Instant Pot Jamaican Chicken Fricassee

January 12, 2021 by Mike Vrobel 5 Comments

A chicken thigh in Jamaican jerk chicken fricassee sauce, on a green plate, in front of an Instant Pot, a jar of Jerk seasoning, and a Scotch Bonnet pepper — Instant Pot Jamaican Chicken Fricassee

Instant Pot Jamaican Chicken Fricassee. A taste of the Caribbean from your pressure cooker, braised chicken thighs with Jamaican spices.

My first taste of Jamaican food came from a restaurant in downtown Akron, Pots & Pans, which has (sadly) closed. The menu item that surprised me was fricassee - isn't that French? The word fricassee is French, but the dish was definitely Jamaican, stewed chicken pieces with a spice-heavy sauce. Now that I can't head downtown for a fricassee fix, I have to try to recreate it at home.

I had a hard time finding Jerk seasoning for this recipe; none of my local stores carry it, so I had to wait for my regular trip to Penzeys spices to get some Jerk.¹

After that, this recipe is a straightforward Instant Pot chicken braise. As always, I turn to the dark side of the chicken for my pressure cooking. IF ONLY YOU KNEW THE POWER OF THE DARK SIDE…ahem, sorry. Dark meat holds up to pressure cooking a lot better than white meat, and I love chicken thighs for pressure cooking.

The only other note: watch out for the Scotch bonnet peppers. Scotch bonnets, habaneros, and ghost peppers are the flamethrowers of the spice world, the hottest things you can get without distilling Capsicum into a hot sauce. Cutting them releases oils that are tough to wash off, and linger on your fingers for a while. I handle them with disposable cloves, so I don't forget, rub my eye a half hour later, and pepper spray myself.

Looking for a taste of the Caribbean from the comfort of your own kitchen? Try this chicken fricassee.

Recipe: Instant Pot Jamaican Chicken Fricassee

Inspired by: Jamaican Chicken Fricassee | Christopher Kimball's Milk Street

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Jamaican Beef Stew
Instant Pot Jerk Ribs
Pressure Cooker Feijoada - Brazilian Black Bean and Meat Stew
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Enjoyed this post? Want to help out DadCooksDinner? Subscribe to DadCooksDinner via email and share this post with your friends. Want to contribute directly? Donate to my Tip Jar, or buy something from Amazon.com through the links on this site. Thank you.

No, YOURE a jerk. (Sorry, my inner 9-year-old couldn't help it.) ↩︎

Instant Pot Texas Beef Stew With Sweet Potatoes

January 5, 2021 by Mike Vrobel 2 Comments

A bowl of beef stew with sweet potatoes and jalapeños, with an Instant Pot, a glass of beer, and a bottle of Top Chico in the background — Instant Pot Texas Beef Stew With Sweet Potatoes

Instant Pot Texas Beef Stew With Sweet Potatoes. Sweet potatoes, spicy pickled jalapeños, and hunks of beef make this pressure cooked stew one to remember.

A friend of mine (Hi, Rhonda!) passed me this recipe for Texas Pot Roast with Sweet Potatoes from Texas Monthly. I loved the flavor combination of beef and sweet potatoes, onions, and beer (preferably Texas's own Shiner Bock), and pickled jalapeños and chili powder.

But…I didn't want to make a pot roast. I was in a little bit of a hurry, and wanted to make a stew. Now, I know, it's from Texas, it's a stew, this should be a chili, right? Well…not with this mix of ingredients. I mean, sweet potatoes in Texas chili? It's just not done. So, stew it is.

And it turns into quite a stew. The sweet potatoes are fall apart tender, and some of them melt into the stew, giving it extra body. I help that thickening with a corn starch slurry - I think pressure cooker stews need extra help to thicken up. The pickled jalapeños add a tingle of heat, and the beef is fall apart tender thanks to pressure cooking.

Looking for a taste of the Southwest

Recipe: Instant Pot Texas Beef Stew With Sweet Potatoes

Inspired by: Instant Pot Texas Pot Roast With Sweet Potatoes by Paula Forbes in Texas Monthly

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Pressure Cooker Texas Red Chili
Instant Pot Borracho Beans (Drunken Beans)
Pressure Cooker Mexican Pork Stew With Summer Vegetables
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Happy New Year 2021

December 31, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 2 Comments

Wild Winter Lights, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

My New Year's wish is the same as always, may the world be a better place next year. It's just…this year I'm saying it with a little more emphasis.

(I want to add "It has to be better. Right? RIGHT?", but I don't want to tempt fate.)

Happy New Year, everyone, and here's to 2021!

Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens

December 29, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 13 Comments

Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens. Pressure cooker beans and greens for luck in the New Year.

Every New Years Day, I have a surge of traffic as people look for recipes to bring good luck in the New Year. My two most popular are pressure cooker black-eyed peas and pressure cooker collard greens. And, every year on New Years, I also get the question: do you I have a recipe for black-eyed peas AND collard greens, cooked together?

