Instant Pot. Multi-function cooker (Part 2)

[ElsieD]

33 minutes ago, FauxPas said:

Shelby, the picture links are broken back where you first talked about making yogurt. What kind of starter/culture did you use again? From Amazon? 

 

And did your strainer come from Amazon? Thanks! 

 

And I don't think you need to add cream if you use 2% milk. I think the link you gave for instructions used 2% w/o any added cream. But if you like a richer yogurt, I guess you can always add some cream to your low-fat milk. ElsieD, is that why you added the cream? 

 

I added the cream to bring the 1% milk up to whole milk.  

 

I bought a yogurt thing today.  I could not find the nut milk bags anywhere so this is what I will be using.  I'm going to try to post a picture.  I am not having much luck posting tonight.  I lost my post on chicken and dumplings and lemon/orange custard which I will try to re-do.

 

 

 

[cyalexa]

Here is the photo I posted previously, lost in the upgrade.  I don't know for sure that it is important to keep the eggs separated but other than maybe decreasing the number of eggs that can be done at once by an egg or 2, it does no harm. On occasion I have had eggs crack and even sort of explode while being steamed in a conventional pot.  

[blue_dolphin]

On November 29, 2015 at 10:55 AM, blue_dolphin said:

....

My IP starter list (after plain water):

• Rice
• The mac & cheese that Anna N made from this site
• Beans - I saved the handy Rancho Gordo bean list.  I have not been a fan of PC beans in the past, but I liked the Deborah Madison suggestion that RG passed along to cook unsoaked beans 20' in the PC and then 20' with the lid off.
• Grains - I made some wheat berries recently that took a long time to cook and would like to replicate that recipe in the IP
• Edited to add:  the whole pumpkin à la hummingbirdkiss
• Kenji's Pressure Cooker Ragù Bolognese - this one will require some shopping so not sure how long it will take me to get to it

And of course, RIBS! 

 

 

This morning, I cooked a whole little pumpkin in the IP,  buzzed up the whole thing (skin, seeds and all) in the Blendtec and used some of the purée to make some pumpkin pancakes (photo over in the Winter Squash cook-off thread).  The purée is thicker and less watery than the usual canned stuff.  I've got 2-3 more cups left.  

 

Aside from the ribs (I'll try those when my brother visits over the holidays), that completes my initial IP trainee curriculum.  Many thanks to all the previous posters for providing such a wealth of helpful information!  

[FauxPas]

For thickening yogurt, I put a strainer in a bowl (deep enough to allow some space below the strainer) and line the strainer with a large coffee filter or paper towel, spoon the yogurt in and put it in the fridge to let it drip for a couple of hours or until it's as thick as I like it. 

 

This is store-bought yogurt, but I want to try making my own in the IP, also! 

 

[ElsieD]

My report thus far which includes a repeat of a previous post that was lost in the software changeover:

 

Ribs at 30 minutes were overcooked for our tastes as we like a bit of chew.  These fell completely off the bone.  I will try 25 minutes next time.

 

Yogurt was excellent.

 

Lemon custard was good except I forgot the pot does not shut off when the timer is finished so it was on the keep warm function for maybe 10 or so minutes. The recipe called for steeping the lemon rind in the cream and milk mixture.  I did not have lemon rind as I had used it for something else (but  I had the lemon for the required juice) so used orange rind.  So I guess it was an orange/lemon  custard.

 

Then there was the chicken stew and dumpling dish.  The cooking is done in two phases.  In the first, the veg and chicken gets cooked.  During this process, liquid spewed out of the release valve.  I had visions of bad things happening but let it cook away and nothing untoward happened.  When this was done, I cleaned the valve, the lid, the silicone ring and the general area that had been sprayed.  That was fun!!!  I then added the dumplings to the pot and cooked those.  This time the pressure valve made a fair bit of noise but none of the cooking liquid escaped.  The dumplings, however, were very heavy and just plain nasty.   I think the  food in the pressure cooker must have cooled off a bit resulting in a longer cooking time which toughened the dumplings.  I'm guessing because I don't really know.

