My wife got one for Christmas, but I do almost all of the meat cooking in our house. I already have a crockpot I never use and a stovetop pressure cooker, what can this thing do?

As an aside, I braise my potroasts because crock pots ruin them.

https://texags.com/forums/67/topics/2819699/replies/48666755

Sorry for the double post...did not meant to post the blank one above!!

Also this one

https://texags.com/forums/67/topics/2897698

AggieChemist said:

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My wife got one for Christmas, but I do almost all of the meat cooking in our house. I already have a crockpot I never use and a stovetop pressure cooker, what can this thing do?

As an aside, I braise my potroasts because crock pots ruin them.

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Lots of things. One thing you need to keep in mind is that most recipes are written for a 15 psi pressure cooker, but an Instant Pot tops out at 11 psi. That means just need to add about 20% to your cooking time. Also just use it as a pressure cooker. Here's why:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/10/why-pressure-cookers-are-better-than-slow-cookers.html

Beans and grains are perfect for the pressure cooker. Chili is really good (not as thick so it needs to reduce on the stove top to finish). Chicken stock is done in two hours (and better than stovetop stock).

You will find recipes involving pasta cooked in an Instant Pot. Avoid them.

Our neighbor made us spaghetti in an instant pot and it was delicious. Also made a good jambalaya.

I have pretty much every cooking gadget known to man... That being said I just heard about these instant pots a couple weeks ago and I'm already considering purchasing an instapot ultra or Bluetooth. The look like an awesome tool to add to my arsenal.

Edit to add that I just ordered the ultra and can't wait to try it out. I have a feeling that this will replace my pressure cooker and crockpot (that I seldom use).

I ran home a lunch yesterday and threw a pork butt in mine with some seasonings, garlic and beef stock. Pickings were slim, but I needed some meat for dinner.

The pork was fork tender, pulled easily, and tasted good. I thought it was overcooked, but that's on me as I told it to go 2 hours on high, and then it sat keeping warm all afternoon.

Still, to cook an entire 8 lb butt in a couple hours is impressive. And with some A1 and green beans it made for a fine weeknight dinner.

I'm really excited about the stock-making capability of this thing more than anything right now.

I am a huge fan of the instant pot as a rice cooker as well. I use mine for soups, beans, chili, rice, and pretty much any time i am feeling like experimenting with a one pot meal.

AggieChemist said:

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I ran home a lunch yesterday and threw a pork butt in mine with some seasonings, garlic and beef stock. Pickings were slim, but I needed some meat for dinner.

The pork was fork tender, pulled easily, and tasted good. I thought it was overcooked, but that's on me as I told it to go 2 hours on high, and then it sat keeping warm all afternoon.

Still, to cook an entire 8 lb butt in a couple hours is impressive. And with some A1 and green beans it made for a fine weeknight dinner.

I'm really excited about the stock-making capability of this thing more than anything right now.

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That's seems like an insanely long time. I'd consider cutting the pork into 3" - 4" chunks and cooking about a quarter of the time.

I'd also use chicken stock over beef, or some mix of soda and water.

The serious eats green chicken chili is great.

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/04/pressure-cooker-fast-and-easy-chicken-chile-verde-recipe.html

agdaddy04 said:

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Our neighbor made us spaghetti in an instant pot and it was delicious. Also made a good jambalaya.

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Jambalaya sounds great, as does a spaghetti sauce. Pasta does not.

Lots of Indian curries are greatness in a pressure cooker too. Hummus made from chickpeas cooked in a pressure cooker blows the socks off of any hummus you can buy in the store.

Made Chicken Tortilla soup and gumbo in mine so far. It's fantastic.

AG 07 said:

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I am a huge fan of the instant pot as a rice cooker as well. I use mine for soups, beans, chili, rice, and pretty much any time i am feeling like experimenting with a one pot meal.

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I don't get using it as a rice cooker. If you use it for something you would serve with rice then you still need a rice cooker, right?

And chep rice cookers work pretty well.

biobioprof said:

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AG 07 said:

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I am a huge fan of the instant pot as a rice cooker as well. I use mine for soups, beans, chili, rice, and pretty much any time i am feeling like experimenting with a one pot meal.

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I don't get using it as a rice cooker. If you use it for something you would serve with rice then you still need a rice cooker, right?

And chep rice cookers work pretty well.

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Cheap rice cookers work fine for me with cheap rice. Once I started using sushi rice that required less liquid I found that the rice wasn't coming out the way I wanted. Once I began using the instant pot I was really impressed.

