Instant Pot. Multi-function cooker (Part 5)

[Shelby]

22 minutes ago, TdeV said:

Advice please.

Below is a image of IP which cooked Rancho Gordo chickpeas for 10 minutes in the bean soaking water with veg (carrot, celery, onion cut in half) and nothing else. I forgot to add some olive oil. I followed Steve Sando's advice (posted here on eG) to add 1" liquid  (water) above soaked beans.

Can you tell me what the mungy substance is on the side of the IP?
Also the chickpeas are mush. Suggestions about what to do with them?

 

 

I'd say it's just parts of the bean on the side.  I'm sorry your chickpeas are mush.  I've only done them once in the IP and I didn't soak them first so they took some time but I don't remember how much and I didn't write it down so I'm not any help.

 

Hummus for the peas?  Or blend them as a thickener for a bean soup?

[Shelby]

17 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

I'm so sorry, @TdeV!  I saw you post this the other day and almost immediately fell ill.  I've been on the couch in a bit of a coma since then with a hell of a virus (not flu, thank goodness).  Managed to make it to a second dr. visit today where they discovered I also have an infection, so they added an antibiotic to my slew of meds.  Anyway, before I lapse into my evening coma I will link to my recipe for collards in the IP.  @Shelby gave you a great explanation and an answer to the WHY?  Here's the recipe.  Make sure to read my notes.  

Kim, I've had the horrid flu for weeks now.  Still have a plugged ear, gland and sore throat.  I feel for you.  Get well soon.  Lots of liquids and rest.

[TdeV]

Here's another (possibly dumb) question.

If you cook under pressure for some time, reduce pressure slowly for 15 minutes and then find that the beans (or potatoes or whatever) are not done enough, what do you do next? Do you pressure cook for a few more minutes? And what about the time to reduce pressure--do you use quick pressure for the second- (or more) times?

[rotuts]

@TdeV 

 

excellent questions .

 

Id advise you to get a

 

Red Engineering Lined book from

 

Stapes etc.

 

and not loose it 

 

[ed.:  Idiot rotuts , possibly ReCycled his.  Idiot ]

 

you will learn in very short time

 

how to get everything Right for You

 

each time.

 

if you have under calculated

 

note that in The Red Book

 

Green covered books are a sort of Disease , so don't go there

 

Just PCook for a tiny bit more

 

remember , your re almost to your preferred point

 

and you are starting w Hot Water.

 

over time  

 

a few weeks 

 

you will be in The Zone

 

w the Red book.

Edited January 25, 2020 by rotuts (log)

[TdeV]

Thanks @rotuts. I have already started my notebook about the IP! I have one for Sous Vide also (which I began in 2012). 😀

What I'd really like to know is about reducing pressure after the second+ cook: fast or slow?

Edited January 30, 2020 by TdeV
Spelling (log)

[rotuts]

@TdeV

 

another good question

 

its all about Time @ Temp for cooking.

 

 the slow adds cooing time

 

and fast adds less.

 

id think w/o foam up fast might work for then

 

but the next time you just add to the initial cooking time 

 

its been said that you do not want to fast release 

 

food that might foam up

 

beans are one of those i think.

 

other than that 

 

just keep track

[TdeV]

20 hours ago, Shelby said:

I'd say it's just parts of the bean on the side.

 

I'd say you're right, @Shelby.  Today's IP chickpeas (with oil) look very much like yesterday's chickpeas (though somewhat less messy). LOL!

[rotuts]

@TdeV 

 

as it really about the time @ temp

 

w the various ways for Deline of that temp

 

they may be times for sensitive items

 

Eggs ? LP steamed ?

 

that you want an instant realease

 

some items 

 

you want a 10 minute release

 

other time ,

 

you might chose, w great experience 

 

to do a natural release

 

it up to you to decide 

 

the sensitivity of your ingredients

 

the Natural Release 

 

does provide some unstructured time

 

for , perhaps ?  a Personal Beverage ?

 

only now when appropriate 

 

maybe 

 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320031.php

 

up to you

 

[blue_dolphin]

1 hour ago, TdeV said:

If you cook under pressure for some time, reduce pressure slowly for 15 minutes and then find that the beans (or potatoes or whatever) are not done enough, what do you do next?

Generally, I'll use the sauté function to continue cooking at normal pressure. 

 

2 hours ago, TdeV said:

Do you pressure cook for a few more minutes?

Rarely.  I might if the food seemed seriously underdone.  If it's close to done, then I'm afraid of overcooking. 

