Instant Pot. Multi-function cooker (Part 1)

[andiesenji]

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So for those of you who are interested here's my lab notes and some photographs from the yogourt making session of yesterday.

Yogurt made from the shelf-stable milk (the jar with the string around it) was considerably less thick than that made from the milk out of the refrigerator. I also thought it was a little less tangy.

I found the process tedious last evening but then I was extremely tired and just wanted to close my eyes not hang around waiting for yogourt to drop in temperature! Now that I have the times that each step in the process takes I think I will find it much easier. The yogourt does firm up considerably after a time in the refrigerator.

Very well expressed and documented process.

However, I think I will stick to my method, which is easier for me.  And I am almost exclusively using half and half for my yogurt because I like the much thicker result and the "store brand" half and half in the 1/2 gallon size works out to not much more than the cost of regular milk - and no additives needed. 

With the heat we have had lately, I haven't even had to use the "incubator", just set the container out on a table on the deck.  Temps have been hovering around 100°F or in the 90s for the past few weeks.

Edited September 10, 2015 by andiesenji (log)

[MelissaH]

Anna, have you tried using a sous-vide setup to make yogurt? I put scalded milk in mason jars, inoculate them when they cool enough to not kill the cultures, cap the jars, and then put them in a nice warm bath for a while. What's the advantage of using an instant pot over a more (or less) traditional setup?

[Anna N]

Anna, have you tried using a sous-vide setup to make yogurt? I put scalded milk in mason jars, inoculate them when they cool enough to not kill the cultures, cap the jars, and then put them in a nice warm bath for a while. What's the advantage of using an instant pot over a more (or less) traditional setup?

Melissa,

There are many, many ways to make yogurt and I really wasn't looking for one. The whole object of this topic was to test the features of the Instant Pot. Since I don't normally make yogurt I cannot really give you an idea of whether it is more or less trouble than any other way. Once I determined the timing for each step of the process I felt that if I did need to make yogurt this was as good a way as any. And it proved that the Instant Pot can do it.

[Anna N]

It is tiny and not very attractive but oh the taste! One of my communal Instant Pot projects. A small pork belly which I rolled and tied after it had been given the sugar and salt treatment from Momofuku and rested in the refrigerator overnight ( Google if you care to know more). It is normally cooked in the oven at high-temperature and then lower temperature and I was unable to find too much guidance for doing it in the pressure cooker. Obviously it was not going to get the gorgeous finish that it would get in the oven but this can be sliced and sautéed to get some colour if my "client" so desires. What do you call those who make use of a communal cooking vehicle?

Anyway I put it in the Instant Pot along with a rack and a cup of water. In total it got 50 minutes at high-pressure with slow release.

[Kerry Beal]

What do you call those who make use of a communal cooking vehicle?

Fortunate?

[Anna N]

More ribs to help feed number two son this evening. Spareribs this time so I gave them only 20 minutes rather than the 30 which I gave the back ribs. I need to get on with other things so I put them in a big bowl with plenty of barbecue sauce and they can wallow in that until it's time for them to go under the broiler.

[rotuts]

Im keen on your thinking of dropping the time to 20 for the Spareribs.  

 

and now you think they turn out re: tenderness.

 

i have some 'country-style' pork ribs right now in the IP.

 

I chose 30 min, and was going to do 'natural release' as it would give them a bit more cooking time.

 

they are thicker.

 

I like the idea of tossing the "meats' in a bowl w sauce then doing the secondary broil after that

 

 ( I did think of that w the CS ribs, but you 'published first '  so you get the GoodEats award )

 

when those Spares came out, did you 'poke' them or get a sense that they were cooked  ' just right ? "

[Anna N]

Im keen on your thinking of dropping the time to 20 for the Spareribs.  

 

and now you think they turn out re: tenderness.

 

i have some 'country-style' pork ribs right now in the IP.

 

I chose 30 min, and was going to do 'natural release' as it would give them a bit more cooking time.

 

they are thicker.

 

I like the idea of tossing the "meats' in a bowl w sauce then doing the secondary broil after that

 

 ( I did think of that w the CS ribs, but you 'published first '  so you get the GoodEats award )

 

when those Spares came out, did you 'poke' them or get a sense that they were cooked  ' just right ? "

I think they will be fine but of course we will have to wait until dinner to be sure. My reason for reducing the time was a little research which suggested that 20 minutes was an appropriate time for spareribs. I believe I settled on that time after I found a similar recipe on pressure cooking today.ca. I judged their doneness mostly by how much the meat had shrunk from the bones (and a little nibble). I am hoping for something that still requires just a little bit of work. Not fall-off-the-bone tender.

