Cooking an instant pot sirloin tip roast is an amazing way to get a satisfying comfort meal on the table in a reasonable amount of time. My husband has always been a big fan of things like pot roast and beef stew, so this recipe is a win at our house. The meat and veggies are tender and full of flavor and the gravy compliments them beautifully. You can make this recipe AIP compliant by just omitting the black pepper.
If you've ever wondered where to find high quality grass-fed beef, check out this post on the best grass fed beef online.
What is a Sirloin Tip Roast?
A sirloin tip roast is also called a round tip roast. It comes from the hind corners of the animal. It tends to be lean and tougher than some other cuts, so it's important to cook it for a while by braising or stewing in order to tenderize it.
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Ingredients For Instant Pot Sirloin Tip Roast
I know this looks like a lot of ingredients but it's mostly simple spices that add a ton of flavor.
- 3 lb Sirloin Tip Roast- These vary in size. If yours is a little bigger or smaller, you may need to adjust the cooking time a bit. For example, you'd cook a 4-5 pound roast for 65-70 minutes instead of 60. For a 2 pound roast, around 45-50 minutes instead of 60.
- Sea Salt
- Black Pepper- Omit this if you're doing the elimination phase of AIP.
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Dried Rosemary
- Dried Parsley
- Ground Thyme
- Olive Oil - You can also use avocado oil, coconut oil, or fat of choice if needed.
- Onion- This could be a yellow or white onion.
- Beef Broth - Use regular beef broth or bone broth for best results. If needed, you can use chicken broth or vegetable stock.
- Garlic cloves
- Apple Cider Vinegar- This gives the sauce just the right amount of tang. If you can't use apple cider vinegar or don't have it, you could omit it or try using a different type of vinegar (maybe red wine vinegar or white vinegar- these are fine on AIP) or maybe a little lemon juice.
- White Sweet Potatoes- I know a lot of people have trouble finding these (myself included at times), so use whatever starchy vegetable you like and can find. This could be regular sweet potatoes, boniato, yucca root (one of my favorites), parsnips, or squash. Of course, if you're not doing Paleo/AIP, you could just use regular white or red potatoes.
- Baby Carrots- I like using these because they don't need to be cut. If you're using regular carrots, peel them if desired, then cut them into thick slices.
- Maple Syrup- We only use a little bit in this recipe but it rounds out the flavor nicely. You could use honey as a substitute if needed but add it to taste. For example, start with 1 tsp or 1/2 tbsp, taste it, then go from there.
- Arrowroot Starch - Tapioca flour in equal amounts is fine too. If you're not on a paleo/AIP diet and don't have arrowroot starch or tapioca starch, you can use cornstarch as the thickener. Use 2 tbsp cornstarch in place of the 1/4 cup arrowroot starch and reduce the water to 2 tbsp.
- Cold Water- This will be mixed with the arrowroot starch to thicken the gravy.
How to Make Instant Pot Sirloin Tip Roast
- Mix the herbs together and pour the mixture onto a plate. Press the roast onto the mixture- coat it on all sides.
- Put the Instant Pot on the saute function and add 1 tbsp of oil. Heat the oil for 1-2 minutes, then add the roast. Sear it on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Remove the roast from the pressure cooker. Deglaze the pot by adding about 2 tbsp of broth and 1 tbsp of oil. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a spatula or wooden spoon until most of the herbs are "unstuck". Add the onions. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add garlic and apple cider vinegar.
- Put the trivet on top of the onions.
- Place the roast on top of the trivet (fatty side up)
- Add the carrots and sweet potatoes.
- Mix the remaining broth and maple syrup together and pour over the top. Put the lid on and set the steam valve to "sealing." Pressure cook on high for 60 minutes and then allow a natural release of 15 minutes.
- Once cooking time is completed, remove the roast and vegetables. Allow the roast to rest about 15 minutes before cutting.
- Turn the instant pot back on the saute function. In a small bowl, mix the arrowroot starch with the water and add it to the sauce. Allow the sauce to simmer for about 3-4 minutes or until thickened. Turn off the heat.
- Slice the beef and serve it with the vegetables and gravy drizzled over the top. Alternatively, you can cut the beef into cubes and serve it combined with the sauce and veggies as a stew.
What is Natural Release on an Instant Pot?
While the food is cooking, the steam valve is set to "sealing" to keep the steam in the pot and the pressure up.
Once the cooking time is finished, a natural release simply means you leave the valve alone (sealed) and allow the pressure to come down naturally.
This recipe says to give the natural release 15 minutes. This allows the pressure to come down most of the way. Then a short quick release at the end gets the rest of the steam out.
A quick-release on the other hand means turning the valve to "venting" (basically it's open) right after cooking and quickly releasing the steam. This has to be done carefully to avoid burning your arm or hand. I usually put a folded towel over the valve to block the steam and any water splatter.
Storage
This will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days in a tightly sealed container.
Can You Freeze This?
It will also freeze well- just store in a freezer-safe container or freezer-safe ziplock bag.
Notes
- Cooking the Vegetables in Foil or Not- When it comes to adding the carrots and potatoes to the pot- I just put them straight in the pot with everything else and I think it's good that way. However, some people prefer to wrap them in foil and set them on top of the roast during cooking to keep them from getting so soft. Either way is fine- it's just a matter of preference.
