Instant Pot Cooker

[757Dave]

Getting one for Christmas and was wondering what great cooking ideas you guys and gals might provide to someone who has never used a pressure cooker before.

Thanks!

[hbillsmith]

Go to Sams Club and on the tables that have all the books for $10 pick up Laura's "Instant Pot Cookbook". Also visit this web site Clicky for "pressure cooker recipes, tips & reviews!". That website is hands down the best source for getting help. If you upload a recipe there for instance, the sites owner and prime contributor will convert it to pressure cooker for you. If you cant wait, she also has an automated tool you can use. In addition to a wealth of info, the site has an active user forum.

I got my IPduo last Christmas and its great fun to use. Also do a youtube search for "pressure cooker" and you find many short tutorials on how to use your cooker.

[ependydad]

Are you on Facebook? If so, there is a huge group for Instant Pot users. My wife is a part of it and got a lot of great tips.

My biggest tip- don't leave it in the box for 1-4 months before you get brave enough to try it!

We use it easily 1-3 times per week and, in fact, bought a second one for times that we needed 2 pots going at once. (As a fulltime RVer, you can imagine its value if I dedicate that much space!)

We do pork carnitas, roast beast, tacos (beef and chicken), veggies, pastas, and more. Friends just made mashed potatoes and she called it a "game changer".

I was just reading about making yogurt with fresh fruit compote in ours.

[757Dave]

Originally Posted by hbillsmith

Go to Sams Club and on the tables that have all the books for $10 pick up Laura's "Instant Pot Cookbook". Also visit this web site Clicky for "pressure cooker recipes, tips & reviews!". That website is hands down the best source for getting help. If you upload a recipe there for instance, the sites owner and prime contributor will convert it to pressure cooker for you. If you cant wait, she also has an automated tool you can use. In addition to a wealth of info, the site has an active user forum.

I got my IPduo last Christmas and its great fun to use. Also do a youtube search for "pressure cooker" and you find many short tutorials on how to use your cooker.

Originally Posted by ependydad

Are you on Facebook? If so, there is a huge group for Instant Pot users. My wife is a part of it and got a lot of great tips.

My biggest tip- don't leave it in the box for 1-4 months before you get brave enough to try it!

We use it easily 1-3 times per week and, in fact, bought a second one for times that we needed 2 pots going at once. (As a fulltime RVer, you can imagine its value if I dedicate that much space!)

We do pork carnitas, roast beast, tacos (beef and chicken), veggies, pastas, and more. Friends just made mashed potatoes and she called it a "game changer".

I was just reading about making yogurt with fresh fruit compote in ours.

Thanks for the replies!

hbillsmith, we don't belong to Sam's Club (Costco is closer), but I will search for the book on Amazon. The web site looks like something we can use for sure!

ependyday, I promise not to wait four month to use it! We are not on Facebook. Your list of items you cook in it is impressive.

Do you guys have a suggestion for something someone who has never used a pressure cooker could try to get the feel of cooking with it? I have been cooking with a crockpot forever, and an oven of course, but never a pressure cooker (when I was younger used to hear of them exploding and such, may have been urban legend, but enough to keep me away.)

Anyway, thanks for your assistance and happy travels to you both!

out there!

[ependydad]

These electric ones are safe and have fail-guards to keep them from exploding. I'd heard the same thing.

Easiest would likely be something that mimics crockpot cooking. What's a favorite meal in there?

[wahoonc]

Never seen one of those...

But I do have old fashioned pressure cookers and crock pots.

I have only had one "explode", the safety plug blew out because I had put too much liquid in it and it plugged up the pressure vent on it. Took about a month and a gallon of paint to get the chicken off the kitchen walls and ceiling.

I love my pressure cookers, I can cook a whole chicken off the bones in 30 minutes on a gas camp stove, de-bone the chicken add yellow rice, cook for 10 minutes and have the best dinner ever. They are great energy savers.

Pressure cookers, like everything else have a learning curve and require you to follow some basic safety rules.

Aaron

[757Dave]

Originally Posted by wahoonc

Never seen one of those...

But I do have old fashioned pressure cookers and crock pots.

I have only had one "explode", the safety plug blew out because I had put too much liquid in it and it plugged up the pressure vent on it. Took about a month and a gallon of paint to get the chicken off the kitchen walls and ceiling.

I love my pressure cookers, I can cook a whole chicken off the bones in 30 minutes on a gas camp stove, de-bone the chicken add yellow rice, cook for 10 minutes and have the best dinner ever. They are great energy savers.

Pressure cookers, like everything else have a learning curve and require you to follow some basic safety rules.

Aaron

Thanks for the reply! Can't get the splattered chicken out of my mind!!

[hbillsmith]

Originally Posted by 757Dave

...we don't belong to Sam's Club (Costco is closer), but I will search for the book on Amazon.

Here's the clicky link:

The Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook by Laurel Randolf

There are hundreds of youtube's so to get you started take a look at this one. It's simple and elegantly filmed to make the step by step easy.

