COURSE:
Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish

Product:
Instant Pot Multi-Cooker

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg beef shin or chuck steak
• 2 onions
• 2 peppers
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 tins tomatoes
• 1 cup stock
• 3 tins black beans
• Oil, salt and pepper as needed

To serve (one or any of the following)

• 1 avocado
• 100 g grated cheese
• 200 g cherry or baby tomatoes
• Sour cream
• Cooked white rice
• Small handful fresh coriander, finely chopped (optional)

Instructions

Set the Instant Pot to Sauté on High. While it heats, cut the beef into very large chunks, around 200 g per piece, roughly 12–15 cm across.

Add a little oil to the pot and brown the beef well on all sides, working in batches if needed. Remove and set aside.

Reduce the Sauté setting to Custom Level 3. Add the onions and peppers and cook for 5–10 minutes until softened, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen any browned bits.

Add the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, oregano and smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and stock, scraping up any fond from the base of the pot.

Return the beef to the pot. Cancel Sauté, then switch to Slow Cook on Low for 4-5 hours with the lid vent open.

After 2 hours, stir in the drained black beans and continue cooking until the beef is fork-tender.

Once cooked, remove the beef from the cooking liquid. Shred it using two forks. If serving via baby-led weaning, reserve a few long, flat, very soft strips before shredding the rest more finely. Return the shredded beef to the sauce and stir through.

Serving preparation

When the stew has around 30 minutes left to cook, prepare your toppings. Mash the avocado into a simple guacamole. Finely dice the tomatoes; if using coriander, stir a little through the tomatoes. Grate the cheese and set aside along with sour cream and cooked rice. Serve age appropriately according to the guidelines below.

Notes

Age suitability

Suitable from 6 months+, once baby is ready for iron-rich foods and slow-cooked meat. Textures and toppings should be adapted by age.

Serving suggestions

For spoon feeding (around 6 months+)

Mash or blend the shredded beef, beans and sauce into a thick purée, thinning with cooking liquid as needed. Serve with mashed avocado stirred through or on the side. Avoid grated cheese and raw tomato at this stage.

For baby-led weaning (around 6 months+)

Serve long, soft strips of beef reserved earlier, mashed or flattened beans mixed into the sauce, and soft rice clumps. Avocado can be served mashed or as thick slices.

If offering tomato, use very finely diced soft tomato mixed into the sauce, or lightly crush it with a fork. Avoid loose cherry tomatoes or firm pieces.

For older babies (around 9–12 months)

Serve finely shredded beef mixed with beans and rice. Avocado can be chunkier. Grated cheese can be introduced in small amounts once baby is managing textured foods. Tomatoes should be finely chopped or squashed.

For the whole family

Serve bowls with rice, beef and beans, topped with guacamole, tomato salsa, grated cheese, sour cream and coriander. Add heat, salt or acidity at the table as desired.

Notes

Whole or halved cherry tomatoes are a choking risk for babies and young toddlers; always finely dice or crush before serving. Grated cheese is best introduced once baby is confidently managing thicker textures.

This recipe is perfect for Multi Cooker like the Instant Pot Multi-Cooker.

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