A bowl of black eyed peas and collard greens on a wood table with a bag of beans, a napkin, and a spoon — Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

Why yes, yes I do…now. (Ahem. Sorry this took so long.) I figure we need all the luck we can get this New Year, so eat your black-eyed peas and collard greens! (If you're Polish, eat your pork and sauerkraut. If you're Italian, eat your sausage and green lentils. If it brings luck in the New Year, it's time to serve it. Please!)

Black-eyed peas and collards are a great combination. Black-eyed peas don't need to soak, and they pressure cook for the same amount of time as the collard greens, making it simple to toss everything in the pot and cook it together. The only trick is wilting the collard greens - the raw leaves take up a lot of space in the pot, so I sauté them to get them to shrink enough to fit the beans. And, of course, I'm sautéing the collards in bacon fat - pork, beans, and collards just go together.

Looking for good luck in the New Year? (Aren't we all?) Try these peas and greens - you won't be disappointed.

🥫Ingredients

Dried black-eyed peas
Bacon
Collard greens
Fine sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper

See recipe card for quantities.

🥘Substitutions

Black-eyed peas and Black-eyed beans are the same thing - a subspecies of cow beans. You can substitute 3 (15-ounce) cans of cooked black-eyed peas, drained, if you're desperate - but the cooking time stays the same (the collard greens need it), and canned beans will overcook and be a bit soft.

Want to use a ham hock instead of bacon? Instead of browning the bacon in step 1, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil until shimmering. Continue the recipe with wilting the collards step. Add the ham hock with the black-eyed peas and water. After cooking, remove the ham hock, shred it, discard any fat, skin, or bones, and stir the shredded ham back into the pot.

Want a vegetarian version? Instead of bacon, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil until shimmering, then add 1 chopped onion and 1 clove of garlic, and sauté until softened. Continue the recipe at the wilting the collards step.

🛠 Equipment

A 6-quart pressure cooker. Pressure cooker dried beans are one of the reasons I became a pressure cooker convert. Try them - you'll never go back to canned beans. (OK, maybe you will, for convenience - but see the Storage section for tips on make ahead freezer beans.)

📏Scaling

This recipe scales down easily - cut everything in half if you don't need as many beans, or have a 3-quart pressure cooker. Scaling up runs into space issues; if you have an 8-quart pressure cooker, you can double this recipe, but it's too much to fit in a 6-quart pressure cooker.

🤨 Soaking Black-Eyed Peas?

I get the "to soak or not to soak?" question all the the time. I don't soak black-eyed peas. They cook in 15 minutes under pressure - soaking them seems like a waste of time when they cook so quickly.

Sorting Peas

Black-eyed peas are an agricultural product, and like other beans, stuff tends to creep in when they are processed. Dried beans should always be sorted and rinsed before using, to get rid of any twigs, stones, clumps of dirt, or broken beans.

To sort the black-eyed peas, I pour them out on one side of a rimmed baking sheet (a half-sheet pan), to keep the peas from escaping. Then I slowly run my fingers through the pile of peas, pulling them towards me on the sheet. I watch the peas as they move, looking for anything that doesn't seem right. If I see something, I poke around in the peas until I find what caught my eye, and discard it. I repeat this a couple of times, until I'm satisfied everything is out of the peas.

Then I dump the peas into a fine mesh strainer and rinse them under cold running water, to wash off any dirt or dust.

Now the black-eyed peas are sorted, rinsed, and ready for soaking or cooking.

💡Tips and Tricks

Salt your bean water! "Salt toughens beans" is a myth. Salting before cooking helps season the beans all the way through as they cook.
If your beans are still tough when the cooking time is over, especially any "floaters" at the top of the pot, give the beans a stir, lock the lid, and pressure cook for another five minutes. Older beans take longer to cook, and if the beans have been sitting in the shelf at your store for a while, they may need extra time.
Shred the meat on the ham hock? The ham hock adds smoky pork flavor to the beans. Once the beans are cooked, the hock has done its job. Most hocks don't have enough meat to be worth shredding and should be thrown away after cooking. If you can see a lot of meat on the hock, and you don't mind the extra work, separate it from the skin, fat, gristle, and bone. Shred the meat that remains and stir it into the beans.
Simmer to thicken: If you have the time, and want thicker pea broth, simmer the peas for 15 minutes after pressure cooking. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode adjusted to low, with a 15 minute cooking time, and leave the lid off to let the broth evaporate. I keep a loose eye on the pot, stirring every so often to keep the peas from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

☃️ Storage

A 2-cup container of cooked black-eyed peas, with cooking liquid, replaces a 15-ounce can of beans from the grocery store. They'll last in the refrigerator for a few days, and freeze for up to 6 months. I always make extra beans, and freeze the leftovers for use in other recipes. Freezer beans are ready to use with about 5 minutes in the microwave, and are so much better than canned.