- Gravy Thickness- The gravy is a nice thickness as gravy should be but if you'd prefer a thinner sauce, simply add a little less arrowroot starch than the recipe calls for.
- Save the Extra Gravy- This recipe makes quite a bit of gravy. If you just use it to drizzle over the meat and veggies, you'll likely have a fair amount left over. This is great to save for other meals later in the week or you can freeze it for another time. Just store in an airtight container or ziplock bag.
- Cut Against the Grain- Be sure to cut the beef against the grain and in relatively thin slices (about 1/4 inch). This is important and makes a huge difference- it will make the meat a lot more tender.
- Allow the Beef to Rest for 15 minutes after cooking- this also helps with tenderness.
- The Doneness of the Beef- The cook time for this recipe yields a roast that is browned all the way through. If you want some pink in the middle, lower the cooking time. I've found that the longer I cook a roast in the pressure cooker, the most tender it gets, so I tend to go for longer cook times when possible even if it means it's not pink in the middle.
- Cook Time Adjustments for Larger and Smaller Roasts- For larger roasts (4-5#), increase cook time to about 65-70 minutes with a 15-minute natural release. Again, this is for a roast that is browned all the way through. For smaller roasts (around 2 pounds), go with 45-50 minutes with a 15-minute natural release.
Other Instant Pot Reipes You May Like:
Instant Pot Egg Roll in a Bowl
Conclusion:
I hope you love the recipe. Please leave a comment below and let me know what you thought!
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Instant Pot Sirloin Tip Roast (Paleo, AIP Option)
Equipment
- pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 3 lb sirloin tip roast
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp black pepper (omit for AIP)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp ground thyme
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 yellow onion roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth divided
- 1 tbsp garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 cups white sweet potatoes chopped (or starchy vegetable of choice)
- 3 cups baby carrots
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 cup arrowroot starch (or tapioca starch)
- 1/4 cup cold water
Instructions
- Mix the herbs together and pour the mixture onto a plate. Press the roast onto the mixture- coat it on all sides.
- Put the Instant Pot on the saute function and add 1 tbsp of oil. Heat the oil for 1-2 minutes, then add the roast. Sear it on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Remove the roast. Deglaze the pot by adding about 2 tbsp of broth and 1 tbsp of oil. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a spatula or wooden spoon until most of the herbs are "unstuck". Add the onions. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add garlic and apple cider vinegar.
- Put trivet on top of the onions (see notes if don't have one or it you're not sure what this is).
- Place the roast on top of the trivet (fatty side up)
- Add the carrots and sweet potatoes. **Some people prefer to wrap the carrots and potatoes in foil and then set them on top of the roast to keep them from getting too soft during cooking. I just toss mine right in and I think it's good this way. Either way is fine though.
- Mix the remaining broth and maple syrup together and pour over the top. Put the lid on and set the steam valve to "sealing." Pressure cook on high for 60 minutes and then allow a natural release of 15 minutes followed by a quick release of any steam that's left.
- Once cooking time is completed, remove the roast and vegetables. Allow the roast to rest about 15 minutes before cutting.
- Turn the instant pot back on the saute function. In a small bowl, mix the arrowroot starch with the water and add it to the sauce. Allow the sauce to simmer about for 3-4 minutes or until thickened. Turn off the heat.
- Slice the beef and serve it with the vegetables and gravy drizzled over the top. Alternatively, you can cut the beef into cubes and serve it combined with the sauce and veggies as a stew.
Notes
- The trivet is the metal rack that sits in the bottom of the instant pot- it has handles so you can lift the roast out. If you don't have one, just add the roast on top of the onions.
- Be sure to cut the beef against to grain and in relatively thin slices (about 1/4 inch)- this will make it more tender.
- The cook time for this recipe yields a roast that is browned all the way through. If you want some pink in the middle, lower the cooking time.
- Cook Time Adjustments for Larger and Smaller Roasts- For larger roasts (4-5#), increase cook time to about 65-70 minutes with a 15-minute natural release. Again, this is for a roast that is browned all the way through. For smaller roasts (around 2 pounds), go with 45-50 minutes with a 15-minute natural release.
- *If you're not on a paleo/AIP diet and don't have arrowroot starch or tapioca starch, you can use cornstarch as the thickener. Use 2 tbsp cornstarch in place of the 1/4 cup tapioca starch and reduce the water to 2 tbsp.
Jeffrey Pattison says
I made this tonight. I had a 3.25 lbs roast. I think 60 mins was way to long. Roast was ok but should have cook less time. Potatoes and Carrots got way over cooked. I thinking more like 30 mins to 35 mind might have been better. Flavor was get. All in all because of the veggie I give this a 5.5 star out of 10. Definitely cook it less then 60 mins
Arika | FoodCourage says
Hey Jeffrey, Thanks for the feedback. The longer cooking time helps to tenderize the meat. You could lower it a bit I wouldn't recommend lowering by more than about 10-15 minutes. Cutting the veggies into larger pieces can help to minimize the mushiness. Another option is to cut the roast into a few smaller pieces so it cooks a little faster- this would allow for a shorter cook time.