Instant Pot. Multi-function cooker (Part 2)

[Deryn]

I am finding the 'keep warm' function (and the sauté function too) VERY handy. In fact, the other day, my fridge was full and 'my cold room' (which is one of the garage or the unheated room right beside it - winter only) was too warm to store the pot - and I was feeling very lazy anyway so I think I hit the 'keep warm' button several times and kept some chicken stock I had made earlier on 'warm' all night and most of the next day before I dealt with it. So, after about 20 hours on that setting, it gelled beautifully (since the stock still contained chicken bones at the point I left off). The bones were so nicely soft that I could mash them with a fork to be part of the dog's dinner. He needs the calcium but being a finicky eater he decided he was on a diet that did not include bones that day so they eventually went the way of all good compost. However, I shall use that method again in future.

 

I also often just use the sauté function (with no pressure cooking at all) to make Asian concoctions rather than haul out the wok or use the stove.

[HungryChris]

Stop & Shop has corned beef on sale this week and last for $1.96 a pound for the flat cut, which is the only cut I will buy. The point cut is best for pastrami IMO, not corned beef. I put it in the IP on the rack, covered with water, added the spices that came with the beef, bay leaves and 1/4 cup of Crystal hot sauce. Cooked for 90 minutes, natural release after ten minute cool down, wrapped in foil into a warm oven and added the cabbage and potatoes to the pot with the cooking juice for 3 minutes and pressure release. Best corned beef and cabbage I have ever had. I know my great grandfather, Timothy O'Learey was looking on with great approval! Deb could not believe how great it was either.

 

Edited March 11, 2016 by HungryChris (log)

[rotuts]

@HungryChris   

 

nice tip about the cabbage and potatoes.  what potatoes did you use ?

 

I generally like the point, but Ill get one flat at S&S at $ 1.96  just for this

 

Ill fill up my frig w Point from S&S  for 1.66      Ill have to remember to make sure there is no ' tenderizer '  in there and use those for SV packs.

 

thank you Patrick !

Edited March 11, 2016 by rotuts (log)

[rotuts]

BTW :  ''  pressure release ''

 

is instant release on the cabbage and potatoes ?

[HungryChris]

55 minutes ago, rotuts said:

BTW :  ''  pressure release ''

 

is instant release on the cabbage and potatoes ?

Yes, Instant Release...I struggled for the correct term. I had Yukon Gold, so that is what I used. They were quite good.

HC

[rotuts]

I went over to S&S  and looked over the  1.98 / 1.66  corned beef    great looking cuts !

 

however, they have papain in them

 

this is a lethal addition if you plan  SV, bulk or not as I found out last year.  this seems to be a new addition, last year the first for

 

'on sale'  and a killer for SV

 

Ill try the IP method, and if it isn't predigested mush, I might do a series, cool, vacuum bag / freeze for sandwiches.

 

almost all the Cb at S&S has papain   except some low salt that's very expensive.

 

Ill check other stores.  but papain free sale CB seems to have diapered in my area

 

as all this stuff is ConAgra or AgraCon  that might just be the way it is

 

a shame.  

 

hopeful on the IP method

[mgaretz]

Beef stew made with ends of tri-tips that I cut into steaks.  Tri-tip, carrots, celery, onion, potato, parsnips, peas, mushrooms and barley.  Made in the Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker.   High pressure on everything but the carrots and parsnips for 10 minutes, then quick release, then 6 minutes more with carrots and parsnips added, then natural release.

 

 

 

 

[ElsieD]

I had asked on the sous view thread about cooking a corned chuck roast SV at 180F for 10 hours.  Mgaretz was kind enough to answer my question.

 

Then, as luck would have it, today I received courtesy of Amazon, The Great Big Pressure Cooker  Book by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarborough.   Their instructions call for cooking it on high presure for 80 minutes.  Does anyone have any idea how the two compare?  As I am cooking it tomorrow I can do it either way.  My preference is for it to be sliceable as compared to falling apart.  Meanwhile, I am soaking it in several changes of cold water in an attempt to remove some of the salt.

[rotuts]

at 180 Sv you are going to get some shrinkage  

 

In the PC  more so as its a higher temp.

 

still tasty, but with any shrinkage, flavor moves to the water.

 

I did a flat piece cut into 2 in the IP for 70 min, natural release and it was tasty and tender.

 

it would depend on how thick the roast was, and if thicker than 'average' flat CB's, would you be willing to cut it in 1/2  length wise along  ( not across ) the grain ?

 

in the PC you can add the potatoes, cabbage, and carrots after the meat cooks in the hot water.    I did not do that

 

but the technique was mentioned up=thread.   the 'broth' in the PC is pretty tasty and some of that flavor goes into the veg.

 

please let us know what you decide and how it turns out.

[rotuts]

@mgaretz  

 

what did you use for the cooking liquid for that stew ?

 

looks perfect !

[Deryn]

Here's an IP corned beef brisket recipe that calls for 90 minutes for a 3-4 lb roast: http://nourishtofuel.com/instant-pot-corned-beef/ . I wonder if chuck is a bit more tender naturally than brisket (which is essentially flank as far as I know) might be. You can also slow cook in the IP for 4 hours.

