Proud owner of an instant pot. Now what?

[LaMarschallin]

After much humming and ha-ing and reading recipes etc, I bought an instant pot yesterday.

I'm very keen to try out its pressure cooking function (the main reason I got it), but also want to check out the slow cooker aspect too as I'm hoping to pass on my old slow cooker to one of my daughters or nieces because I'm such a giver want to free up some worktop space.

I'd really welcome any pressure cooker recipes (years since I've used one of the old ones and then it was usually for marmalade or Christmas pudding).

I'd also love some of people's favourite slow cooker recipes. Obviously I have some myself (and will check out how the new machine makes out with one) but it would be nice to have some new recipes for the new gadget.

Thank you in advance

Recommend that you join the UK Facebook group as that has lots of recipes. My personal favourites are cooking porridge pot in pot as it turns out really smooth and creamy and risotto.

I have cooked beef cheeks as a goulash which was delicious.

I make a lot of stews in it but you just have to remember to not add as much liquid as the original recipe suggests. And it's always better to undercook than overdo it as you can always add time after. Otherwise you can end up with very mushy veg!

Thanks for your replies, both.

Sadly I'm not on FB, but maybe I should join on the Instant Pot's behalf

This recipe :

Sauté chorizo.
Sauté Risotto rice.
Add liquid.
Add frozen butternut squash, onions, spinach.
Manual 6-7 minutes.
Lushness.

This thread in general :

We’ve ordered an Instant Pot http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/foodandd_recipes/3347436-We-ve-ordered-an-Instant-Pot

Mac And Cheese :

thesaltymarshmallow.com/instant-pot-mac-and-cheese/

Mongolian Beef

www.jocooks.com/recipes/instant-pot-mongolian-beef/

To some extent it's just a case of trying it to see what works for you. For example I've seen many people rave about porridge but for me it is quicker, easier and just as good done in the microwave. I rarely sow cook in mine, anything I would have slowcooked previously I now pressure cook. I use the FB page too.

Honey Sesame Chicken

www.pressurecookingtoday.com/pressure-cooker-honey-sesame-chicken

Just to be getting on with

I do Spag Bol and Chilli on Slow Cooker function

Also this Jamie Oliver stew does really well in it, I pressure cook, then leave it on Slow Cook just to really tenderise the beef

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/jools-s-favourite-beef-stew/

I made marmalade in my instant pot last week.

I make porridge in it nearly every day (pot in pot method).

Risotto is brilliant in it.

Hafe a look at Every Nook and Cranny as she has some lovely recipes - steamed pudding especially!

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit do you use chicken thighs for that recipe instead? IME chicken breasts don't need that much time to cook so I thought pressure cooking might dry them out.

@QueenOfTheAndals

I rarely use thighs, so for the HS chicken it would be breast, no dryness issues, it's tge nicest thing I do I think. I throw in carrot and mushroom too.

You do nearly always have to use cornflour on saute at the end for most recipes though.

Shameless placemark

Slimming Eats (don't worry about the slimming bit) is great for Instant Pot recipes.

I use mine for:

• porridge ('pot in pot' as above) every day
• soups of all sorts, usually made up as I go along - sausage & bean one in it at the mo, with a pack of frozen Mediterranean sofrito in
• all sorts of curries.

The only actual recipes I can name off the top of my head include campfire stew and Cuban beef, but generally I just go and look on t'internet and see what I fancy, or just chuck stuff in.

Bought a load of beef cheek this morning, cheap cuts like this work brilliantly in it. That will be Cuban beef this week.

I cook whole joints of meat in mine, make soup, curries, chilli, spag bol, also jam, yogurt, Christmas pudding. I made a cheesecake in it once following a recipe from the FB group, it was a but fiddly but absolutely delicious.

I rarely sow cook in mine, anything I would have slowcooked previously I nowpressure cook

I wondered if that might prove the case.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit

Slightly worried as to how you knew I had the tail-end of some chorizo in my fridge that I want to use up but am very grateful for the recipe.

Also thanks for the links to threads.

Really grateful to everyone who's taken the trouble to post.

If there's anybody else out there with advice/favourite recipes, don't hold back!

I've been thinking about getting the IP for ages and want to prove what a good investment it is to DH.
His brother - who, tbf, is a good cook and, normally, the gadget king - was a bit lukewarm about it so all the enthusiasm I whipped up about it started to fall a little flat...

Not that DBiL has got one or tried one, mind 🤷‍♀️

It has so many advantages over a slowcooker. Being able to saute in it makes a big difference. Then there's the speed and the fact that it stops cooking and keeps the food hot for as long as you need it to. It contains cooking smells much better than my old slowcooker too. I would say if you want to impress or convince DH it was worth buying, cook a whole chicken or joint in it after work, so quick and tasty.

A whole shoulder of lamb cooked to pull apart softyness in 90 mins! Delicious.

Im making a cheesecake in mine once my tin has delivered from Amazon.

I cooked a bean chilli using dried beans straight frm my larder - perfectly soft in 30 minutes and no soaking required.

I only bought it last month, but I'm beginning to really love it.

Love mine.

This risotto is divine: www.joskitchenlarder.com/instant-pot-fennel-leek-risotto/

And love recipes from Fiesty Tapas: www.feistytapas.com/

Brisket is delish in the IP too. 🤤

@LaMarschallin

Tell DBIL that Tom Hanks got one for Christmas he said so on Graham Norton, so if it's good enough for Hollywood Royalty...

Tom Hanks got one for Christmas

Hah! I'm totally vindicated - ever since hearing TH on Desert Island Discs he can do no wrong in my eyes.

I'm going to try out an old recipe for chilli tomorrow (already had today's meal planned before the arrival of the IP) which I used to do in my old slow cooker, to test the slow cooker function.*

If all is well, I can pass that on.
And then, the good bit! Selecting some of those delicious sounding recipes above to give the pressure cooker side of things a workout

BiL will be

(Not nausea. At least, I really hope not!)

*In the interests of science, I will do it again soon in the pressure cooker to compare and contrast.
So scientific, me

Many thanks all

The UK instant pot community recipes are on feistytapas.com. There is a beginner's guide to download - much better than the bizarre manual and recipe book that comes with the pot.

Instant pot risottos are a life saver in my house when CBA to shop/cook

Rice pudding , porridge and minestrone soup are regulars here. Love our IP

Risotto is a favourite here. I also make a savoury rice dish - rice, stock, some frozen mixed veg, smoked sausage cut into chunks, then all mixed and cooked for 12 minutes. I vary the spices depending on how we feel, or make without the meat (chicken is good too, as is chunks of ham) and quick fry a couple of eggs to top it with when done.

I make chillis and curries in it too. You can cook chicken from frozen in it, which is brill for the days I forget.

If I could recommend anything, it would be to buy an extra couple of silicone rings, and keep one just for sweet or unspiced things. I've yet to get my original ring to smell of nothing, it always has an aroma of garlic and spice, so now I use it for smelly foods only. They're pretty cheap and it'll avoid a garlic flavoured pud...