Pressure Cooker Black-Eyed Peas
Pressure Cooker Collard Greens with Bacon
Pressure Cooker Pork Steaks, St. Louis BBQ Style
Instant Pot Turnip Greens with Ham
Instant Pot Field Peas and Snaps
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Merry Christmas 2020

December 24, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 3 Comments

And so I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety-two
Although it's been said, many times, many ways
Merry Christmas to you
The Christmas Song

Merry Christmas, everybody!

Instant Pot Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake

December 22, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 7 Comments

A piece of chocolate peppermint cheesecake, topped with whipped topping and a sprinkling of chocolate chips and crushed candy canes — Instant Pot Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake

Instant Pot Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake. Pressure cooker cheesecake with pieces of chocolate and peppermint make a festive Christmas dessert.

Peppermint bark cheesecake looks like Christmas on a plate. I had to make one, just so I could take pictures. Well, OK, and so I could try it. And, let me tell you, chocolate and peppermint and cheesecake are an amazing taste combination.

As I've said before, Pressure Cooker Cheesecake is my go-to dessert, especially around the holidays. The pressure cooker acts as a steam oven, gently cooking the cheesecake. I'm not much of a baker, but even I can whip up a batter and cook a cheesecake in my Instant Pot.

The only trick to this recipe is the equipment. You need a 7-inch springform pan or cheesecake pan, sized to fit in the pressure cooker. You also need a rack or baking sling to hold the cheesecake above the water, and make it easy to lift out of the cooker. These are easy to find on The Internet - Amazon to the rescue - but nowadays, with the popularity of the Instant Pot, you can usually find them in stores that carry official Instant Pot accessories.

Want an impressive dessert for your Christmas table, one that will make your guests say "You made that in a pressure cooker"? This cheesecake is the one for you.

Recipe: Instant Pot Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake

Inspired by: Peppermint Bark Cheesecake [Delish.com]

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Eggnog Cheesecake
Instant Pot Maple Cheesecake with Candied Walnuts
Instant Pot Lemon Cheesecake
Instant Pot Oreo Cheesecake
My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Holiday Brisket and Onions

December 15, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 4 Comments

A platter of sliced brisket, covered with onions and tomatoes, on a wood table — Instant Pot Holiday Brisket and Onions

Instant Pot Holiday Brisket and Onions. My take on a traditional Jewish brisket, sped up in a pressure cooker.

Brisket with onions is the traditional Jewish holiday roast, slow cooked for hours, and served as the centerpiece of many holiday dinners.

There's nothing wrong with slow cooking for hours. But…I can make a brisket in a lot less time than that in my Instant Pot. I figured out pressure cooker brisket while working on my Corned Beef and Texas BBQ style brisket recipes. A whole brisket roast takes forever to cook through; even under pressure, the heat takes a long time to penetrate into the thickest parts of the roast. So, I cut my brisket into smaller roasts, to make it quicker to cook. I cut the brisket crosswise, into 2-inch thick strips of roast, and the brisket cooks in about an hour under pressure.

But what about serving, I hear you ask? What about that moment where you present the whole brisket to the table? I slice the brisket smaller roasts in the kitchen, about ½ an inch thick, then fan the slices out on a platter. My guests are too busy drooling over a platter of brisket, smothered with onions, to notice I'm not carving them in front of them.

Two other recipe notes, to try to head off a couple of questions I always get.

Searing the brisket on one side: This is my tradeoff between flavor and time spent on the recipe. I want the flavors browning the brisket adds to the dish. All those browned bits of meat help flavor the cooking liquid, and are worth the effort. But, searing takes a while. Searing one side of the brisket is my compromise solution.
Sautéing the onions: Can you just toss them in the pot? Well, yes, but like the searing step, sauteing the onions adds extra flavor to the dish, and is well worth the time it takes.

Looking for a fast, impressive roast for your holiday table? Try this holiday brisket.

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Pressure Cooker Beef Brisket
Instant Pot German Pork Pot Roast with Mustard (Senfbraten)
Pressure Cooker Beef Pot Roast
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Cajun Pinto Beans

December 8, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 18 Comments

Instant Pot Cajun Pinto Beans. Pinto beans, cooked New Orleans style, with smoked sausage and Cajun spices.

I'm from Ohio. When I think of Cajun beans, I think of Red Beans and Rice. But Google said that people were finding my Instant Pot pinto beans recipe by searching for Cajun pinto beans.

Cajun pinto beans? What a great idea. Let's try it!

A bowl of Cajun pinto beans and rice, with a smaller bowl of spices behind them — Instant Pot Cajun Pinto Beans

My version is similar to my Red Beans and Rice recipe - smoked sausage, the Cajun trinity of onion, celery, and bell pepper, and a lot of garlic. (BAM!) The only difference is I don't soak the pinto beans. Kidney beans work better for me when they are soaked, but pinto beans are fine going dry into the cooker - they just take a little longer to cook under pressure. (That said, if you really want to soak your beans, check out the Notes section of the recipe for cooking times.)

