Cooking with Clear Jel or Ultra Gel...Sue's Instant Pot Swiss Steak

 Here’s a dish right out of Mom’s kitchen…and we served it with traditional sides, freezer mashed potatoes and home canned green beans.   My husband loves the tender meat and delicious gravy, I like the fact it doesn’t have to cook all day.  I often make this and freeze extra meal portions with the sauce for a busy-day lunch; simply reheat in the microwave or a non-stick covered skillet.  Round steak is usually reasonably priced here, and this recipe makes it really tender.
I use my Instant Pot, or I have also used my 6 quart pressure cooker.  I use cook-type clear jel or Ultra Gel so that this dish will freeze and reheat without the sauce "breaking" and getting runny.  You can use corn starch if you plan to serve all of it at one meal.
This is a recipe that was popular for Sunday or company dinners back in the fifties and sixties, and we still enjoy it.              

Sue's Instant Pot  Swiss Steak

 

  2             pounds  round steak -- 8 pieces; 3 ½ -4 ounces each

  15           ounces  tomatoes, canned

     1/2      cup  water

  1             cup  onion -- chopped

     1/2       cup  green pepper -- chopped

     1/2       cup  celery -- sliced

     1/2      teaspoon  garlic salt

     1/2      teaspoon  pepper

     1/2      teaspoon  Italian seasoning

                        ****

For sauce:

     1/4       cup  cook-type clear jel or ultra jel or cornstarch

     1/4       cup  water

  1              teaspoon  beef base

Total Time:  1 hour 15 minutes+

1. Cut the steak into 8 even-sized pieces.  Sprinkle with garlic salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
2. Plug in instant pot and press sauté; wait until the pot registers hot.  Heat 2 tablespoons lard or oil and brown the pieces, 
3. Once all the meat has been browned; return to the pot and pour remaining sauce ingredients and vegetables over the meat.  Secure the lid.
4. Reset pot to Meat/Stew or high pressure; set timer for 20 minutes with the pressure valve closed.
5. Once timer goes off, TURN OFF and let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes; twist valve for quick release to remove the remaining pressure. (Use a hot pad to protect your hands from any steam).
6. Remove steak and keep warm.  Combine clear jel or ultra jel or cornstarch and water until smooth and stir into cooking liquid in pressure cooker.  Turn pot to sauté; cook and stir until sauce boils and thickens.

• Serve sauce over steak and your choice of potatoes, noodles or rice.  MAKES ABOUT A QUART OF SAUCE...you can save some in a freezer bag to combine with hamburger, if there is leftover.
• Serve with 1 1/2 ounces dry noodles, cooked for 2 servings
• Makes 4 freezer meals...cool meat and gravy separately, portion into quart freezer bags, 2 pieces of meat and 3/4 cup sauce each.
• Per Serving: 239 Calories; 14g Fat (52.7% calories from fat); 23g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 67mg Cholesterol; 271mg Sodium.