Okay, so I tried out this pressure cooker tri-tip thing the other day, and let me tell you, it was a bit of an adventure. I saw this recipe online that promised a juicy, tender tri-tip in, like, no time at all using an Instant Pot. Sounded too good to be true, but hey, I’m always up for a cooking experiment.
Getting Started
First, I grabbed my tri-tip from the fridge. I’d picked up a nice-looking piece from the grocery store earlier – about 2 pounds, I think. I patted it dry with some paper towels and got down to seasoning. I just used what I had on hand, nothing fancy: salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a bit of onion powder. I rubbed that all over the meat, making sure to get every nook and cranny.
Into the Pot
Next, I set my Instant Pot to the “Sauté” function. Poured in a bit of olive oil and let it get hot. I tossed the tri-tip in there and seared it on all sides. It took a few minutes per side, but I wanted to get a nice brown crust going. This is where the flavor starts, folks.
Once the tri-tip was all browned up, I took it out of the pot and set it aside for a minute. I poured in some beef broth – I think it was about a cup – and used a wooden spoon to scrape up all those brown bits from the bottom of the pot. That’s called deglazing, and it adds a ton of flavor to the sauce.
Under Pressure
Then, I put the tri-tip back into the pot, right on top of the broth. I put the lid on, made sure the valve was set to “Sealing,” and set the Instant Pot to “Pressure Cook” on high for about 25 minutes. Now, the waiting game began.
The Big Reveal
After the 25 minutes were up, I let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes. Then, I carefully released the rest of the pressure manually, you know, with a kitchen towel over my hand just in case. Safety first!
I opened the lid, and there it was, a fully cooked tri-tip. I took it out of the pot and let it rest on a cutting board for another 10 minutes or so. Gotta let those juices redistribute, you know?
Slicing and Serving
Finally, it was time to slice it up. I cut against the grain, just like they always say to do. And let me tell you, this tri-tip was tender. Like, really tender. The pressure cooker did its job, that’s for sure.
I served it up with some roasted veggies and mashed potatoes. The sauce from the Instant Pot? I just spooned that right over the meat. It was delicious, if I do say so myself. Not bad for a weeknight dinner.
- Would I make it again? Definitely.
- Was it as easy as the recipe said? Pretty much.
- Would I change anything? Maybe experiment with different seasonings next time.
All in all, this pressure cooker tri-tip experiment was a success. If you’ve got an Instant Pot and you’re looking for a quick and easy way to cook a tri-tip, give it a shot. You might be surprised at how good it turns out. The taste is great, you know?