And, I was impressed with the results. Creamy pinto beans make a great Cajun bean alternative. Give them a try, you won't be disappointed.

[UPDATE: Turns out, Cajun Pinto Beans are a popular side dish at Bojangles restaurant, a fried chicken chain founded in Charlotte, NC, that has spread throughout the southeastern US. I'll have to stop in and try some the next time I make it to Charlotte.]

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

🥫Ingredients

This is a simple dried bean recipe, so the ingredients list is pretty basic

Pinto beans
Smoked sausage
Onion
Celery
Green Bell Pepper
Garlic
Cajun seasoning
Bay leaf

See recipe card for quantities.

🥘 Substitutions

Don't have rosemary or garlic? You can substitute a bay leaf for the rosemary (or skip it), or a peeled onion for the garlic (or skip it). And, as I said above, Rancho Gordo's Marcella beans are my favorite variety of cannellini beans, but they're not the only cannellini bean out there - dried beans from any source with good turnover will work.

🛠 Equipment

A 6-quart pressure cooker. Pressure cooker dried beans are one of the reasons I became a pressure cooker convert, and love my Instant Pot. Try them - you'll never go back to canned beans. (OK, maybe you will, for convenience - but see the Storage section for tips on make ahead freezer beans.)

📏Scaling

🤨 Soaking pinto beans?

I get the "to soak, or not to soak?" question all the the time. I don't soak my pinto beans in this basic recipe. They don't need an overnight soak, and cook to tenderness with 40 minutes at high pressure.

That doesn't mean you can't soak the beans. They turn out fine, though the bean broth isn't quite as full bodied. Soaked beans cook much quicker, 15 minutes at high pressure. I use that when I'm cooking the beans with other ingredients, where the shorter cooking time keeps me from overcooking the whole dish just to get the beans tender.

💡Tips and Tricks

Salt your bean water! "Salt toughens beans" is a myth. Salting before cooking helps season the beans all the way through as they cook.
If your beans are still tough when the cooking time is over, especially any "floaters" at the top of the pot, give the beans a stir, lock the lid, and pressure cook for another five minutes. Older beans take longer to cook, and if the beans have been sitting in the shelf at your store for a while, they may need extra time.
Simmer to thicken: If you have the time, and want thicker bean liquid, simmer the beans for 20 minutes after pressure cooking. I set my Instant Pot to Sauté mode adjusted to low, set the timer to 20 minutes, and leave the lid off to let the broth evaporate.
Or, puree to thicken: The quick way to thicken the bean broth is to puree a cup of the cooked beans and liquid, then stir them back into the pot. Instant thickener!

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Pinto Beans
Pressure Cooker Red Beans and Rice
Pressure Cooker Jambalaya with Chicken and Sausage
Instant Pot Snowcap Beans
Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup
Instant Pot Cajun White Beans
Instant Pot Butter Beans
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Day-After-Thanksgiving Lemon Turkey and Orzo Soup

December 1, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 6 Comments

A bowl of lemon turkey and orzo soup, with a sprig of thyme, and a lemon and shredded turkey in the background — Instant Pot Day-After-Thanksgiving Lemon Turkey and Orzo Soup

Instant Pot Day-After-Thanksgiving Lemon Turkey and Orzo Soup. Turkey broth (pressure cooked from the carcass of a Thanksgiving turkey) is the backbone of this soup with tiny orzo pasta.

It's time to use those bones, and make day-after-Thanksgiving turkey soup. I always make a big batch of broth the day after thanksgiving, and serve turkey carcass noodle soupand leftover turkey sandwiches for dinner. That will only use up half the broth, letting me try out a new soup a few days later.

This year's soup is Lemon Turkey and Orzo, made with tiny, rice-like orzo pasta. It's my take on a traditional Italian chicken, lemon, and orzo, zuppa di orzo con pollo al limone.

Most of the time I recommend a 6-quart Instant Pot; it's big enough for most recipes, and most families. Turkey carcass broth is one of the exceptions. You have to break down the turkey carcass to get it to fit in a 6-quart pressure cooker - especially the backbone and ribcage. With an 8-quart pot, it's a much easier fit, and the new 10-quart Instant Pot is even better.

Need a soup recipe for that big batch of turkey broth you made? Try this one. You'll like it.

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Pressure Cooker Day-After-Thanksgiving Turkey Carcass Soup
Pressure Cooker Day-After-Thanksgiving Vegetable Turkey Soup (From the Carcass)
Instant Pot Day-After-Thanksgiving Turkey Soup with Mashed Potato Dumplings
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Giving Thanks 2020

November 26, 2020 by Mike Vrobel Leave a Comment

I've got plenty to be thankful for
No private car, no caviar
No carpet on my floor
Still I've got plenty to be thankful for
I've got eyes to see with
Ears to hear with
Arms to hug with
Lips to kiss with
Someone to adore
How could anybody ask for more?
My needs are small, I buy 'em all
At the five and ten cent store
Oh, I've got plenty to be thankful for
Bing Crosby, "I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For"

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

I hope you are having a happy and safe Thanksgiving. This year, even more than most, please consider a donation to fight hunger in your home town. Here's a link to my local food bank: Donate to the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank [AkronCantonFoodBank.org]

Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank

Thank you, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Dad Cooks Thanksgiving Dinner 2020

November 24, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 4 Comments

Rotisserie Turkey Breast with Honey-Bourbon Glaze

This year's Thanksgiving is going to be a quiet one for me. Instead of our usual house full of extended family, it's just going to be the five of us, with zoom calls to wish everyone else a Happy Thanksgiving.

