Happy Bird

Marcia K · Post by **Marcia K** » Sun Jan 31, 2016 4:59 pm

Hello. Have you used your Instant Pot yet? I used mine for the first time yesterday. I don't normally eat pork chops but bought some to try out the Instant Pot. I googled how long to make them and there were varying responses. They ended up being okay, but a little dry. I was wondering what you have cooked in yours and if you purchased a cookbook for it. The one that came with it really doesn't have many recipes in it and really not any that I could make anyway. I was disappointed that it didn't come with a steam basket to steam vegetables.

HappyBird · Post by **HappyBird** » Mon Feb 01, 2016 5:56 pm

Hello Marcia........

Yes, I have used my Instant Pot an awful lot. I'm so in love with it that I bought two extra liners & lids.

I didn't buy the cook book, just used the instruction manual and keep the chart of all the actions/programmes in a cuobiard near the Instant Pot. I'm a seasoned home cook, don't follow recipes but read cook books and recipes.

The Instant Pot is essentially a pressure cooker and slow cooker. It has many functions that slow cookers don't have like the ability to brown meat which the Instant Pot has a programme for that called SAUTÉ. I make stews, beef broth, rice etc in the Instant Pot. Having the extra pot liners means I can make my lamb stew and the immediately afterwards do a pot of rice or potatoes to follow.

You can use any recipes in your Instant Pot, its not necessary to have their cook book unless you feel more confident following the Instant Pot recipes, then buy one. I follow the same steps whenever I make a stew anyway :

1. Brown meat on SAUTÉ programme in ghee, oil or butter and oil. Remove meat from pot.
2. Add 1teaspoon of Tumeric and any other spices to oil or ghee and a few turns if black pepper.
allow the spices to infuse the ghee or oil and cook for a few minutes.
3. Add onions & garlic and sweat them down till soft.
4. Put sautéd meat back into the Instant Pot and mix in with ghee & spices.
5. Add tomatos and bay leaf at this stage and star anise if required. Cook a bit.
6. Add stock to cover meat,
7. Add 60mls of apple cider vinegar or Rice Wine Vinegar
8. Add carrots, sweet potato or white potato etc. to Instant Pot, I lie the vegetables on top of the stew to
cook in mostly the steam, alternatively you can also place a sheet of baking paper over the stew and place the vegetables on top to steam.
9. Cover Instant Pot with glass lid and slow cook on SLOW COOK setting for 4hours.

I use the bkack pressure lid only to pressure cook a joint of meat or a pile of potatoes for instance. When pressure cooking I never fill the pot move than half with liquid. Its important to be sure of the position of the
pressure release valve and to release the pressure in the pot before opening.

Please ask me any other questions about the Instant Pot - I love using mine and would be happy to help.
Jen :win:

Marcia K · Post by **Marcia K** » Mon Feb 01, 2016 7:13 pm

Thanks, Jen. I bought it mainly because I read so many reviews of how quickly it cooks food. I have several crockpots that I use for slow cooking and I use them often but I thought the Instant Pot would be a tool to use to cook meat (for example) when I get home from work rather than slow cooking it all day. Thanks for the stew recipe, I will try it. When I made the pork chops I cooked sliced sweet potato in with it so that was nice that it was done at the same time. I cook a lot, too but I'm afraid I will ruin meat if I pressure cook it too long rather than slow cooking it. I'll keep you posted and I appreciate your help. I'll look you up if I have any more questions. (I did saute the pork chops in the Instant Pot so I have that function down pat).

HappyBird · Post by **HappyBird** » Fri Feb 05, 2016 4:48 pm

Hello Marcia........

The Instant Pot is a PRESSURE COOKER as well as a Slow Cooker!

You should have received two lids for your Instant Pot - the black pressure lid that locks on and a glass lid with a hole. To pressure cook for instance oxtail or a beef joint you would follow this regime :

1. Place your ghee or cooking fat in the stainless steel liner
2. Coat meat in a mixture of salt, black pepper, cornflour, cumin seeds, coriander powder.
3. Choose SAUTÉ option and brown and seal meat on all sides. Sauté programme 30mins which is long enough.
4. Switch the Instant Pot to off after sauté ends.
5. Place pressure lid on the pot correctly and close the vent.
6. Choose PRESSURE COOK option. I use the medium pressure and the programme time.
If you have a very large joint you may want to experiment and add extra time rather than high pressure.

7. When the cooking process is over, switch the Instant Pot to off.
8. Protect your hand and release the pressure via the valve before opening the Instant Pot. As you release the pressure the pot will hiss, once hissing stops open the pressure lid.

A chicken that normslly takes 90minutes in the oven takes 45mins under pressure in your Instant Pot.

Don't be afraid of your Instant Pot's pressure funtion. Its fabulous for making jam in record time as well as meat. Your Instant Pot can also be used as an oven, rice cooker, its wonderful for soups, cooking vegetables.

Today I made pomagranate juice using the slow cooker facility. Tomorrow I will use the Instant Pot to sterilise my juice in the bottles before putting them un the pantry. Instant Pot can be used for bottling.

Happy cooking, please let me know how you get on.
Jen

Marcia K · Post by **Marcia K** » Fri Feb 05, 2016 8:55 pm

Hi, Jen. I hope to try it again this weekend. I don't think mine came with the glass lid, though. I have to go look. I also thought it would come with a steamer basket, but it didn't. I steam vegetables daily and I was looking forward to using the Instant Pot for my vegetables. I'll keep you posted. Thanks!

HappyBird · Post by **HappyBird** » Mon Feb 08, 2016 3:21 am

Hi Marcia,

I'll ask my partner if mine came with the glass lid - I know we bought extras like two extra liners, silicone liner covers. My Instant Pot came with a little stainless steel trivit to stand vegtables on for steaming. I steam potatoes for mashing with a little water, on the low pressure for twelve minutes.

I ordered a cook book which should arrive today, mainly for some ideas for quick meals. Will let you know if its helpful.

The above book has just arrived. The Official Instant Pot book gives all the cooking times and tips for cooking different items. I think this is a very helpful booklet (32 pages) and something I can see myself referring to most.

Once you have the cooking times then all you really need is your favourite recipes.

I bought the booklet on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1519 ... ge_o01_s00

Hope this is useful, happy cooking.

HappyBird · Post by **HappyBird** » Mon Feb 08, 2016 3:27 pm

Hi Marcia.........

I can confirm the instant Pot does not come with the glass lid or the plastic lid.

I use the glass lid when I use the slow cooker facility and the nylon lid if I use the Instant Pot to store
food in then the nylon lid is very useful. Once I realised how fabulous the Instant Pot was for my needs I ordered two extra pot liners.

Marcia K · Post by **Marcia K** » Tue Feb 09, 2016 6:31 pm

Hi, Jen. Thanks for the information! I'll check out the booklet. I had a busy weekend and didn't get a chance to experiment with anything else. I'll keep you posted.