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So I have a new kitchen gadget
And I like it!
I got an Instant Pot recently, and I've been trying it out. An Instant Pot is a programmable electric pressure cooker that can also be used as a slow cooker, steamer, for sauteing (the saute function works really well for browning meats), and making yogurt. You can customize the cooking temperature as well as the amount of pressure it uses.
I made a pot of pasta sauce to Boyfriend's family recipe. On the stove, this sauce takes 6-8 hours to cook. Took two hours in the Instant Pot, which included the time to brown the meats using the saute function. About the only issue I had with how the sauce turned out is that it didn't cook down and thicken any like it does on the stove top. In hindsight, I should have expected that. Next time I'll add some tomato paste and/or drain the diced tomatoes to thicken up the sauce right from the start.
I made bbq pulled pork. Big chunk of pork, straight from the freezer into the pot, with a can of root beer poured over it. It took almost two hours to cook that, but only because I had to send it through a second pressure cooking cycle as the meat hadn't got quite cooked through the first time (solidly frozen big lump of meat, remember). It turned out beautifully, fell apart just like it's supposed to.
Yesterday I made yogurt. The Instant Pot heats up the milk enough to denature the proteins (so the yogurt will thicken) then holds the right temperature for as long as you set it for, for the yogurt culture to do its thing. Takes 8-12 hours, depending on how tangy you want it. Right now I've got part of it in a strainer lined with a very clean towel to drain off some of the whey. It's thick and creamy and smells wonderful. I made granola to mix into it, and I'm going to make coffee and chocolate syrups to use with it, too. I'm going to freeze the whey, and use it in place of the water next time I make bread. It just occurred to me that the yogurt setting would probably also be great for proofing dough.
Tomorrow, I'm going to cook part of a brisket in it. In the oven, it takes 6 to 8 hours at a very low temp to make brisket nice and tender and juicy. I'll start with an hour of cooking at pressure, at the lowest temperature setting I can get it to and see how that works out.
There's a recipe I want to try, for a rice pudding style dessert made with quinoa instead of rice. The only problem is that I'm the only one in the house that will eat it. I'm the only one that will eat the yogurt, too, but I don't mind that. Yogurt (especially not loaded up with lots of sugar) is a great healthy snack. It also seems that making cheesecake in the Instant Pot is de rigueur, so eventually I'll try that too.
I got an Instant Pot recently, and I've been trying it out. An Instant Pot is a programmable electric pressure cooker that can also be used as a slow cooker, steamer, for sauteing (the saute function works really well for browning meats), and making yogurt. You can customize the cooking temperature as well as the amount of pressure it uses.
I made a pot of pasta sauce to Boyfriend's family recipe. On the stove, this sauce takes 6-8 hours to cook. Took two hours in the Instant Pot, which included the time to brown the meats using the saute function. About the only issue I had with how the sauce turned out is that it didn't cook down and thicken any like it does on the stove top. In hindsight, I should have expected that. Next time I'll add some tomato paste and/or drain the diced tomatoes to thicken up the sauce right from the start.
I made bbq pulled pork. Big chunk of pork, straight from the freezer into the pot, with a can of root beer poured over it. It took almost two hours to cook that, but only because I had to send it through a second pressure cooking cycle as the meat hadn't got quite cooked through the first time (solidly frozen big lump of meat, remember). It turned out beautifully, fell apart just like it's supposed to.
Yesterday I made yogurt. The Instant Pot heats up the milk enough to denature the proteins (so the yogurt will thicken) then holds the right temperature for as long as you set it for, for the yogurt culture to do its thing. Takes 8-12 hours, depending on how tangy you want it. Right now I've got part of it in a strainer lined with a very clean towel to drain off some of the whey. It's thick and creamy and smells wonderful. I made granola to mix into it, and I'm going to make coffee and chocolate syrups to use with it, too. I'm going to freeze the whey, and use it in place of the water next time I make bread. It just occurred to me that the yogurt setting would probably also be great for proofing dough.
Tomorrow, I'm going to cook part of a brisket in it. In the oven, it takes 6 to 8 hours at a very low temp to make brisket nice and tender and juicy. I'll start with an hour of cooking at pressure, at the lowest temperature setting I can get it to and see how that works out.
There's a recipe I want to try, for a rice pudding style dessert made with quinoa instead of rice. The only problem is that I'm the only one in the house that will eat it. I'm the only one that will eat the yogurt, too, but I don't mind that. Yogurt (especially not loaded up with lots of sugar) is a great healthy snack. It also seems that making cheesecake in the Instant Pot is de rigueur, so eventually I'll try that too.
But it makes the BEST bone broth! When it firms up in the fridge it's so full of gelatin you could stand a spoon in it.
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