Instant Pot = game changer!!

KaciWood19
KaciWood19 Posts: 396 Member
in Recipes
I took advantage of Black Friday sales this year and purchased an Instant Pot. I am in love! It really has taken so many excuses away from me and forced me to eat healthier home cooked meals! I can no longer say “let’s eat out b/c I forgot to thaw meat”! Anyone have any go - to instant pot recipes to share?

Replies

  • Biggster69
    Biggster69 Posts: 84 Member
    I just got one too. So far I made eggs, oatmeal, rice, stir-fry and steamed veggies.
    Everything turned out great. Next I wanna try pancakes. Still experiencing! But I love it. I go out to eat only on special occasions like birthdays etc. Cooking at home and even faster is great.
  • Biggster69
    Biggster69 Posts: 84 Member
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  • ndoucette22
    ndoucette22 Posts: 2 Member
    are there advantages to the instant pot besides not having to defrost meat? I've seen them and I kept feeling like they were like a slow cooker.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,950 Member
    ndoucette22 wrote: »
    are there advantages to the instant pot besides not having to defrost meat? I've seen them and I kept feeling like they were like a slow cooker.

    I don't have one, but I think they also function as a pressure cooker so dramatically reduce the cooking time for braised cheaper cuts of meat.
  • taco_inspector
    taco_inspector Posts: 7,223 Member
    edited December 2018
    acpgee wrote: »
    ndoucette22 wrote: »
    are there advantages to the instant pot besides not having to defrost meat? I've seen them and I kept feeling like they were like a slow cooker.

    I don't have one, but I think they also function as a pressure cooker so dramatically reduce the cooking time for braised cheaper cuts of meat.

    Yep - a super simple pressure cooker that kinda "self monitors" (so much less hassle than stovetop pressure cookers). SO, yeah InstantPot = Electric Pressure Cooker (and a total game-changer). Like any pressure cooker, the "pressure" increases vapor pressure, so water boils at higher temps... allowing cooking at higher temps without loss of moisture.

    I have no skills, so mine sees a lot of beans (from dry), rice, along with chicken / turkey / beef / ham / pork stuff... I totally under-exploit mine, using it to prepare what are traditionally slow-cooker meals in an hour instead of 8 hours.

    There's a good grop on here (and a whole lot of threads) for precipices and other resources: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/115500-pressure-cooker-recipes-and-tips
  • sarak0310
    sarak0310 Posts: 19 Member
    I love mine also. I pin and try tones of healthy (paleo style) food from Pinterest. My favorite is Asian Sesame Chicken.
  • premiern1
    premiern1 Posts: 5 Member
    I just got mine. I used it to make a 15 bean soup and used the leftover ham from Christmas. I love that I can saute the vegetables and then pressure cook the beans. I didn't have to soak them at all. 1 hour and done. I'm not great at planning for dinner so this is great!
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    standenvernet wrote: »
    acpgee wrote: »
    ndoucette22 wrote: »
    are there advantages to the instant pot besides not having to defrost meat? I've seen them and I kept feeling like they were like a slow cooker.

    I don't have one, but I think they also function as a pressure cooker so dramatically reduce the cooking time for braised cheaper cuts of meat.

    Yep - a super simple pressure cooker that kinda "self monitors" (so much less hassle than stovetop pressure cookers). SO, yeah InstantPot = Electric Pressure Cooker (and a total game-changer). Like any pressure cooker, the "pressure" increases vapor pressure, so water boils at higher temps... allowing cooking at higher temps without loss of moisture.

    I have no skills, so mine sees a lot of beans (from dry), rice, along with chicken / turkey / beef / ham / pork stuff... I totally under-exploit mine, using it to prepare what are traditionally slow-cooker meals in an hour instead of 8 hours.

    There's a good grop on here (and a whole lot of threads) for precipices and other resources: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/115500-pressure-cooker-recipes-and-tips

    Thanks for that link. I just got mine a couple weeks ago, since both my rice cooker and my slow cooker were at the point of needing to be replaced, so I thought this would be a great replacement. It's been amazing for what I've used it, but I've only done a few things with it.
  • Running2Fit
    Running2Fit Posts: 702 Member
    I got one for Christmas and totally love it already!

    I made this beef stew that turned out great: https://pinchofyum.com/instant-pot-beef-stew
    This recipe was pretty good but I felt like it needed some more flavor (I added chili garlic sauce): https://www.noshtastic.com/instant-pot-firecracker-chicken/

    I still have lots of experimenting to do!
  • timetodothis19
    timetodothis19 Posts: 23 Member
    It is probably not the healthiest but my favorite recipe so far is spaghetti and meatballs. Cooks in 9 minutes. Meatballs noodles and sauce in one pot
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    edited December 2018
    ndoucette22 wrote: »
    are there advantages to the instant pot besides not having to defrost meat? I've seen them and I kept feeling like they were like a slow cooker.