We eat a ton of different kinds of rice in my house, my kids love it so I make it a lot. The saute functions on the instant pot allow me to add all kinds of stuff to my rice dishes and it is so much better than using a cheap rice cooker's pot that may have super uneven heat.

Also you are right about the instant pot being used for other stuff, but after I got my first one, I bought a second one on prime day for a really good deal intending to give it to my mom for some event like christmas or birthday. Well someone else gave her one before then, so I kept it, So I had two, and used them both on several occasions and was happy. Then my MIL knows I like to cook and bought me a 6 qt ultra a couple of weeks ago for christmas so now i have three.... And I am going to keep them all.

You can cook the rice at the same time as the "something with". I made a Jambalaya this way last weekend that was pretty damn good.

BEaggie08 said:

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You can cook the rice at the same time as the "something with". I made a Jambalaya this way last weekend that was pretty damn good.

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si.

I made Jambalaya a few weeks ago as well, it was very solid. Note I like mine "dry" and not all tomatoey (sp?)

You can make make a kick ass risotto in a pressure cooker too, which just goes to show that you have to stir a risotto the whole time is a bunch of baloney.

HTownAg98 said:

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You can make make a kick ass risotto in a pressure cooker too, which just goes to show that you have to stir a risotto the whole time is a bunch of baloney.

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I have arborio rice at the house, I need to figure out how to do that.

There was once a thread on this board about risotto that almost ended in a fist fight. It was all about stirring vs. no stirring. Utterly ridiculous and entertaining.

HTownAg98 said:

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You can make make a kick ass risotto in a pressure cooker too, which just goes to show that you have to stir a risotto the whole time is a bunch of baloney.

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Yes, there are some great risotto recipes for the IP out there

I made amazeballs butter chicken in this thing on Saturday. Was done in under an hour, using frozen chicken thighs.

Just got my instant pot in. Does anyone have a good recipie to try? If not I will probably go with a tried and true pork chops w/ cream of mushroom sauce over rice.

maybe I'm not understanding what this does, but why would you use it for gumbo?

BMX Bandit said:

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maybe I'm not understanding what this does, but why would you use it for gumbo?

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Speed. It does the same stuff as your pots and pans, only much faster. My gumbo takes 2 hrs - 1 to prepare & boil + 1 to simmer. Could knock it out in IP much quicker.

Wife seared & cooked 5lb pork loin in there last night. Set it on 35 mins, and I laughed - no way that will be done! It was done, tender, awesome, and I have mucho leftovers for lunch.

It boils eggs so that the shells fall off in one piece.

I've been cooking with mine for the last week or so and while it is definitely a good multi use device. I'm not sure it will replace my pressure cooker though. I've gotten repeated "burn" error messages even when I have plenty of thin liquid and there is no actual burning... I end up having to make the recipe with a ton of extra water and then reduce it to get the gravy to the right consistency.

Bruce Almighty said:

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The serious eats green chicken chili is great.

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/04/pressure-cooker-fast-and-easy-chicken-chile-verde-recipe.html

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This was awesome. And I came home tonight to some meatloaf in the pot. Was great

Bruce Almighty said:

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The serious eats green chicken chili is great.

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/04/pressure-cooker-fast-and-easy-chicken-chile-verde-recipe.html

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I made this last week as the first thing I cooked after kicking the flu. I can attest that it is awesome.

Mine came out a bit runny, I think because my wife insisted the IP needed some fluid. I thickened it with some corn tortillas while i had the immersion blender in hand. The saute called for creates the liquid necessary. Next time I'll set it to saute and then start cutting vegetables and let the tomatillos deliver some more fluid for the IP.

I might ladel out and reserve some chunks of vegetables on the next go for a change in consistency.

I haven't done the chicken chile verde, but I have done the pork one several times, highly recommend.

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2017/03/easy-pressure-cooker-pork-chile-verde-recipe.html

How spicy is the green chicken chili? I love spicy food but my wife and kids aren't a fan.

Asking for myself, forget my friends

Thanks

I made it with two mostly seeded serranos and it wasn't spicy at all by my standards. My wife eats a little heat but she didn't even mention any spiciness. I think the biggest variable you can't readily control is the heat level of the poblanos.

Poblanos and Anaheims are on the milder end of the scale especially if you remove the seeds. You could try that without any Jalapeno or Serrano and see how it tastes, then kick it up the next time.

I use all the peppers and my wienie wife can handle it. I do seed them though.