1. Season and prep the beef

Start by cutting your chuck roast in half. This not only helps it fit in the pot better, but it also means it cooks more evenly. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the beef — don’t be shy with it!

2. Sear for flavor

Set your Instant Pot to the sauté mode and add a tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is hot, place the beef in the pot and let it brown without moving it around too much. You want each side to get a nice crust, which takes about 4 minutes per side. This step builds flavor, so don’t skip it! Once both sides are browned, transfer the beef to a plate.

3. Sauté the onions and garlic

With the Instant Pot still on sauté, add the chopped onion. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring often to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom. These are flavor gold! Add the minced garlic right at the end — it only needs about 30 seconds before it becomes fragrant. Then, hit “Cancel” to turn off the sauté mode.

4. Add the broth and seasonings

Now, stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth. Give it a good stir to make sure everything is combined and scrape up any remaining browned bits.

5. Pressure cook the beef

Place the seared beef back into the Instant Pot and add the thyme. Lock the lid, set the vent to sealing, and pressure cook on high for 60 minutes. When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.

6. Add the veggies

Open the lid and place the carrots and baby potatoes on top of the beef. Seal the lid again and pressure cook on high for an additional 5 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for another 10 minutes before doing a quick release.

7. Shred the beef and thicken the gravy (optional)

Carefully remove the beef and veggies from the pot. Discard the thyme stems if you used fresh thyme. Use two forks to shred the beef into chunks. If you like a thicker gravy, turn on the sauté mode, mix the cornstarch and water, and stir it into the liquid. Cook for a couple of minutes until it thickens.