 

2 hours ago, TdeV said:

And what about the time to reduce pressure--do you use quick pressure for the second- (or more) times?

I do not.  With beans or anything that can foam up, I never use quick pressure release.

[Shelby]

2 hours ago, TdeV said:

Here's another (possibly dumb) question.

If you cook under pressure for some time, reduce pressure slowly for 15 minutes and then find that the beans (or potatoes or whatever) are not done enough, what do you do next? Do you pressure cook for a few more minutes? And what about the time to reduce pressure--do you use quick pressure for the second- (or more) times?

Yeah, if my beans etc. aren't done yet I put them back on for how ever long I think it needs and then it depends on how late it's getting --if I'm rushed, I quick release unless it's meat.  If I'm not rushed, I NR.

[TdeV]

I'd like more understanding of the 6 Quart Instant Pot Ultra, please. First, I successfully made stock from 5 lbs pork bones (mostly spine--with marrow), picked off all the meat, and (next day) used some of the stock to make Rancho Gordo Black-Eyed peas. The pot was put in the fridge with contents overnight.

Yesterday I tried to make the last step of Red Beans and Rice, placing long grain white rice (raw) in the rest of the assembled dish and added stock (which occupied 25% - 35% of the pot). The pot and contents had been out of the fridge for an hour or two.

I used the Ultra cooking cycle (with the glass lid), starting at 4 p.m. set to 140F. By 7 p.m. the control was set to 200F and the rice was still not cooked (the contents of the pot were variable; at the hottest it was up to 150F, but most of the pot was much lower).

Eventually it occurred to me that the fastest way to get the dish warm would be to pressure cook. I did low pressure for 2 minutes and rested for 12. Dinner was delish but very, very late.

So, here are my questions:

•  What is the relationship between the control panel "Set" temperature and the contents of the IP pot? (Assume water). How about the time that the IP will take to get water up to target temperature in the pot? E.g. Using the "manual" (Ultra) cycle at 150F will get contents (1/3 pot cool water) up to 100F in 4 hours. . .
•  What temperature does a(ny) rice cooker cook at?
•  What does the "smart cooking" cycle for rice look like?
•  Can rice be cooked sous vide?

Note: Minimum internal temperature of 135℉ (57℃) applies to: Commercially processed, ready-to-eat-food that will be hot-held for service (cheese sticks, deep-fried vegetables). Fruit, vegetables, grains (rice, pasta), and legumes (beans, refried beans) that will be hot-held for service.
www.gfs.com › en-us › ideas › safe-minimum-cooking-temperatures

Also, what would you do differently?

[blue_dolphin]

24 minutes ago, TdeV said:

Also, what would you do differently?

 

Sounds like everything came out just fine!  My personal preference is to serve the meaty red beans over rice rather than cooking everything together so I would have reheated the bean mixture in the oven, CSO or stove top, giving things an occasional stir while I cooked the rice in the Instant Pot. 

[Kim Shook]

Doesn't this look yummy:

Well, it wasn't.  Last night's dinner was a complete failure.  I made spaghetti (linguine) with meat sauce in the IP.  I’ve made it twice before – once with regular spaghetti and once with ziti.  Both worked great.  This time I kept getting a “burning” message.  I carefully scraped the bottom, added a little water and tried again.  Decided to take it out of the IP and see what I could do with it stove top.  It went from way too al dente to complete mush in just a few minutes.  Not fit to eat.  We ended up getting take out.  Equanimity is not my super power.  And being sick for so long is making me a little fragile, I know.  But I was SO disappointed.  I haven't the slightest idea what I did wrong.    

[mgaretz]

Has anyone made egg rounds (a la Egg McMuffin, so a whole egg, unscrambled) successfully in the IP?  If so, what are your recommendations?

[Alex]

48 minutes ago, mgaretz said:

Has anyone made egg rounds (a la Egg McMuffin, so a whole egg, unscrambled) successfully in the IP?  If so, what are your recommendations?

 

I've make those *$$ egg bites with great success. I imagine you could follow the same recipe (I adjust the proportions a bit) and use these molds for rounds.

[Dave the Cook]

On 2/1/2020 at 4:12 PM, TdeV said:

•  Can rice be cooked sous vide?

 

Sure. Here's a recipe.

 

Of course, just because you can doesn't mean you should. Seems like more trouble than it's worth, but YMMV.