But…we're still going to celebrate. If for no other reason than to tell 2020 "We're still here, 2020! Take that!"¹

This year's dinner is going to be a lot smaller than usual. Instead of my usual two turkeys, I'm making one turkey breast. Among all the other things 2020 has thrown at us, my trusty Weber Summit's rotisserie burner gave up the ghost after 13 years of faithful service. So, I'm setting up my kettle grill rotisserie, and hoping the weather report of "Light rain in the morning and 50°F" holds up.

I'm also cutting back on the sides. I usually have a mountain of side dishes - it's my "can we bring something" suggestion. This year, I'm cutting it back to what I think is essential. Here's my dinner plan:

Gravy pouring on to slices of turkey on a red plate — Pressure Cooker Giblet Gravy

The Main Course

A Rotisserie Turkey Breast with Honey-Bourbon Glaze as the main course
A batch of Instant Pot Turkey Giblet and Wing Broth, made ahead on Wednesday for the gravy and the stuffing.
Speaking of the gravy: Pressure Cooker Turkey Giblet Gravy - DadCooksDinner
…and the stuffing: Rotisserie Pan Bread Stuffing with Cranberries and Apples
Of course, I need a big batch of fluffy mashed potatoes. Which I still don't have a recipe for on the blog. Here's the closest one: Pressure Cooker Smashed Garlic Red Skin Potatoes
Some sweet-tart Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
…and Shaved Brussels Sprouts because my wife needs something green on the table. (And I love these Brussels sprouts).

Four mini cheesecakes in canning jars, with cherry and blueberry topping, on a wood tabletop — Instant Pot Mini Cheesecakes

Desserts

For dessert, some mini pies and cheesecakes:

Instant Pot Mini Pumpkin Pies
Instant Pot Mini Cheesecakes

…made a few days ahead, stashed in the refrigerator, with strict warnings about the disaster that will befall the kids if any go missing before Thanksgiving.

A few tasty beverage selections. No, they're not all for me. 2020 wasn't *that* bad...

Add a tasty beverage or two, and I'm ready for my post-Thanksgiving-dinner nap on the sofa while the football game plays in the background.

Save the bones!

And, as always, save the turkey carcass so you can make day-after-Thanksgiving soup:

Pressure Cooker Day-After-Thanksgiving Turkey Carcass Soup
Instant Pot Day-After-Thanksgiving Turkey Carcass Southwestern Soup
Instant Pot Day-After-Thanksgiving Turkey Tortellini Soup (from the bones)

Stay safe out there, everyone - we need you on the other side of this craziness. I know it feels like it's been going on forever, but we'll get through it together. Hang in there!

With a small voice inside saying: "Don't make it angry. 2020 isn't over yet…" ↩︎

Instant Pot Mini Pumpkin Pies

November 17, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 4 Comments

A canning jar mini pumpkin pie, with whipped cream and pecans sprinkled on top — Instant Pot Mini Pumpkin Pies

Instant Pot Mini Pumpkin Pies. Pressure cooker magic - mini pumpkin pies steam-baked in my Instant Pot, done cooking in about a half an hour.

Pumpkin pie cooks a lot like cheesecake in the pressure cooker. That's right - in the pressure cooker. We're using the pressure cooker as a steam oven to bake these pumpkin pies.

If you've ever followed one of my Instant Pot cheesecake recipes, this recipe is going to look familiar. (Like so many recipes, knowing the basic technique is most of the battle.) The only difference is the time under pressure; the pumpkin filling needs more time than cream cheese does to cook through.

I will be testing a full-sized pie in my springform pan in the near future, but I wanted to start with single serving size pumpkin pies. They seemed appropriate for the smaller Thanksgiving we're going to have this year. And, I thought that I could freeze some of them for later. That was until the swarm of locusts - also known as my kids - descended on the kitchen and left nothing but a pile of empty canning jars stacked up in the sink. Oh, well, at least I know that theoretically I can freeze them for later…

Looking for some single serving pies for the holidays? Or to stash away as a snack? Or for a way to show off the versatility of your pressure cooker? These mini pumpkin pies are for you.