How to Make Easy One Pot Pressure Cooker Penne Rigate Pasta

[Philos3]

These locked-lid pots are specially designed to drastically shorten the cook times of slow-poke foods like grains, legumes, potatoes, tough meat cuts, soups, and stews. Also, for a quick stock.
================
A top grade saute pan and a good bbq grill/smoker can help you streamline your kitchen so you aren't carrying all these quickie appliances around. Just focus on learning good techniques and appropriate shortcuts.

If you want a soup, why not make a simple four kinds of mushroom soup in the saute pan?

Reduce the amount of the beans, pasta, potatoes, bread, and rice in your diet. It will also help you control your weight.

Also cut down on the quantities of food you consume by upping the quality and flavor of the food you make.

Forget the tough meat cuts unless you are on an extreme budget. Forget making stews.

You don't really need a microwave except to boil water. Toss out all the convenience appliances. Buy one high quality knife and learn good knife skills, etc.

[ependydad]

I know of this blog but can't vouch for the contents. A friend just posted this and it seemed to be directed at your exact inquiry:

http://thisoldgal.com/10-easy-instant-pot-recipes/

[757Dave]

Originally Posted by ependydad

I know of this blog but can't vouch for the contents. A friend just posted this and it seemed to be directed at your exact inquiry:

10 Easy Instant Pot Recipes for New Owners - This Old Gal

Thanks Doug, bookmarked!

[757Dave]

OK, tried out my Instant Pot and WOW! Fixed the Russian Chicken and it was delicious.

Pressure Cooker Russian Chicken (or Slow Cooker) - This Old Gal

(Fixed the rice using the Success Boiling Bag since that is what I had on hand.)

Thanks for the suggestions.

Definetly will be taking this with us when we travel in the MH!

BTW, Happy New Year to all...

[ependydad]

I'm glad you liked it! My wife reheated our Christmas ham in it tonight. She made the mashed potatoes in it last night. And I'm pretty sure she cooker her sweet potato in it.

I should start a diary of everything that we use it for- it's quite versatile!

[757Dave]

Originally Posted by ependydad

I'm glad you liked it! My wife reheated our Christmas ham in it tonight. She made the mashed potatoes in it last night. And I'm pretty sure she cooker her sweet potato in it.

I should start a diary of everything that we use it for- it's quite versatile!

Thanks for all the suggestions, Doug. I think you should post your diary. We love quick and easy when it comes to fixing meals. Hope you are enjoying the holidays!

[ependydad]

Tonight my wife cooked fettuccine noodles in one pot and steamed fresh broccoli in another.

Pasta. Poking was my first big selling point on getting an IP as we can't easily boil a large pot of water for cooking pasta. The stoves (inside and out) just don't get the water to a raging boil- and a gentle boil takes soooo long!

[757Dave]

Originally Posted by ependydad

Tonight my wife cooked fettuccine noodles in one pot and steamed fresh broccoli in another.

Pasta. Poking was my first big selling point on getting an IP as we can't easily boil a large pot of water for cooking pasta. The stoves (inside and out) just don't get the water to a raging boil- and a gentle boil takes soooo long!

Haven't tried pasta yet. Getting our list ready so we can go to the store and get supplies for trying different things.

Thanks for the suggestion!

[Philos3]

I think these electric pressure cookers are a great idea. Over the holidays I wanted to purchase an All-Clad stove pressure cooker, but they didn't have any in stock, so I purchased the All-Clad electric pressure cooker (somewhat comparable to the insta-pot, but much more expensive and more for advanced cooks)

I liked it, but I took it back and traded it in for the stove model. I just like a bit more control over my cooking and the new safety features and ability to adjust the pressure level when cooking on a gas or electric stove was just up my alley.

The price is much, much higher, but for me worth it to match up with how I like to cook.

Probably the most significant thing about my cooking is using one to three fresh herbs these days and not using over the counter sauces. Fresh herbs are usually added at the end, but not always.

Hard to go wrong with the new arts of pressure cooking that are developing rapidly for this wet method.

The recipe cookbook that came with the All-Clad PC8 is quite different than the Old Gal basic recipes.

[NoviBill]

My two cents worth:

• Read the directions and never over fill
• They are great at making things taste like they have cooked for hours
• My recipie for Lentil Soup - https://www.flickr.com/photos/cdrdwd/21183668028

[Philos3]

If you get a chance, read up on the history of pressure cooking, and how the art of pressure cooking got lost and is now being revived.

Just a couple of examples, but in the PC8-Precision Recipe book, it includes:
1) Beef stew with vegetables. (excellent)
2) Roasted chicken with fresh herbs (excellent)
3) Cioppino seafood stew (on my list to try)
4) Shrimp Marinara (on my list to try)

The All-Clad adjusts pressure and cooks in two phases, steam cooking and then soft cooking. It also has a smart timer.

[crrod]

https://www.dadcooksdinner.com/press...er-short-ribs/

Outstanding short ribs!