[rotuts]

this was meant for the IP thread :

 

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/151884-dinner-2015-part-5/page-5

 

# 143.

 

but it was dinner too.

Edited September 10, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[Anna N]

this was meant for the IP thread :

 

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/151884-dinner-2015-part-5/page-5

 

# 143.

 

but it was dinner too.

Country style ribs show up occasionally but are by no means common in the stores I frequent. Yours look quite delicious.

[Anna N]

Doesn't show the ribs off to their best advantage but according to my son they were fabulous. They still had a little chew which is what I was aiming for.

[rotuts]

did you get a full ' rack'  ?

 

how much of a full rack were you able to place in the IP ?

 

I guess that's what's next for me to try.

 

they do look fabulous.  

 

the idea of letting them sit in a bowl w the glaze , then broil later give one time

 

for a side or two.

 

nice

[Anna N]

did you get a full ' rack'  ?

 

how much of a full rack were you able to place in the IP ?

 

I guess that's what's next for me to try.

 

they do look fabulous.  

 

the idea of letting them sit in a bowl w the glaze , then broil later give one time

 

for a side or two.

 

nice

It was a full rack but I've had much nicer racks that were much better trimmed! I was not impressed with the quality at all. When I lifted the rack out of the package there was a hunk of bone and flesh beneath it would you must've weighed at least 25% of the total weight . Obviously I paid for that but it really wasn't any good for anything. I had no trouble fitting everything in the IP doing the Teepee arrangement.

[Anna N]

So I picked up a little more meat than I should have the last time I was taken grocery shopping. Did not want to freeze it nor waste it so I made a couple more things in the Instant Pot

A basic meat sauce for pasta

And something called Drunken Cowboy Chili

Both recipes from Laura Pazzaglia's book Hip Press Cooking so I cannot link to recipes. The meat sauce was perfectly adequate being neither better nor worse than many I have made in the past but certainly faster and probably with fewer dirty dishes.

The Cowboy Chili, however, truly has me scratching my head. One might reasonably expect that a dish called chili would contain at least one member of the family of chiles and I suppose one can stretch the definition to include crushed red pepper flakes but it is too much of a stretch for me! I re-read the recipe many times believing I had just missed an ingredient but no, the only thing even resembling a chili in there is a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.

I was totally not about to throw that much red pepper flakes in without first seeing what half a teaspoon would taste like since I have never found them to provide flavour just heat.

Oh well. I added a couple of tablespoons of chili powder, just the kind that comes from the supermarket, now it tastes like chili. I have made better chili but not faster chili. I skipped the beans as I am wont to do.

[rotuts]

Skipping beans in Chili is always wise.

 

thanks for moving in the Meaty Cow Direction.

 

Fasta  , so sorry , Faster has its points, many times good ones.

 

in the end, Did one Like it ?

 

for me the IP will make many things I don't make  now

 

mostly Sloth

 

but items like Beets, thats different.

 

they are on the regular menu now   should i be able to fine them

 

Potato Salad also is.

 

Im not sure that so good for me.

 

"Measurement Issues "  etc

 

Im taking a bit of an IP break

 

Im convinced, but will study

 

the Tj's PepperoniBomb tonight.

 

no extra inches involved, right ?

 

Edited September 11, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[Anna N]

Boeuf Bourguignon. Very disappointing. Up until the pressure cooking step was almost identical to the ingredients and method of the dish I make without the IP (Saint Julia). Not sure where the blame lies. The beef (was a blade roast I trimmed and chunked myself but from one of our discount supermarkets, the wine, Fat Bastard syrah (new to me), the lardons, best quality from Burt's farm on Manitoulin, the cooking time, 30 minutes but still tough so gave it 10 more.

To me it has that slow cooker taste which I despise. Old and tired. I used the pressure cooking function on the IP not the slow cooker feature,

Would love to try to it again but can't do it at the moment as it would break the budget.

[rotuts]

Ive done the BB @ JC many many times in the past ( distant )

 

Im disappointed you didn't care for the IP, but thats that.

 

did you reduce the wine before hand ?

 

it does look mighty tasty.

 

Ill move that much lower then on my Trial List for the IP

 

 

blade that Ive gotten is very tender, so the time it needed is of interest.  Did you remove that central tendon ?

 

that cut used to be so cheep, I used to get it all the time whole and strip out that tendon and have 4 very nice steaks for a flash

 

grill.

