Most meat is expensive in Switzerland, so I always turn to the cheaper cuts. Veal breast is reasonably affordable, but it’s tough and fatty. So what to do with it?
I’ve started pressure cooking very tough, fatty cuts of meat because then I can have a ready meal in an hour, without either drying out the meat or wrestling with gristle. My favorite way to use cuts like this is in a stew. These are fast and easy to throw together, and you can mix and match any number of different ingredients.
Really, all you need is a tough cut of meat with good marbling or a reasonable layer of fat, some liquid to cook it in, vegetables of your choice, and seasonings. Layer in the liquid first, then the meat, and then the rest, set your pressure cooker to 45-50 minutes, turn it on and forget it. You can add less liquid for a thick stew or more for a thinner soup.
This particular recipe uses red wine and chicken broth for the liquid, and I seasoned it with salt, pepper, garlic, onion, a little of my Fruity Habeñero Hot Sauce, and some Italian leaf spices.
Because veal breast is fatty, you’ll want some carbs or carb-adjacent vegetables to soak that up. I generally cook low-carb because I have mild Type 1 diabetes, so I used Jerusalem artichokes. Rice, pasta or other grains would serve equally well.
Instant Pot Veal Breast with Spinach & Jerusalem artichokes
Equipment
- 1 pressure cooker
Ingredients
- ¾ cup red wine (Barolo or Syrah)
- 2 cups chicken broth (use up to ¾ cups less if you like a thicker stew)
- 1 kg veal breast
- 1 large white onion (coarsely diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (crushed and chopped)
- 400 grams mushrooms sliced. (I use a mix of mushrooms. You can use fresh or frozen.)
- 500 grams frozen spinach
- 1 tbsp hot sauce (optional). You can substitute a habeñero or other spicy pepper of your choice
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 500 grams Jerusalem artichokes (washed and quartered)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Pour the red wine and broth in the bottom of the pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Then layer in the meat, the vegetables, and the seasonings (including the hot sauce).
- Set the Instant Pot on Pressure Cook and the heat to "high". Set the cook time for 50 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, use the quick release. Take the lid off when it's safe, add the Jerusalem artichokes, put the lid back on and pressure cook for another 5 minutes on high.
- Release steam again. Shred the meat with two forks, Mix in the cream, and serve.
