My Christmas present to myself was an Instant Pot and I could not be happier with it.
I immediately started scouring Pinterest for recipes and this beef stew was one of the first ones I tried. It was so, so good and so easy. Photo and recipe courtesy of thedomesticman.com.

• 3 pounds stew beef (or chuck roast or short ribs, see note below), cut into chunks
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons ghee, or butter
• 1/2 onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 3 cups beef broth
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 celery stalks, cut into chunks
• 1 1/2 pounds waxy potatoes, cut into chunks
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 small handful parsley, chopped

Combine the beef, salt, pepper and flour; toss to dust the beef evenly. Plug in your Instant Pot and press the “Sauté” button. Add the ghee (or butter) and warm until melted and shimmering, about 3 minutes. Add 1/3 of the beef and sauté until browned, about 6 minutes, then remove the beef and add another 1/3 of the beef. Continue until the rest of the beef has cooked, about 20 minutes total; set the beef aside. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes, then add the garlic and tomato paste. Sauté until aromatic, about 30 seconds, then add the wine and broth. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the beef (and any accumulated juices), carrots, parsnips, celery, potatoes, and thyme. Cover and set the Instant Pot to “Meat/Stew” (high pressure) for 20 minutes. Once the Instant Pot finishes, wait until it depressurizes, about 15 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when you can remove the lid easily. Gently remove the solid ingredients from the pot (the carrots and parsnips will be very tender) and set aside. Set the Instant Pot to “Sauté” again and simmer the sauce until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Taste and add salt or pepper if needed. Return the solid ingredients to the pot, stir in the chopped parsley, then serve.