 

Last night I made another batch of yogurt.  That yogurt cheese maker referenced above did not work for me so I am taking it back.  I have been unable to find a nut milk bag but will keep looking as it sounds as though that is the thing to use.  The yogurt once again, is way better than what you can buy.

 

Next up:  lasagna.  Hope the making of it is not as exciting as the making of the chicken stew.

 

 

 

 

 

[blue_dolphin]

For yogurt cheese, I've usually used a coffee filter like FauxPas showed above but I also have this nut milk bag from Amazon, which I think is the same as the one Shelby used. 

 

[kayb]

I've cooked my first rice -- a bit stickier and wetter than from my old el cheapo rice cooker, maybe -- and my initial foray into Rancho Gordo beans. Ojo de Cabra, cooked per Steve's suggestion with just a little salt, pepper, garlic and onion, and olive oil, and served with a scoop of rice, a squeeze of lime juice, a diced avocado half, and some feta cheese.

 

 

I am as satisfied as if I had had a 12-oz ribeye. Those beans are a revelation.

That's soy sauce on the rice. Because I like soy sauce on my rice.

 

 

[Shelby]

Nice, Kay!  RG beans are the best.....I am so glad you like your IP AND the beans.

[Anna N]

 You cannot really see the point of this post in the photograph. Beneath the leftover lamb shanks ( cooked in the Instant Pot) and the broccoli (steamed in the microwave) is pearl barley cooked in the Instant Pot.  Research suggested a ratio of barley to water of anywhere from 1:4 and a cooking time of anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. I scientifically weighed the odds and went for 1: 2.5  for the barley to water ratio and 20 minutes as the appropriate cook time with a slow release. The results confirm that all my science teachers got it wrong.  Guesstimation works.

[Kerry Beal]

So lost in the upgrade was my post of a few days ago - I got a non instant pot pot - a Fagor Lux - essentially the same but with an 8 quart pot.

 

 

 

One of the first things I played with after mashed potatoes was caramelizing white chocolate - 

 

 

3 good sized bottles of white chocolate - let them go for 99 minutes (the max) - they didn't need that long. I will experiment a bit with times around an hour on high.

 

 

Decided I wanted to make some stew - with the sky high prices on beef these days I found blade (chuck to the americans) to be too dear.

Found 4 nice veal shank cuts for a very good price so used them - a tiny bit of flour on the shanks, salt, pepper - browned off in the pot, removed, added some leeks and wedges of onions, browned a bit. Some Knorr 'stock pot', sherry (the sweet cause I didn't have any dry) and some tomato slices rescued from the freezer.  30 minutes on high pressure, added in some carrots and parsnips that I'd cooked in the microwave. Some gravy that was in the fridge to thicken things up a bit. A day in the fridge will meld the flavours nicely. One of the bonuses - I pulled out the bones from the shanks, rescued the marrow and ate it on a couple of baguette slices with a sprinkle of salt. 

[Shelby]

I've now had two occasions that I've wished that I had two Instant Pots.  

 

I know, I know, there are only two of us and that sounds silly, but it's true.  

 

When I was making yogurt, that same night I wanted to make black beans.  Yes, I did them on the stove but all the while I was thinking how much faster (and better) the IP would have been.  

 

The second time was last night.  I made red beans and andouille sausage in the IP.  First time doing that.  I sautéed the veggies for a bit and then threw in the andouille.  Let that go for a while and then added all the spices and liquids.  I used the chili/bean setting which is 30 mins.  Wasn't done after the first go-round so I did another 30 mins.  Perfect.  Anyway, my plan was to get the beans done, dump them in a pot on the stove to keep warm and then use the IP to do some collard greens.  Well, by the time the beans got done it was later than I had planned so I skipped the greens......if I had 2 IPs I could have done the greens at the same time as the beans......I also did rice on the stove last night.....hmmmmm.....that would mean I could have used 3 IPs.......