Edited September 12, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[Anna N]

Ive done the BB @ JC many many times in the past ( distant )

 

Im disappointed you didn't care for the IP, but thats that.

 

did you reduce the wine before hand ?

 

it does look mighty tasty.

 

Ill move that much lower then on my Trial List for the IP

 

 

blade that Ive gotten is very tender, so the time it needed is of interest.  Did you remove that central tendon ?

 

that cut used to be so cheep, I used to get it all the time whole and strip out that tendon and have 4 very nice steaks for a flash

 

grill.

Do wish you would move it UP on your list so I can learn something from you! The wine was reduced when it was used to deglaze the pan. Since I trimmed the beef and cut it up into about 2 inch chunks there really was no central tendon for me to worry about. I will definitely be buying another piece of meat at some point that is suitable for stew and trying again. Perhaps not the full Monty but a decent simple beef stew. The IP should Excel at this sort of thing

[rotuts]

""  The IP should Excel at this sort of thing  ""

 

i would hope so,

 

next time I see a chuck roast that not too big on sale Illl give it a go.

 

Im wondering about meaty beef ribs , as the meat.  they have intramuscular fat.

 

pork ribs have done remarkably well.

 

but then again, I have not seen the sorts of beef ribs showcased here on many threads

 

and they are relatively expensive.  at least in my area.

 

so a nice fatty chuck when I see some.  on sale.

 

Id think hard about " stew meat " unless it looks 'fatty'

 

here its mostly left over chunks from the leg

 

 

 

just studied the MarketBasket flier :

 

Bonelss Chuck Pot Roast  :  $ 3.99 / lb

 

right in the Experimental Price Range !

Edited September 12, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[gfweb]

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Boeuf Bourguignon. Very disappointing. Up until the pressure cooking step was almost identical to the ingredients and method of the dish I make without the IP (Saint Julia). Not sure where the blame lies. The beef (was a blade roast I trimmed and chunked myself but from one of our discount supermarkets, the wine, Fat Bastard syrah (new to me), the lardons, best quality from Burt's farm on Manitoulin, the cooking time, 30 minutes but still tough so gave it 10 more.

To me it has that slow cooker taste which I despise. Old and tired. I used the pressure cooking function on the IP not the slow cooker feature,

Would love to try to it again but can't do it at the moment as it would break the budget.

Perhaps the way to avoid slow cooker taste is to add some of the aromatics late in the process...or perhaps tweak the Rx with a little added acid...?

[rotuts]

"" slow cooker taste ""

 

Ive only used a SC twice.   id did not suit me, but mine I gave to my Library and my friends there take it out for a weekend

 

​for some sort of meat-balls  

 

so I can not say what SCT is, but well not so good ?

 

that pic of AnnaN's BBorg  looked so delicious 

 

is CP taste  Bland i.e. over-cooked, a bit steamed ?  like its been on a

 

Steam Table for too many hours ?

[palo]

Anna, I don't know how convenient a "Food Basics" store is to you, but they have boneless blade on sale this week for $4.49 a lb.

 

p

[Anna N]

"" slow cooker taste ""

 

Ive only used a SC twice.   id did not suit me, but mine I gave to my Library and my friends there take it out for a weekend

 

​for some sort of meat-balls  

 

so I can not say what SCT is, but well not so good ?

 

that pic of AnnaN's BBorg  looked so delicious 

 

is CP taste  Bland i.e. over-cooked, a bit steamed ?  like its been on a

 

Steam Table for too many hours ?

I wish I could explain it. I know how many people swear by their slow cookers and when I was working they would have been the answer to a prayer. But everything that came out of them tasted exactly the same to me. Didn't matter if it was chicken, pork, beef. And I have probably owned most kinds known to humankind. I even bought one of the digital ones in the last few years but it proved worse than the rest because it boiled everything to death. I am bravely (stupdly) trying to choke down the Boeuf Bourguignon for lunch but the best I can is soak up some gravy with just-made ciabatta. But it's not doing the bread any good so I'm giving up that too! Won't be the first time lunch has been bread and butter.

[Anna N]

Anna, I don't know how convenient a "Food Basics" store is to you, but they have boneless blade on sale this week for $4.49 a lb.

 

p

Thanks for that. I'll see how the week shakes out.

[Anna N]

Perhaps the way to avoid slow cooker taste is to add some of the aromatics late in the process...or perhaps tweak the Rx with a little added acid...?

I would like to think it might be that simple but I doubt it. Still never hurts to try. Perhaps next time. Thanks for taking an interest.