tsp. Pepper, Paprika, Oregano, & Cumin
• 1 Bay Leaf
• ¼ Cup of Sour Orange Juice
• ½ Cup of Tomato Sauce
• ½ Cup of Broth
• 3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon of Tomato Paste
• 1 Tsp. of Garlic Powder or 1 Tablespoon of Mince Garlic

Mix all of this in the Instant Pot bowl, add your beef and allow it to sit in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours. Overnight is even better, but I find myself making it first thing in the morning before heading out so that it is ready when I come back in the evening.

For the beef, you can use just about anything. However, tuff cuts seem to work best. In other words, things like chuck eye steak, flat iron steak, or top round steak, aka London broil, are ideal. If you use a prime cut or even a sirloin will more than likely disintegrate in the Instant Pot. The cooking time will be the same whether you make one or seven lbs. Cooking in the Instant Pot is not change based on weight as in the oven. With the beef marinated, all we need to add is onions, bell peppers, and the optional carrots, potatoes, and or mushrooms. I added about a cup and a half of sliced onions and bell peppers and froze them. That way, they will stay together a little better during the cooking process. As to carrots, potatoes, and or mushrooms, figure out how much you would want per person. This part is really up to you!

With all that sorted out, we can go straight to the Instant Pot, where we will cook our bistec en cazuela with carrots, potatoes, and or mushrooms for 25-minutes, on high, in pressure cook mode. Once the time has expired, please turn it off (press cancel) and let it vent on its own. That usually takes about 15-minutes. At which time we’ll be ready to serve. Cuban Bistec en Cazuela is generally served with white rice and fried sweet plantains as I did in the video. Something you can quickly cook while the Instant Pot is running, making this an easy 30-minute dinner!