 

The IP is also saving my ass on some ham I bought.  I won't say what brand because maybe this is just how this particular kind of ham is supposed to be.  It's a country ham that I bought.  They send it all nicely sliced and vac. packed.  They even send the bones which are going to be great for ham and beans etc.  But the ham is really really tough.  I was bummed because this was not a cheap ham.  Anyway, I threw a couple slices in the IP and steamed them for about 20 mins. and VOILA, they are tender and good.

 

So, anyway, I'm on the look-out for that $78 price...if anyone sees that, please alert me

[rotuts]

"""  3 IPs """

 

nice

 

Ive thought about 2 CSB's, and 2 IP's  but not three !

 

Edited December 14, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[rotuts]

Yesterday, Mr. Cat and i were both bored with the Football offerings.  I have a digital HD receiver ( over the air ) connected to my Mac.  records, can edit etc.

 

I realized there were 2 doz. stations i never look at :  48-1 60 68-6   There may be others I have not scanned in.

 

so I took a look.  The Real McCoys was on two channels ! at the same time !

 

however, back to the IP.   one chained had an informercial for this :

 

http://www.powerpressurecooker.com/?gclid=Cj0KEQiA7rmzBRDezri2r6bz1qYBEiQAg-YEtjrcxoP377EmYG8LfbKcvDZ7ob-RWnSSZOIG48QeI1MaAqEA8P8HAQ

 

I was fascinated.  this item comes in 6 , 8 , and 10 cups !

 

Im very pleased I did not see this before the IP thread was stated.  not that I would have gotten one of these  .....

 

but you could tell that the 'results' might have been 'doctored up'

 

not to give too much away :

 

they did Chicken and biscuits.

 

dumped some cut up chicken, canned stock, huge bags of fz peas and carrots, and, are  you ready ?

 

one of those tubes of refrigerated biscuits on top.

 

come out looking good.   and this brand seems to be able to brown those biscuits that floated on the top !

 

over all, w/o the IP thread here, I would not have believed any of it.   now  I just don't believe the doctored up pics.

[kayb]

I can report the Instant Pot does an admirable job of cooking apples for apple butter. Steam for 20 minutes on high pressure, natural release. Perfect.

 

I can also report 20 pounds of apples makes a s***load of apple butter. I'm about to be on my fourth Instant Pot of apple quarters. Cooking them quartered, unpeeled, uncored (to preserve all the natural pectin) with vinegar and sugar, food milling them, then cooking the puree with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and more sugar for the final product. Puree is much thicker and will take much less time to cook down than with conventional stovetop prep, since I cut back from a half-cup each of vinegar and water to 1/3 up vinegar and about half that much water.

 

Arkansas Black apples, my preference for apple butter.

 

 

Cooked in Instant Pot, 20 minutes on steam.

 

 

It's likely to be tomorrow before I can them. Thank God for an extra fridge.

 

[rotuts]

Im very much interested in this

 

kayb

I do see the apples bobing in your ?? sink

 

Cooking them quartered, unpeeled, uncored (to preserve all the natural pectin) with vinegar and sugar

 

that's in the IP ?

 

did you do the final step in the IP ?

 

cooking the puree with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and more sugar for the final product. Puree is much thicker and will take much less time to cook down than with conventional stovetop prep, since I cut back from a half-cup each of vinegar and w

[kayb]

13 minutes ago, rotuts said:

Im very much interested in this

 

kayb

I do see the apples bobing in your ?? sink

 

Cooking them quartered, unpeeled, uncored (to preserve all the natural pectin) with vinegar and sugar

 

that's in the IP ?

 

did you do the final step in the IP ?

 

cooking the puree with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and more sugar for the final product. Puree is much thicker and will take much less time to cook down than with conventional stovetop prep, since I cut back from a half-cup each of vinegar and w

 

rotuts, first step in the IP, second step stovetop. First because the IP was busy, and second because there was way too much apple puree for the IP. And yes, those are Arkansas Black apples bobbing in the sink.

[ElsieD]

I cooked lasagna in the Instant Pot tonight.  It was delicious.  The recipe I came up with needs a few tweeks,  but nothing major.  I'll be doing this again.

