We’ve ordered an Instant Pot

[CruCru]

Do you have one? What do you like to make in it?

I used to have a slow cooker, which was great for making stock and mulling wine.

I find if I leave it for at least 15 minutes after the end of cooking time, I can release the steam and meat is not tough. Don't always have time for the full NPR, as it can take up to an hour if the pot is very full. That 15 minutes really does seem to prevent toughness.

The steam on the new electric ones don't seen to be as 'steamy' as with the old ones. I remember mums old fashioned one with the weight being put into the sink and the steam a lost hitting our really high ceiling! My new one sits on the kitchen unit with cupboards underneath and it's fine.

Don't make white rice in it - unless you like sticky lumps! Brown rice comes out great though.

I emailed pressure kind pro yesterday asking if I can make yoghurt in their machine and I was send a pdf of a huge recipe book including yoghurt overnight. That's what I call customer service!

I really love my electric pressure cooker /slow cooker. I've only got a small kitchen but this is a keeper!

White rice is great! We use long grain rice. Weigh the rice for quantity, then rinse it so it's wet (this is really important!). Once it's rinsed and drained, pack it into your IP cup to measure how many cups it is. Put an equal number of cups of water in the pot. Spread the rice evenly across the bottom of the pot in the water. Add some salt. Press the rice button.

Nice, white, fluffy rice, every time.

I did! I used basmati - I always steam it but was doing lots of different dishes so thought I'd save some time. It was really sticky! Fine for Chinese food I guess. Brown always comes out well though.

Lougle did you get a cup measure with your Instant Pot? I didn't, but I do have a set of American measuring cups. Would they be the same volume?

That's surprising @ShovingLeopard one came with mine.

Pork has not succeeded yet

It had 2.5 hours pressure but was still tough so I've put it on Slow for 2.5

Thanks Pawnee, I just looked it up, and it looks like we should have got one, but I didn't realise that till now. Hmmmm, I would like to get it, but guessing Amazon won't be up for sending a spare, seeing as I bought it in the Black Friday before last sale. I might try and get a replacement from instant pot themselves.

Yes, it's this one.

I got mine a couple of years ago too and the about a year ago was asking the same question about having a cup as I didn't think I'd got one but it turned up in my drawer of random plastic containers, I must have put it in there when I first unpacked. I don't think I've ever used it though.

Thanks Lougle I'd better have a ferret about in the deeper recesses of my kitchen cupboards to see if I do indeed have one, but have stored and forgotten.

shoving I lost my IP measuring cup
ages ago (it looks too similar to yoghurt pots so I imagine I recycled it). I just use American measuring cups. I think the IP cup is the same as them anyway but even if not, it's usually the proportions that are important and not the volume so it doesn't matter what you use, as long as the "cup" is the same within each recipe.

Also agree with Lougle white rice comes out perfectly. Rinse it really well first though. I use 1 cup of dry rice to 1 "and a bit" cups water and it's always been great.

I made chili using brisket which was only partially defrosted in mine today. I cut the piece into three and browned it first. 70 mins at high pressure and NPR. It was lovely - shredded with a fork.

I have one! I like cooking salmon with garlic potatoes and greens. They taste very delicious when it's cooked in instant pot. A little lemon zest and paprika go a long way in flavoring this quick and easy meal.

I am straining off some Greek yoghurt for the first time! I enjoy baking bread so wondering what I can do with all the whey coming off, any ideas please?

Thanks for the tips on making yoghurt and the link about how to strain it. I made it for the first time overnight Saturday and it’s delicious! (Had to do it overnight as I knew I’d need the pot to cook the Sunday lunch).

I've only tried rice once or twice (it's one of those things that is so easy to cook on the hob that it seems a bit pointless, a bit like boiled eggs) but both times it has stuck to the container. Cooked nicely but quite a bit wasted compared to pan cooking, plus harder to wash up.

Fail proof recipe for IP rice. I've been using this recipe for 3 years with consistently good results. It is the first method on the webpage. Rice first method

This recipe is for normal rice. Thai rice needs a minute longer and a little more water. Brown rice is a completely different recipe.

Use the whey from yoghurt making as your liquid for bread making - gives a sourdough like taste to the bread.

Thanks wow. I made the yoghurt today. It was a lot of time straining for not much result I thought. The yoghurt was nice enough but I'm not sure I can see myself repeating the process regularly! Unless my kitchen roll layers and a metal strainer were not the best to use to strain it? It took so long because there was so much of it and I could only strain a bit at a time.

Barbayagar, i have bought a nut milk straining bag off ebay for a couple of pounds. I hang it off a wall cupboard handle over a bowl. Strains it fine and you can do it all at once, so much less faff.

Thanks Starface just ordered one from Amazon!

I am currently making a chicken korma in the IP for the kids’ (and my) dinner. I’ve snuck in celery and broccoli so am hoping they’ll eat it.

I have a lamb hotpot in mine, I am going to finish in the oven to get the potatoes browned but it already smells lovely

going to make yogurt tonight if i get organised, I have some gold top!

I've got a curry in mine, just thickening up on saute. Earlier I used it to reduce a huge glut of courgettes into blocks of puree to freeze and throw into soups and casseroles.

I tried straining yogurt in a tea towel this week, it was a little messy but worked really well. Starface - is your straining bag cotton or nylon? I was looking at them on Amazon earlier but being indecisive. I was wondering how you hold the top open to tip the yogurt in from the bowl.

Thanks for the rice link BTW Barbayagar, I think 1.5 cups water to 1 of Basmati is what I used, but can't remember how long I did it for, probably just pressed the rice button. The rice came out sort of dry and sticky, nice flavour but a lot stuck to the bowl. I might give it another try.