Recipe: Instant Pot Mini Pumpkin Pies

Inspired by: Pumpkin Cutie Pies | ZAVOR®

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Mini Cheesecakes
Instant Pot Berry Cheesecake
Instant Pot Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Pork Shoulder Chops with Apples and Onions

November 10, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 9 Comments

A pork shoulder chop on a teal plate with mashed potatoes and sauerkraut, with an apple and thyme in the background — Instant Pot Pork Shoulder Chops with Apples and Onions

Instant Pot Pork Shoulder Chops with Apples and Onions. Tough pork shoulder turns melt-in-your-mouth tender under pressure, with a sauce of apples and onions.

Pork and apples are a classic example of "what grows together goes together." To me, they're the taste of Fall. Here is my version; of course, I'm pressure cooking with my Instant Pot, replacing hours of simmering pork with 20 minutes under pressure.

This recipe borders on a stew - pork shoulder chops come out of the pressure cooker fall-apart tender, and the apples and onions dissolve into a tasty sauce. I serve this recipe with mashed potatoes to soak up the sauce. I also serve it with sauerkraut because the only thing better than pork and apples is pork, apples, and sauerkraut. (My kids may disagree, but I stand by my statement.)

The only trick to this recipe is taking the time to brown the pork. The pork shoulder chops from my local stores huge; I can only brown them one at a time, and I have to squish them a bit on the edges to get them to lay flat in the pot. That's OK; the browned pork bits add important flavors to the recipe. Also, I only brown the chops on one side, as a tradeoff between flavor and time.

The final trick is layering the pork chops and the apples. They mingle while they're cooking, and the pork picks up the flavor of the apples, thyme, and sugar.

Looking for a warming taste of fall? Try these pork chops with apples.

Recipe: Instant Pot Pork Shoulder Chops with Apples and Onions

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Pork Loin Roast
Pressure Cooker Smashed Garlic Red Skin Potatoes
Pressure Cooker Kielbasa and Sauerkraut
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Arrabbiata Sauce

November 3, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 6 Comments

A bowl of arrabbiata sauce sprinkled with slivered basil, and a spoon sticking out of it, with a bowl of pepper flakes and a bowl of basil. — Instant Pot Arrabbiata Sauce

Instant Pot Arrabbiata Sauce. Spicy Italian tomato sauce from the pressure cooker, loaded with crushed red pepper, with all day simmered flavor in under an hour.

Hey Dad, is that the angry sauce?

Arrabbiata means angry in Italian. (Why am I making angry sauce this week? Oh, no reason, why do you ask?)

My son is addicted to red pepper flakes, and this recipe is for him. It's a simple Italian tomato sauce, traditionally served with penne pasta in Penne al'Arrabbiata. The "Angry" part is the load of red pepper flakes - enough that I have to be careful while they sauté with the onions in my Instant Pot. I made the mistake of taking a deep breath over the pot, to smell how the garlic was doing…and I pepper sprayed myself.

This is a simple recipe, so the quality of the ingredients matter, especially the tomatoes. Hunts tomatoes are fine, and the recipe is good with them, but I go out of my way to find cans of San Marzano tomatoes for this sauce.

Speaking of canned tomatoes: While I was working on this recipe, I found out something interesting. When I used Italian San Marzano tomatoes, I had to add more salt or the sauce tasted kind of flat. Turns out, Italian brands add a lot less salt to their cans than American brands do. When you make the recipe, check the nutrition information for the amount of sodium per serving. If the tomatoes have 50 mg or less, add a teaspoon of salt to the pot. If they have 170 mg or more, add ½ teaspoon of salt to the pot.

One last note about this recipe - pressure cooking tomatoes is always a fraught experience. I tested this recipe with multiple Instant Pots. I never got a burn warning, but it still makes me nervous. Tomatoes have a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pot and scorch. If you get burn warnings, add ½ cup of water (or even better, red wine) at the end of the "Sauté the onion and pepper flakes" section, to act as a buffer between the tomatoes and the bottom of the pan. I'm not adding that step to the recipe because I don't think you'll need it - again, in all my testing, it never happened - but I'm putting this here just in case your cooker runs hotter than the three I used to test.

Recipe: Instant Pot Arrabbiata Sauce

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Marcella Hazan Tomato Sauce
Instant Pot Meatballs with Tomato Sauce
Pressure Cooker Italian Meat Sauce
Instant Pot Braciole
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Chinese Beef Noodle Soup with Short Ribs

October 27, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 4 Comments

A bowl of Chinese beef noodle soup, with green onions and chili crisp — Instant Pot Chinese Beef Noodle Soup with Short Ribs

Instant Pot Chinese Beef Noodle Soup. Pressure cooker soup, Chinese style, with thin-sliced short ribs, daikon radish, and rice noodles.

The picture in Bon Appetit sold me. I was leafing through the magazine on a cold, rainy October afternoon, and I saw it. A gorgeous bowl of Chinese beef noodle soup. That's it! That's what's for dinner.

I went to my local Asian market to pick up ingredients - wide rice noodles, dried mushrooms, and daikon radish are specialized enough that I figured it was worth the trip. (And less expensive), While I was there, I picked up a jar of chili crisp. Chili crisp is my family's new addiction; my son adds it to almost everything he eats, and I needed to stock up for the soup. (Do you need all these specialized ingredients? No - check the notes section for suggested substitutions.)

