Instant Pot. Multi-function cooker (Part 5)

[Anna N]

6 minutes ago, weedy said:

Anna,

do you place that inside the inner pot, or just instead of?

i have small stainless steel mixing bowls but I wasn't sure they'd be happy in direct contact with the IP heating element. 

 No. You must always use the inner pot. I put this on a trivet inside the inner pot. Any stainless steel bowl that will fit  should work just fine. 

[Shelby]

And, don't forget to add water to the inner pot.......

[Anna N]

30 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 I intend to put it through a test with just water in it very shortly. 

 

It passed the water test with flying colours. 

[Shelby]

2 minutes ago, Anna N said:

It passed the water test with flying colours. 

I can't think of why it would have done that.  I switch from saute to pressure all the time just like that.  Maybe it was just having a "moment".

[Anna N]

32 minutes ago, Shelby said:

I can't think of why it would have done that.  I switch from saute to pressure all the time just like that.  Maybe it was just having a "moment".

  I, too, have often switched from sauté to pressure with no difficulty. However, always before there has been considerably more liquid added to the pan before moving to pressure cooking.   I am thinking that this may be part of the equation of the overpressurization. 

[weedy]

2 hours ago, Shelby said:

And, don't forget to add water to the inner pot.......

 

Really?

 

so for example if I put a cup of rice and a cup of water in a small stainless bowl inside the inner pot, I'd add more water around it in the inner pot?

[ElsieD]

2 minutes ago, weedy said:

 

Really?

 

so for example if I put a cup of rice and a cup of water in a small stainless bowl inside the inner pot, I'd add more water around it in the inner pot?

 

Yes.  The inner pot ALWAYS needs to have water in it.

[Shelby]

8 minutes ago, weedy said:

 

Really?

 

so for example if I put a cup of rice and a cup of water in a small stainless bowl inside the inner pot, I'd add more water around it in the inner pot?

Correct.  Gotta always have water in the inner pot.

 

Edited to add:  You always want to set your bowl on the trivet.  So, you would put your trivet in.  Add your water--I do a cup.  Then set your bowl on the trivet.  

Edited August 8, 2017 by Shelby (log)

[Shelby]

This is a step by step tutorial on making rice using the PIP (pot in pot) method.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

9 hours ago, weedy said:

Anna,

do you place that inside the inner pot, or just instead of?

i have small stainless steel mixing bowls but I wasn't sure they'd be happy in direct contact with the IP heating element. 

 

Thanks!

 

Question from a non-instant pot owner, or an instant pot non-owner, whatever:  is the instant pot induction?

 

[rotuts]

@JoNorvelleWalker

 

 

no.

 

time to get an iP Id say.

 

take your time and get a good price.

 

the older 6 qt is probably a bargain here and there.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

10 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@JoNorvelleWalker

 

 

no.

 

time to get an iP Id say.

 

take your time and get a good price.

 

the older 6 qt is probably a bargain here and there.

 

I'll wait.  My Zojirushi Pressure Rice Cooker is induction.  The Zojirushi is preparing dinner for me as we speak.  Wonder why Instant Pot doesn't use induction?

[rotuts]

@JoNorvelleWalker 

 

Cost Id say.

 

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dgarden&field-keywords=Zojirushi+Pressure+Rice+Cooker

[weedy]

so, my first foray was a pork chunks in a Mexican salsa verde kind of thingy.

 

it was good, but to my taste a bit on the dry side.

 

is it possible that cooking it too long might make it dry in this environment?

I'm new to pressure cooking, and I'm used to the ultra tenderness of sous vide, so be gentle...

 

 

[Shelby]

48 minutes ago, weedy said:

so, my first foray was a pork chunks in a Mexican salsa verde kind of thingy.

 

it was good, but to my taste a bit on the dry side.

 

is it possible that cooking it too long might make it dry in this environment?

I'm new to pressure cooking, and I'm used to the ultra tenderness of sous vide, so be gentle...

 

 

Sure, it's possible that too long of a time could do that.  How long did you cook it?

 

That being said, IMO, pressure cooker pork will never be the juicy/tender stuff that it is when you SV it.  SV method corrupted me on doing pork other ways lol.

[ElsieD]

For Canadian eGulleters, Canadian Tire has a sale on the Instant Pot Mini this week for $79.99.

[JAZ]

2 hours ago, weedy said:

so, my first foray was a pork chunks in a Mexican salsa verde kind of thingy.

 

it was good, but to my taste a bit on the dry side.

 

is it possible that cooking it too long might make it dry in this environment?

I'm new to pressure cooking, and I'm used to the ultra tenderness of sous vide, so be gentle...