[rotuts]

Id say, once you or over 180 F  the toughness difference does not matter a lot.  a guess.

 

I think thickness at the thickest part might be more important.

 

still for me, the gold standard, is 140 - 145 Sv  but for at least 24 hours, a very different process 

[mgaretz]

1 hour ago, rotuts said:

@mgaretz  

 

what did you use for the cooking liquid for that stew ?

 

looks perfect !

 

1 cup of water and 1/4 cup red wine.  Normally I use about 1/2 cup of barley and that thickens it.  This batch I used a lot less barley and a lot of mushrooms, so the sauce was thin.  I thickened it with some modified cornstarch thickener.  I think it was Ultrasperse. 

[ElsieD]

Thanks, all.  I am going to cut the roast in half and do one half in the Instant Pot and the other half sous vide.

[lindag]

Wasn't sure where exactly to post this but the 'sous vide corned beef' didn't fit.

I went with a friend last evening to the nearby Catholic Church that holds a fund-raiser corned beef dinner every year.  This was my first time there, however.

Well their corned beef was the best I'd ever had!  Couldn't believe how the flavor was transformed.  What they do is slow cook the meat til tender, then they glaze it with a mix of brown sugar and yellow mustard, wrap it in foil and then bake for about 45 mins. in a slow oven.

Lord have mercy, you wouldn't believe how amazing this tasted.  I can't wait to cook my own now this weekend!  You must try this.  They made up almost 200 pounds of this (point cut) and sold out.

Edited March 18, 2016 by lindag (log)

[Anna N]

 

Vegetable soup (clean out the crispers) with hot and mild Italian sausage. 

Winged it all the way. Final cooking was 6 mins, high pressure, release after 10 minutes. Went back for seconds then immediately put the liner in ice water to discourage thirds!  

[Shelby]

I made sushi rice in the IP last night.  Turned out really well (IMO...I'm no sushi rice expert lol)

 

Rinse rice until water runs clear.  Took about 5 times with lots of swirling of the rice in-between.  Add one cup rice and one cup water to the IP.  High pressure for 7 minutes.  NR for 10 mins.  Add two TBS. of rice wine vinegar.  Stir.  

 

Edited March 21, 2016 by Shelby (log)

[rotuts]

consider adding just a little white sugar next time and compare.

[kayb]

3 hours ago, Shelby said:

I made sushi rice in the IP last night.  Turned out really well (IMO...I'm no sushi rice expert lol)

 

Rinse rice until water runs clear.  Took about 5 times with lots of swirling of the rice in-between.  Add one cup rice and one cup water to the IP.  High pressure for 7 minutes.  NR for 10 mins.  Add two TBS. of rice wine vinegar.  Stir.  

 

 

What kind of rice did you use?

 

I used my IP to make Boston Baked beans Sunday for family dinner that wound up not happening because Child C and hubby had car issues. So Child A and I had burgers, potato salad and beans, while the grandchild, who turns up his nose at any meat produce other than fish sticks and chicken nuggets, had a grilled cheese with oven fries.

 

Beans, from a friend's recipe cited on the HIP pressure cooking website, were quite watery; a combination of saute and slow cook with the lid off for about 30 minutes took care of that, and concentrated the flavors in a nice thick sauce. Used RB Alubia blanco beans. I'll do it again.

 

 

 

[ElsieD]

Lobster mac 'n cheese.

[Shelby]

On March 21, 2016 at 1:25 PM, kayb said:

 

What kind of rice did you use?

 

I used my IP to make Boston Baked beans Sunday for family dinner that wound up not happening because Child C and hubby had car issues. So Child A and I had burgers, potato salad and beans, while the grandchild, who turns up his nose at any meat produce other than fish sticks and chicken nuggets, had a grilled cheese with oven fries.

 

Beans, from a friend's recipe cited on the HIP pressure cooking website, were quite watery; a combination of saute and slow cook with the lid off for about 30 minutes took care of that, and concentrated the flavors in a nice thick sauce. Used RB Alubia blanco beans. I'll do it again.

 

 

 

I love baked beans.  I must do this.  

 

The rice brand is Rice Select.  The label says "Sushi Rice" and "American Koshihikari".  I really like it.

[kayb]

I'll have to look and see if I can find sushi rice at the grocery here.

 

I used the IP a little differently last night/today. My usual Sunday schedule is to get up early and do a lot of pre-cooking, prep work for Sunday lunch, then go to church, then finish up when I get home. This being Easter, the routine was skewed, as we were having sunrise service at 7 a.m. (which aggravates me; you ought to have sunrise service at, well, sunrise!), followed by breakfast at church.

 

I made mac and cheese per my usual stovetop method last night, but transferred it to the IP liner to refrigerate overnight. (I would've cooked it in the IP to start with, but it was in use cooking something else.) This morning, I put it on to slow cook for two hours and then cut over to "keep warm." I added a bit more cream and some milk, and stirred it up.

 

It apparently was excellent (I don't eat it). Wasn't much left.

 

 

Host's note: this popular topic is continued in Instant Pot. Multi-function Cooker (Part 3).

Edited March 28, 2016 by Smithy
Added host's note (log)