The only hiccup in my plan was short ribs. My plan for the soup included making its own broth in the pot, and I wanted flanken style cross cut short ribs, for the extra depth the bones would add to the broth. But…my store was out of them, so I had to go with boneless short ribs instead. That's OK - the broth still came out great. But…if you have some homemade broth in the freezer (like I'm always recommending), use it to replace some of the water.

Looking for a warm bowl of brothy beef goodness? Some long noodles you can slurp? A hit of chili crisp heat? This is the soup for you.

(If you're looking for a more traditional soup, try Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup, Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup, or Pressure Cooker Beef Noodle Soup with Mushrooms and Carrots.

Recipe: Instant Pot Chinese Beef Noodle Soup with Short Ribs

Inspired by:

Every Beef Noodle Soup Tells a Story. And Shy*Boyz Club Has Some Stories. | Bon Appétit

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Chicken Back Broth
Instant Pot Short Ribs with Coconut Milk and Thai Curry
Instant Pot Red Braised Pork Belly
Instant Pot Colombian Beef Short Rib Soup
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Ethiopian Red Lentils (Misir Wat)

October 22, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 7 Comments

Instant Pot Ethiopian Red Lentils. Misir Wat, red lentil stew, loaded with berbere spice, is a taste of Ethiopia from my pressure cooker.

I love a pot of spicy lentils, and Misir Wat delivers. It's a red lentil stew, seasoned with Ethiopia's berbere spice blend, and a fantastic side dish for Tuesday's Ethiopian chicken drumsticks. That said, this is a hearty pot of lentils. It makes a great vegetarian main dish, if that's what you're looking for.

Pressure cooking lentils is not much quicker than cooking on the stovetop. I use my Instant Pot for the convenience. Once I lock the lid, the Instant Pot takes over, and I can move on to getting the rest of dinner ready.

A bowl of misir wat, Ethiopian red lentils, in a yellow bowl, on a wooden table — Instant Pot Ethiopian Red Lentils (Misir Wat)

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

As I said in Tuesday's recipe, Ethiopian food is traditionally served with Injera, a sourdough bread made from fermented teff flour, and that's too much work for a non-baker like me. I substitute a flatbread from my local grocery store, usually tortillas.

And, as I said on Tuesday, berbere is pronounced Bear-berET. Think of a grizzly wearing a french cap. (I love the mental image of a bear in a beret, so I had to share it again.)

🥫Ingredients

This is a simple dried bean recipe, so the ingredients list is pretty basic

Red Lentils
Butter
Onion
Garlic
Berbere seasoning blend
Chicken broth
Can of Diced Tomatoes and Chillies (aka Ro*Tel tomatoes)

See recipe card for quantities.

🥘 Substitutions

Regular lentils: If you can't find red lentils, brown lentils will work in this recipe. But, they need a little to cook longer - cook for 12 minutes at high pressure with a natural release.

Berbere seasoning blend can be tricky to find. I get my berbere spices at Penzeys, or from Amazon.

If you can't find Berbere, paprika (preferably smoked Spanish paprika) will give you a similar color in the final dish, though much less of a complex flavor. I wouldn't use an American chili powder blend, because the flavor profile is wrong. (It would make good Tex-Mex red lentil tacos though. But that's a recipe for another time.)

Vegetarian version: use vegetable broth instead of the chicken broth. For a vegan version, also replace the butter with olive oil.

For the diced tomatoes and chillies, I use Ro*Tel brand because they are easily available in my local grocery stores.

This dish is medium heat at most; if you want to cut out all the heat, used diced tomatoes in place of the tomatoes and chillies.

🛠 Equipment

📏Scaling

🤨 Soaking lentils?

I get the "to soak, or not to soak?" question all the the time. Don't soak lentils. They cook too quickly - if you soak them, they fall apart when pressure cooked.

💡Tips and Tricks

Salt your lentil water! "Salt toughens beans" is a myth. Salting before cooking helps season the beans all the way through as they cook.
Try to buy lentils from a store with lots of bean turnover. Beans dry out as they age, which makes them a little tougher to cook.

Other Lentil Recipes

This recipe is very similar to my Instant Pot Lentil Curry. Looking for some other colorful lentils? Try my Instant Pot Beluga Lentils or my Instant Pot French Green Lentils.

☃️ Storage

These lentils will last in the refrigerator for a few days, and freeze for up to 6 months. I freeze leftovers in 2-cup containers, and they're ready to eat after about 5 minutes in the microwave.

Instant Pot Doro Wat
Instant Pot Quick Lentil Curry
Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken and Lentil Soup
Instant Pot Lamb Tagine
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Mango Cheesecake

October 15, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 1 Comment

A slice of mango cheesecake on a maroon plate — Instant Pot Mango Cheesecake

Instant Pot Mango Cheesecake. Pressure cooker cheesecake is my go-to dessert, and now I'm making it with mangos.

