AIP multi-purpose Instant Pot shredded beef - a batch-cook foundation for the week

One roast in the Instant Pot on a Sunday buys you protein for four or five different meals without touching the stove again. Fork it into a hash, spoon it over squash, drop it into a mug of broth, or eat it cold straight out of the container on a night when nothing else is going to happen. That kind of head start matters most on the weeks it is hardest to find one.

Beef is a dependable source of zinc and iron. Zinc plays into immune regulation, and iron is part of how your blood carries oxygen to tissue still healing. The long, moist cook also pulls collagen out of the roast's own connective tissue, the same material that supports a healthier gut lining. Onion and garlic melt into the cooking liquid and get folded back through the meat at the end, so the flavor is built in rather than added later.

Choose beef from a source that tells you where it is from, when that is an option. There is real satisfaction in turning one piece of meat into several days of food with almost nothing wasted, and a moment of care while you portion it into jars is worth taking.

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 pound grass-fed beef roast (bone in or boneless)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium onion, sliced thinly
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 cup water or bone broth

Method

Season the roast all over with the salt. If you want more depth, use the Instant Pot's saute setting to brown the roast on all sides first, then turn it off.

Lay the sliced onion and the whole garlic cloves in the bottom of the pot and set the roast on top. Pour in the water or bone broth. Lock the lid and set the valve to seal.

Cook on high pressure. A 3 to 4 pound roast generally wants about 60 to 75 minutes, with a bone-in or thicker roast taking the longer end. Let the pressure release naturally rather than venting it, so the meat stays tender.

Lift the roast out and shred it with two forks, discarding any bone. The onion will have melted into the cooking liquid and the garlic will be soft and sweet. Mash the softened aromatics into the liquid, then fold that back through the shredded beef so every bite carries the flavor. Taste and adjust the salt.

Portion into glass containers. Keep in the refrigerator for up to about 4 days, or freeze for longer storage.

Stovetop variation

In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, brown the seasoned roast in a little fat over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and liquid, bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and braise low and slow, turning the roast once partway, until it pulls apart easily with a fork, roughly 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. Add a splash more liquid if it runs low. Shred and fold in the aromatics as above.

Oven variation

Brown the roast, then transfer it with the onion, garlic, and liquid to a covered Dutch oven. Braise at 300 to 325 F until fork-tender, about 3 to 4 hours depending on the cut. Keep it covered so the moisture stays in, check the liquid level partway through, then shred and fold in the aromatics. Times are estimates and worth confirming with your own oven and cut.

*Adapted from gutsybynature.com*