FEWER THAN 10 INGREDIENTS / FAST/SLOW / NATURAL RELEASE / GLUTEN-FREE / FREEZES WELL
Tea-Braised Eye of Round Roast
6 to 8 servings
A smoky tea is an amazing braising medium, especially under pressure. It becomes irresistibly sweet, turning the broth for this down-home, Chinese braise into a spiced sensation. You needn’t add the Sichuan peppercorns, although they’re readily available these days at large supermarkets (and from hundreds of online suppliers). We’ll confess that their use here breaks our oath about using ingredients only from our rural supermarket. Thus, those peppercorns are optional. (For more information, see the headnote to Pork Belly Mapo Dofu on here.)
2 cups water
¼ cup loose Lapsang Souchong tea or 6 Lapsang Souchong tea bags, any labels removed
2 tablespoons vegetable, corn, or canola oil
One 3-pound beef eye of round roast
1 teaspoon ground dried ginger
1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
½ teaspoon table salt
1 medium leek, white and pale green part only, halved lengthwise, washed well, and thinly sliced (⅓ cup)
1 small fresh serrano chile, stemmed, halved lengthwise, seeded (if desired), and thinly sliced
1. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan set over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the loose tea or add the tea bags. Cover and set aside until very dark, about 10 minutes. Strain the tea into a medium bowl or remove and discard the bags.
2.
Press the button for: SAUTÉ
Set it for: MEDIUM, NORMAL, or CUSTOM 300°F
Set the time for: 15 minutes
If necessary, press: START
3. Warm the oil in a 6- or 8-quart cooker for a minute or two. Add the beef and brown it well on all sides, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to a nearby cutting board. Pour the tea into the pot and stir to get up all the browned bits on the pot’s bottom.
4. Turn off the SAUTÉ function; stir in the ginger, Sichuan peppercorns (if using), and salt. Return the roast to the pot. Add the leeks and chile, making sure these are mostly in the broth. Lock the lid onto the pot.
5.
Set the machine for: PRESSURE COOK
Set level for: MAX
The valve must be: 
Set the time for: 55 minutes with the KEEP WARM setting off
If necessary, press: START
Set the machine for: MEAT/STEW, PRESSURE COOK, or MANUAL
Set level for: HIGH
The valve must be: Closed
Set the time for: 1 hour 15 minutes with the KEEP WARM setting off
If necessary, press: START
Set the machine for: SLOW COOK
Set level for: HIGH
The valve must be: Opened
Set the time for: 5 hours with the KEEP WARM setting off (or on for no more than 4 hours)
If necessary, press: START
6. If you’ve used a pressure setting, when the machine has finished cooking, turn it off and let its pressure return to normal naturally, about 30 minutes.
7. Unlatch the lid and open the pot. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and cool for 5 minutes. Carve into ½-inch-thick slices and serve in bowls with lots of the broth from the pot.