Halloween themed meals are a MUST in this house full of boys! This hearty beef stew has a twist when it’s baked IN a pumpkin! Bonus: we scoop out the “meat” of the pumpkin and use it in our chili later in the week! Healthy, hearty, delicious, fun and simple to make!
For a short video on how to prep this meal, check out my YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/shorts/jVfY23eBls4
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Enjoy!
Beef Stew in a Pumpkin Ingredients
2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast (or beef stew meat)
3 Tbsp olive oil (divided)
1 onion (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
3 cups beef broth
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 package baby carrots
1.5 lbs potatoes (about 4 medium, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces) 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained 1 pumpkin (10 to 12 pounds)
Directions
If using chuck roast and not already cut stew meat, cut the beef into 1 1/2 to 2 inch cubes.
<I chose to brown our stew meat on the stove, drain and then added to Instant Pot after onion/garlic were cooked>
To cook in Instant Pot: Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in the Instant Pot using sauté mode. When the pot is hot, add half of the beef in a single layer.
Brown the beef on the first side, without moving it, for 4 minutes or until it is browned and releases easily from the bottom of the pot. Flip the beef pieces and brown on the second side for about 4 minutes more. Remove the beef to a clean bowl.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot. Brown the second half of the beef, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the browned beef to the bowl with the first half of the beef.
Add the onion to the Instant Pot and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until it begins to soften. Add the garlic to the pot, press cancel to turn off the heat, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
While the Instant Pot is hot, deglaze the pot by pouring in 1 cup of the beef broth and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Pour in the remaining 2 cups of broth.
Add the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce, stir to combine. Add the beef back to the pot, along with any juices from the bowl. Place the carrots and potatoes on top of the beef. Do not stir.
Close the Instant Pot lid and turn the steam release valve to the sealing position. Press the Manual/Pressure Cook button and set the cook time to 35 minutes at high pressure. The Instant Pot will take 10-15 minutes to reach pressure and then the cook time will begin counting down.
While the stew cooks, use this time to wash the pumpkin, cut a 6 to 8 in. circle around top stem, remove the top and set aside. Then scrape inside of pumpkin out and discard seeds. Place pumpkin in a shallow sturdy baking pan.
When the cook time ends, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release for 10 minutes. Then quick release any remaining pressure by carefully turning the steam release valve to the venting position using the handle of a long spoon.
Open the Instant Pot lid. Stir in 1 can of diced tomatoes, undrained.
Spoon stew into pumpkin and replace top. Brush outside of pumpkin with remaining oil. Bake at 325° for 2 hours or just until the pumpkin is tender (do not overbake). Serve stew from pumpkin, scooping out a little pumpkin with each serving. Once dinner has been fully enjoyed, we scoop out the excess "meat" of the pumpkin, then save it to use in chili later in the week (this can be blended if you want a more smooth consistency).
Enjoy!
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