Okay, so I tried this recipe for tri-tip in a pressure cooker, and let me tell you, it was an adventure. I’ve always been a bit intimidated by pressure cookers, but I really wanted to give this a shot. Tri-tip can be tricky to cook just right, and I figured this might be a faster way to get it tender.
First off, I gathered all my ingredients. I got a nice-looking tri-tip roast, around 2 pounds I think. Then I grabbed some olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and a little bit of paprika. For the liquid, I just used beef broth. I also chopped up an onion and a few cloves of garlic, ’cause why not?
I started by seasoning the tri-tip. I rubbed it all over with the olive oil, then sprinkled it generously with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. I really massaged those spices in there, you know? Got to get that flavor all over.
Next, I heated up my pressure cooker. I used the sauté function and added a little more olive oil. Once it was hot, I seared the tri-tip on all sides. This took a few minutes per side. I just wanted to get a nice brown crust on it. It smelled amazing already!
After searing, I took the tri-tip out and set it aside for a minute. I tossed the chopped onion and garlic into the pressure cooker and sautéed them for a few minutes until they were soft and fragrant. That smell, oh man, it was getting good.
Then, I poured in the beef broth. I think I used about a cup, maybe a little more. I just wanted enough to cover the bottom of the pot. I scraped the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to get all those yummy browned bits mixed in. That’s where the flavor is!
Next, I put the tri-tip back into the pressure cooker, nestled it in amongst the onions and garlic. I put the lid on, made sure the valve was set to sealing, and set the timer for 25 minutes at high pressure.
After the 25 minutes were up, I let the pressure release naturally for about 15 minutes. Then I did a quick release for the remaining pressure. Be careful when you do this, that steam is hot!
I carefully took the tri-tip out of the pressure cooker and let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. This is important, don’t skip it! Resting lets the juices redistribute, making the meat more tender and juicy.
The Final Result
- Appearance: Looked pretty darn good! Had a nice crust from the searing.
- Texture: Super tender, sliced like butter.
- Taste: Oh boy, it was delicious! The seasonings were just right, and the beef broth added a nice depth of flavor.
Honestly, I was surprised by how well this turned out. It was way easier than I thought it would be, and the tri-tip was so tender and flavorful. I’ll definitely be making this again. Maybe next time I’ll try adding some carrots and potatoes to the pot for a complete meal. Yum!