[Shelby]

3 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

Doesn't this look yummy:

Well, it wasn't.  Last night's dinner was a complete failure.  I made spaghetti (linguine) with meat sauce in the IP.  I’ve made it twice before – once with regular spaghetti and once with ziti.  Both worked great.  This time I kept getting a “burning” message.  I carefully scraped the bottom, added a little water and tried again.  Decided to take it out of the IP and see what I could do with it stove top.  It went from way too al dente to complete mush in just a few minutes.  Not fit to eat.  We ended up getting take out.  Equanimity is not my super power.  And being sick for so long is making me a little fragile, I know.  But I was SO disappointed.  I haven't the slightest idea what I did wrong.    

It does look delicious.  Spaghetti and red sauce is my all time favorite meal.  All I can think of is that the linguine was the culprit?  Maybe it takes a minute or two longer and a bit more liquid?

[lemniscate]

I've had pasta turn to mush unexpectedly in the IP, the only explanation is brand dependant.    It's too tender for the pressure cook.   But I can't remember which brand was the culprit to avoid cooking it in the IP.

[Kim Shook]

15 hours ago, Shelby said:

It does look delicious.  Spaghetti and red sauce is my all time favorite meal.  All I can think of is that the linguine was the culprit?  Maybe it takes a minute or two longer and a bit more liquid?

I thought of that before starting - I added a minute to the cooking time and a little extra water.  I'm flummoxed.  And petulant: when I put the IP away this morning, I muttered, "Last time I use you for a while." 😊

[TdeV]

Yesterday, NOT in the Instant Pot, I made a variation on African Peanut Chicken stew using chicken thighs, Rancho Gordo beans and their cooking water, butternut squash, sweet potato, peanut butter, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, garlic and some spices.

 

The 8 Qt (non IP) saucepan was brimming full on the stovetop and I decided to let the liquid reduce by long cook over medium heat (without the pot lid).  This is a method I have read about (many times) for increasing the viscosity of cooking liquid in the Instant Pot—a method I'm increasingly relying on the Instant Pot to do. In this case, however, it resulted in a thick burned crust on the bottom of the pot.

 

So, I'm wondering what my brain is conflating. There was no added sugar (peanut butter without sugar) which could burn. IP and gas stovetop have fundamentally different methods of heating? Don't use the "boil away" method to reduce something with tomatoes or tomato paste? Go back to only using low heat to thicken stews? Something else?

 

Edited "cooking water" to "cooking liquid" to make it clear that I'm not talking about pasta.

Edited to make clear that my question is about the principles of stovetop cooking vs Instant Pot sauté cycle cooking. I.e. the pot on the stove had nothing to do with the IP.

Edited March 2, 2020 by TdeV (log)

[robirdstx]

46 minutes ago, TdeV said:

Yesterday, NOT in the Instant Pot, I made a variation on African Peanut Chicken stew using chicken thighs, Rancho Gordo beans and their cooking water, butternut squash, sweet potato, peanut butter, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, garlic and some spices.

 

The 8 Qt pot was brimming full on the stovetop and I decided to let the liquid reduce by long cook over medium heat (without the pot lid).  This is a method I have read about (many times) for increasing the viscosity of cooking water in the Instant Pot—a method I'm increasingly relying on the Instant Pot to do. In this case, however, it resulted in a thick burned crust on the bottom of the pot.

 

So, I'm wondering what my brain is conflating. There was no added sugar (peanut butter without sugar) which could burn. IP and gas stovetop have fundamentally different methods of heating? Don't use the "boil away" method to reduce something with tomatoes or tomato paste? Go back to only using low heat to thicken stews? Something else?

 

When doing a long, slow cook on my electric cooktop, I reduce the heat to a slow simmer after it has come to a boil. I also check and stir quite often. Edited to add: Since getting my Instant Pot, I have not used the stovetop method very often.

Edited March 2, 2020 by robirdstx (log)

[weinoo]

1. I think the instant pot is quite thin compared to most cookware used for the stovetop.  That equals burnt stuff.

 

2. Who the hell cooks pasta in an Instant-Pot? Oy.

[rotuts]

the iPot insert was designed  for the iPot

 

re heat.

 

taking it out and using the insert on a stove

 

might not be in one's interest.

 

Id use it in the iPot  on its lowest simmer

 

i have not had too much experience w this

 

and I think the iPot simmer , lowest 

 

which Ive tried is not low enough.

 

 

[TdeV]

So, @robirdstx, you're suggesting that there is something very different between an Instant Pot and a stovetop burner. What?

[TdeV]

Hi @rotuts. I have edited my original question to clarify:
that my question is about the principles of stovetop cooking vs Instant Pot sauté cycle cooking.

I.e. the pot on the stovetop had nothing to do with the Instant Pot.