[Shelby]

Ohhhh I like it.  Small enough for 2.  No leftovers.

[Anna N]

8 hours ago, ElsieD said:

I cooked lasagna in the Instant Pot tonight.  It was delicious.  The recipe I came up with needs a few tweeks,  but nothing major.  I'll be doing this again.

 That looks amazing. Sent me off to Google lasagna in a pressure cooker and learned some amazing things.  I am not a fan of lasagna for myself but I sure do know a couple of people who would love a personal sized lasagna. 

[palo]

10 hours ago, ElsieD said:

I cooked lasagna in the Instant Pot tonight.  It was delicious.  The recipe I came up with needs a few tweeks,  but nothing major.  I'll be doing this again.

 

Please keep us updated on tweaks and possibly post your recipe.

 

p

[rotuts]

looks very good

 

would you share your starting point ?

 

did the noodles get cooked in the IP ?

 

what was the container used ?

 

many thanks

Edited December 15, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[ElsieD]

I got the idea from someone on the IP Community board.  That was simply a list of ingredients, no amounts, but included the cooking times.  So I added a couple of ingredients, and omitted one.  This recipe is a quick and dirty one  - nothing homemade, including the sauce.  I used a marinara sauce from Costco.  Nothing is pre-cooked, including the noodles although I made a feeble attempt to soften them by letting them soak in hot water for a few minutes.  Boiling water is likely more effective in making it easier to trim the noodles to fit the pan.  So basically, it is ricotta mixed with basil, egg and Parmesan cheese, layered with uncooked Italian sausage, marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese and the uncooked noodles.  The top layer consists of noodles, sauce, mozzarella cheese and parm.  Cover with foil.  Cooked for 20, natural release 20 and then let it settle for 10.  Next time, I would cook the sauce down a bit to thicken it but that is because this sauce is a bit runny.  This was done in a 7" springform pan.  This was surprisingly good.  Purists might want to broil the top to brown the cheese.

 

 

[rotuts]

thank you.  very interesting.

 

when I make lasagna  Ive had good luck w no-boil noodles, and I use Ronzoni.  they seem to absorb some of the liquid and indeed the initial Rx from

 

Test Kitchen a zillion years ago suggested the components be on the wet side for this reason.  they snap easily when dry.

 

of course, Im no noodle expect, but there is it.

 

BTW  where did you get the 7 " pan ?

 

clearly a 9 " pan would not fit.

 

any 8 " out there ?

Edited December 15, 2015 by rotuts (log)

[Anna N]

12 minutes ago, rotuts said:

thank you.  very interesting.

 

when I make lasagna  Ive had good luck w no-boil noodles, and I use Ronzoni.  they seem to absorb some of the liquid and indeed the initial Rx from

 

Test Kitchen a zillion years ago suggested the components be on the wet side for this reason.  they snap easily when dry.

 

of course, Im no noodle expect, but there is it.

 

BTW  where did you get the 7 " pan ?

 

clearly a 9 " pan would not fit.

 

any 8 " out there ?

 

 I am pretty sure I tried an 8 inch and it will not fit.  I am very interested in the "Fat Daddio" 6 x 6 x 3" pan which is available from Amazon.com but not from Amazon.ca.  I think it would be an ideal lasagna pan and might have other uses in the Instant Pot. Has anyone used one of these?

[rotuts]

this one ?

 

it comes in 4 "

 

http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Daddios-Anodized-Aluminum-9-Inch/dp/B0000VLIHI

 

you might have to select the size  you are interested in

 

Im getting a bit keen on the 7 " x 4 "

 

one more inch of Lasagna Deliciousness

 

Ive always found that lasagna pans are way to shallow

 

I use  ( and re-use ad nauseum ) those semi-disposable aluminum pans they would like you to throw out. 

 

right now Today's Stuffing is going into one that's been used a lot.  I put it in a second pan for stability )

 

indeed I just ordered the 7 " x 4 " pan

 

here by Thurday !

 

 

thank you IP Crowd !

 

Edited December 15, 2015 by rotuts (log)