Mom's Slow Cooked Pepper Steak (instantly!)

Sometimes I look back on old blog posts from years and years ago and try to recall the energy with which I used to approach cooking. Lately I am kind of bored with it and am forcing myself to branch out by buying ingredients without a plan. What should I do with a bundle of spring onions? (I'm still trying to decide. Meanwhile, they wilt in the fridge.) What can I do with tater tots and marinated artichoke hearts? (Eat separately, do not mix.) And didn't I once read a recipe that called for black sesame seeds, because I'm finally seeing them in the store! (Recipe still not found.) Ugh, I am a mess.

My solution this past weekend was to revisit my mom's cookbook and find something familiar that I had not yet made on my own. I know if anyone can appreciate the occasional drudgery of cooking, it's her - and I only know this because she has told me, not because it ever came through in what she put on the table. I keyed in on her recipe for slow cooked pepper steak - made with an unfussy cut of beef (round steak) and bell peppers.

I had intended to slow-cook it as written, but a long bike ride had me looking at my Instant Pot at 5 p.m. I knew that most beef becomes fork-tender after about 35 minutes under pressure, so I just set it for that and crossed my fingers. It turned out splendidly, because of course it would. Below is my mom's original recipe, and my adaptation for the Instant Pot. Both ways will comfort your soul and astound you when you realize there's not enough leftover for tomorrow night's dinner. Oops.

I texted my mom to show her what I did, and she replied that her "lazy" dinner that night was salami sandwiches on Jewish rye. I'd probably enjoy that just as much, but we all know sandwiches taste better when Mom makes them. In the meantime, I was glad to have this bowlful.

Slow Cooked Pepper Steak (Mom's original)

1.5 to 2 lbs. beef round steak
2 T. neutral cooking oil
1/4 c. soy sauce (or tamari)
1 c. chopped onion (1 large)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
4 tomatoes, cut into eighths, or 1 16-oz. can tomatoes with liquid, cut up if whole
2 large green peppers, cut into strips (or a colorful combination)
1/2 c. cold water
1 T. cornstarch
Cooked noodles or rice

Cut beef into 3-inch x 1-inch strips: brown in oil in a skillet. Transfer to slow cooker. Combine the next seven ingredients (through the ginger); pour over beef. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until meat is tender. Add tomatoes and peppers; cook on low for 1 hr. longer. Combine the cold water and cornstarch to make a paste; stir into liquid in slow cooker and cook on high until thickened. Serve over noodles or rice.

New-Fangled Instant-Potted Pepper Steak

Same ingredients as above

After cutting beef into strips, as above, brown the steak directly in the IP using the saute setting (you may need to do this in batches). Add the next seven ingredients and give the pot a good stir to mix everything together. Add the tomatoes and peppers on top, along with another 1/2 cup of water to be on the safe side (this helps it come to pressure). Close the lid and manually set the pressure to 35 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally 10 minutes (or longer, if you can stand it), then quick-release the rest. Combine the cold water and cornstarch as above, and stir into the mixture. Use the saute function again to bring it back up to a simmer and let it thicken to your liking (this took about 5 minutes). Serve over noodles or rice.

I served it over brown rice, cooked in vegetable broth, with peas thrown in at the last minute. Yum.