 

 

 

When I was researching my first book, I saw times for pork shoulder or beef chuck that were ridiculously long -- 90 to 100 minutes -- and I still see recipes with these times on blogs and in books. Some people seem to believe that the goal with these cuts is to have the individual meat fibers falling apart, which is what you get with these long times. Needless to say, you end up with really dry meat. Unless a piece of pork shoulder is more than 2-3 inches thick, it will only take 25 minutes (with 10-12 minutes natural release) to dissolve the collagen and most of the fat. That should result in meat that's tender, easily shredded, but still moist. That being said, the texture is different from long and low sous vide, so if that's what you're after, I'm not sure you'll get it from pressure cooking.  

[Shelby]

7 minutes ago, JAZ said:

 

When I was researching my first book, I saw times for pork shoulder or beef chuck that were ridiculously long -- 90 to 100 minutes -- and I still see recipes with these times on blogs and in books. Some people seem to believe that the goal with these cuts is to have the individual meat fibers falling apart, which is what you get with these long times. Needless to say, you end up with really dry meat. Unless a piece of pork shoulder is more than 2-3 inches thick, it will only take 25 minutes (with 10-12 minutes natural release) to dissolve the collagen and most of the fat. That should result in meat that's tender, easily shredded, but still moist. That being said, the texture is different from long and low sous vide, so if that's what you're after, I'm not sure you'll get it from pressure cooking.  

You said this so much better than I ever could.  This is why you are an author and I am not.  

[rotuts]

for me , most meat does not do that well in the iPot.

 

ground meat in a sauce   and baby back ribs are exceptions 

Edited August 10, 2017 by rotuts (log)

[robirdstx]

 

Crispy Pork Carnitas - these will be making an appearance in the Dinner Topic!

 

The Pork Steak was cubed and then sautéed in a bit of olive oil in the Instant Pot. 1/2 cup Pork Bone Broth, 1/2 cup Orange Juice, a splash of Lime Juice, ground Cumin, dried Mexican Oregano, Kosher Salt, ground Black Pepper and lots of minced Garlic were whisked together and poured over the browned pork, then cooked on High Pressure for 30 minutes, Natural Release for 15 minutes. The pork was transferred to a foil lined sheet pan, 1/3 of the cooking liquid was spooned over the meat and broiled in the oven for 5 minutes. The pan was removed from the oven, the meat was tossed and returned to the oven for another 5 minutes under the broiler.

 

Edited August 10, 2017 by robirdstx (log)

[Beebs]

4 hours ago, rotuts said:

for me , most meat does not do that well in the iPot.

 

ground meat in a sauce   and baby back ribs are exceptions 

 

 

That's disappointing! Getting beef chuck & pork shoulders done faster is one of my major reasons for buying the IP.  

 

Someone's probably already mentioned it in an older post - but how does it work out for pressure cooking for a shorter amount of time, then switching to slow cook? How would it compare to traditional braising methods in terms of taste & cooking time? I have nothing against slow cooking, of course.

 

Alas, my IP is still in its virgin state....

 

 

[blue_dolphin]

14 minutes ago, Beebs said:

That's disappointing! Getting beef chuck & pork shoulders done faster is one of my major reasons for buying the IP.  

 

I've had good success cooking pork shoulder in the IP for pulled pork.  I use this method for Kalua Pig, 75 min high pressure, 15 min slow release.  I skip the cabbage.  Seasonings are just garlic and smoked salt.  Sometimes a dash of Liquid Smoke in the water.

I've tried methods that use additional seasonings added to the pork in the IP but I prefer to have a big batch of meat that I can add different sauces in before serving.  Sometimes, I'll add some browning to a tray of sauced meat with a quick run under the broiler 

Edited August 10, 2017 by blue_dolphin (log)

[rotuts]

@Beebs

 

my point is pony that meat at these high temps  contract and the jusice and fat move out of the meat into the

 

"" broth ""    the meat itself then is dry.   but maybe for a braise it might suit you if you then let it sit in the juice over night

 

braise is always better the next day because of this.

 

there are better wye to cook meat where you leave the juice and fat in the meat initially.

 

the iP is still a fantastic unit for 

 

pressure steaming various vegetables , potatoes , beets  etc where all the flavor states in the veregables.

 

and for Soup

 

Id not look at PC or oven the iP as a way to cook everything quicker

 

many things :  you betcha.

 

 

 

[rotuts]

@Beebs 

 

take some time to discover the iP's strengths  

 

there are many

 

but don't look at it as Faster Cooking for everything. 

 

its not.

 

it can do 18 eggs pressure-steamed , then rabidly chilled to what ever ' doneness ' your like.

 

it can pressure-steam   ' hard ' vegetables   :  potatoes , beets , etc

 

very fast

 

then you cool them and use them in all sorts of things later.

 

Ive made  Turkey ( from fresh ground turkey ) ragu  easily 

 

many many times  then chilled and frozen.

 

the iP does not do everyting

 

but once you find  the things it excels at for you 

 

done!

[ElsieD]

Look what the cat brought home - the IP Mini!