Eye of round steak in peppercorn sauce

eye of round steak served on a plate with rice and broccoli

4.98 from 39 votes

Eye of round steak in peppercorn sauce

Delicious cream-free eye of round steak in peppercorn sauce made in no time, perfect for any special lunch or dinner, made using the Instant Pot.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Natural Pressure Release (NPR)10

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Internacional

Servings: people

Calories: 231kcal

Author: Nadja Belgrave

Equipment

A plate
a spoon or spatula
6 Quarts Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker
a small bowl

Ingredients

1 pound beef eye of round thin steaks
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 diced yellow onion
1 cup water
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ tablespoon butter

Instructions

Season the steaks with the spices salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder on both sides. You can choose to let it marinate for 15 minutes or cook right away.
Select the "Sauté" mode on the electric pressure cooker. Let it heat up, and add the oil to heat it.
Brown the slices on both sides for about 1 minute on each side. Remove from the pot and reserve.
Without rinsing the pot, add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, trying to remove whatever is stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Press the "Cancel" button. Add a cup of water, the peppercorns, and the eye of round slices. Make sure to remove any bits stuck to the bottom to avoid having the instant pot “BURN” error.
Cover the pot and move the valve to where it says “Sealing” to start building pressure. Press the option "Pressure Cook" or “Manual” and select the time. Depending on how thick your slices are, you can adjust between 9 to 12 minutes if it is very thick. For these, set to 10 minutes. It takes 10-12 minutes to reach pressure.
Once the time is up, let it sit for 10 minutes and then move the valve to “Venting” to remove any additional pressure it may have.
Remove the eye of round steaks from the pot and place them on a plate. Remove ½ cup of the liquid from the pot and dissolve the cornstarch with it into the small bowl. Select the "Sauté" option, add the dissolved cornstarch, stirring to ensure that it mixes well with the rest of the liquid and that it does not get all in one place.
Add the butter and cook until the sauce thickens or for about 3-5 minutes. Add the tenderloin slices again and cover with the sauce.
Press the "Cancel" button and serve the round steaks. Enjoy!

Notes

Substitutions:

Onion: you can use either white or yellow. If you don't like the flavor, you can omit it.
Garlic: you can use finely minced garlic without problems.
Oil: You can use whatever you have on hand, preferably one with a neutral flavor like canola or avocado or vegetable oil.
Cornstarch: you can replace it with flour.
Water: You could replace it with beef or chicken broth, and it would give the sauce a little more body.

How to store leftovers? You can store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To heat it, you can do it using a microwave or the stove for a few minutes.

Can I add the heavy cream? If you like, you can add heavy cream for a slightly creamier texture. Use one (1) tablespoon and add it with the cornstarch. I don't suggest adding it during cooking because it might curdle.

Nutrition