    The only real advantage, in my experience, is that it's a pressure cooker. There are, however, better pressure cookers on the market. Yes it can make yogurt (which I don't eat), rice (but I have a very good rice cooker that has lasted longer than this likely will and is significantly less finicky), oatmeal (but again with the rice cooker - or the stove), eggs, etc. But really if you don't think you'd need a pressure cooker and/or want to make yogurt at home I don't really see the use.

    I primarily use it for beans but I also just made chicken broth in it a few days ago (that was useful - but it didn't taste as good as if I were to have made it on the stove). Where it, and any other pressure cooker, really shines is Indian food. There are a lot of resources online with recipes and more than a few facebook groups (from what I've heard from multiple sources - I don't have a facebook profile). I probably use mine once every six to eight weeks, sometimes more.

    Where they don't shine is as a slow cooker - or at least that's what I've heard. I've never used the slow cooker function on mine as I have a slow cooker already. They're also not great for browning meat in ahead of presser cooking it due to how small the bottom of the pot is and it not being flat. Also remember that you need to factor in how long it takes for it come up to pressure and sometimes how long it takes to depressurize (unless you're doing the quick depressurize thing which is useful for somethings and really not for others). I roll my eyes at the idea of doing polenta in it because it takes longer in the instant pot than on the stove (yes - I've tried multiple times).

    And before anyone mentions this - no it can't pressure can. I realize the newest model says that it can - however it is unable to get to and hold a high enough pressure to safely pressure can.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    I love it for soups and stews, so you can get the developed flavours and textures in half an hour instead of all day. I use mine all the time. I've heard this thing about not being a great slow cooker more than once but I'm gonna try for myself soon before I pass that on as a thing.
  • kbrunner2
    kbrunner2 Posts: 38 Member
    I use mine a lot for shredded chicken. Also, great for spaghetti squash or butternut squash. Risotto is soo easy to make in it and very good.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    ndoucette22 wrote: »
    are there advantages to the instant pot besides not having to defrost meat? I've seen them and I kept feeling like they were like a slow cooker.

    They have a slow cooker function, but most people I know use it primarily for the automatic pressure cooking capabilities. It substantially reduces cooking time. I can cook a black bean soup from scratch using dried beans in under an hour...that would typically take hours on the stove top. We make a lot of soups and stews with ours and it cuts down on time immensely. We've also "roasted" a whole chicken a couple of times.
  • debrakgoogins
    debrakgoogins Posts: 2,033 Member
    ndoucette22 wrote: »
    are there advantages to the instant pot besides not having to defrost meat? I've seen them and I kept feeling like they were like a slow cooker.

    They are completely different than a slow cooker although they do have a slow cooker funtion. I can make fall off the bone ribs in an hour, fork tender pot roast in 45 minutes, homemade yogurt, dried beans with no need to soak, bulk amounts of tender and juicy chicken breast for food prep in 30 minutes, beef stew in less than an hours...so many things. We love ours so much that we have one for the house and one for our seasonal camper.
  • ndoucette22
    ndoucette22 Posts: 2 Member
    Thanks, everyone. That is what I was wondering debrakgoogins, if it still made meats super tender like a slow cooker, but quicker. :)
  • debrakgoogins
    debrakgoogins Posts: 2,033 Member
    ndoucette22 wrote: »
    Thanks, everyone. That is what I was wondering debrakgoogins, if it still made meats super tender like a slow cooker, but quicker. :)

    I like IP meat better than crock pot. A roast made in the IP is tender and juicy but in a crock pot it is sort of mushy.
  • ddky
    ddky Posts: 381 Member
    I have had mine about a year. Love it. We have cut way back on meat so I use i mostly for soups, chili, and dried beans. My favorite thing is dried beans. Takes about an hour, no adding water, no stirring, no soaking, and they taste like they have been cooking all day. We did use it to cook a ham at christmas, well actually the ham was precooked, but we used the cooker to heat it and remove the extra water. I think it was 15 minutes. If this thing broke today and I would be out tomorrow buying another one. Mine is a cheaper brand, but seems to work just fine.
  • baygirl2019
    baygirl2019 Posts: 54 Member
    I just got mine and have made something in it every day since (Christmas). I have made several soups. All you need is 4 cups of any broth or stock, a protein (or not), vegetables (your choice), seasonings (your choice) and you have delicious low fat soup. I made vegetable beef a few days ago from leftover sirloin steak. BBQ pork loin chops, 4 chops, 1/2 cup bbq sauce, 1/2 cup chicken broth, seasonings, easy and delicious. I threw in potatoes and carrots. Made jambalaya too.
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
    I love mine, but it's definitely not "instant". The dang thing takes forever to get pressurized and steam release. I do low how it frees up my oven.
  • TheFlyOnTheWall
    TheFlyOnTheWall Posts: 61 Member
    I made beef stew in mine for the first time yesterday - I usually make it in the slow cooker - and it was delicious! So much better in the instant pot - I did add the vegetables (carrots, onions, potatoes) after the beef was cooked - did a natural release for 10 minutes, then a quick release, then added the veggies for 10 more minutes of cooking because I didn't want them mushy

    I can't believe how much better it was than the slow cooker!

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