My daughter is a mango fiend. She asked why I haven't made her mango cheesecake. And, really, why haven't I made a mango cheesecake?

The main reason was "How do I get the mango flavor in there?" After some online research, I found the answer: a can of sweetened mango pulp, available at specialty Indian grocery stores. (At least near me. Even my fancy grocery stores don't carry mango pulp.)

Mango pulp in hand, it's time for my basic cheesecake technique. I'm cooking it in my Instant Pot, in an uncovered 7-inch springform pan, on a rack over a cup of water, for 20 minutes at high pressure. After a rest in the refrigerator, I top it with more sweetened mango pulp, sprinkle on some diced fresh mango, and it's ready to serve.

And, since I will get a few questions about the "uncovered" part of my instructions:

Should I cover a Pressure Cooker Cheesecake in foil before cooking?

No, don't cover the cheesecake with foil before pressure cooking. A foiled cheesecake takes forever to cook - it almost doubles my cooking time, trying to get the center of the cheesecake to set. Doesn't water get in the cheesecake? There is usually a bit on the top; I soak it up by gently patting it with the corner of a folded paper towel.

Mangoes or Mangos?

One final fun fact before the recipe - what's the plural of mango? Mangoes or mangos? According to Merrimam-Webster, it's...both. Mangoes and mangos are both acceptable. I'm going with mangos, because, as the Mango Board says, "we like to keep it easy."

Recipe: Instant Pot Mango Cheesecake

Inspired by: Mini Mango Cheesecake Cups | Kraft What's Cooking

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Mini Cheesecakes
Instant Pot Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Instant Pot Berry Cheesecake
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Amazon Prime Day 2020: Instant Pot deals (and more?)

October 13, 2020 by Mike Vrobel Leave a Comment

Prime Day 2020 (Image courtesy of Amazon)

Prime Day is Amazon's "Black Friday in July" sale. Usually. Like most things in 2020, it's running a bit behind. Prime Day 2020 is two days - Tuesday and Wednesday, October 13th and 14th.

Why am I talking about Prime Day on a food blog? Two reasons:

Prime Day usually has great deals on Instant Pots - as good as, if not better than, Black Friday. If you're been hesitating...or need a second pot...now is the time.
I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you order that Instant Pot (or anything else on Amazon) through one of my links, I get a small commission. You can support DadCooksDinner at no extra cost to you. Win-win!

I will update this post once I find out what the deals actually are. Consider this my "Prime Day 2020 Hub", and check back to see the Instant Pot (and other cookware deals) I've spotted.

Anti-Amazon? My apologies - stop back Thursday for the usual food content.

Still here? Great. A personal appeal - please support independent authors, photographers, and videographers by using their Amazon Affiliate links for Prime Day purchases. You don't have to support me, even - I'll get over the rejection SOMEHOW - but this is a chance to get great deals while supporting your favorite Internet personalities. Don't pass it by!

Instant Pot Prime Day deals

The deal on the 10-quart Duo is fantastic - it's my current go-to cooker when I need a huge batch of chili or turkey stock.

8-Quart Instant Pot Duo Crisp Pressure Cooker and Air Fryer

10-Quart Instant Pot Duo Nova

3-Quart Instant Pot Ultra

Sale on Victorinox knives - my favorites! I use the chef's knife and paring knife every day, the boning knife a couple of times a week, and the slicer when I have to carve for a party. Victorinox makes great, inexpensive knives, and at these Prime day prices they're tough to beat.

Victorinox Chef's Bundle Knife Set

Victorinox Semi-stiff curved boning knife

Victorinox granton edged carving knife

2-Pack of Nordic Ware half sheet pans

Just show me all the deals!

Click here to go to Amazon's master Prime Day deals page:

Amazon Prime Day - Deals Start October 13th [Amazon.com]

Amazon Prime Membership

Amazon Prime Membership - Start your 30-day free trial [Amazon.com]

You need an Amazon Prime membership to get these deals. Now, I'm biased - I'm a prime delivery addict, and buy so much stuff through Amazon because of the free 2-day shipping. (Too much stuff, actually.) I take advantage of 2 day shipping all the time. The kids need school supplies? I'm out of razor blades? I can't find an obscure ingredient for a recipe I'm working on? 30 seconds in the Amazon app and they're on the way. Of course, this only works for things that are not immediate needs, but it's surprising how many trips to the store I've saved by saying "Dishwasher pellets? OK, it's ordered. It'll be here Thursday."

If you're still here, thank you for putting up with all the Amazon promotion, and good luck finding deals!

Instant Pot Garbanzos with Smoked Paprika

October 6, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 6 Comments

A bowl of garbanzos with Spanish smoked paprika, with a bag of garbanzos, a jar of smoked paprika, and an Instant Pot in the background — Instant Pot Garbanzos and Smoked Paprika

Instant Pot Garbanzos with Smoked Paprika. A simple chickpea sauté, made with homemade beans from the pressure cooker.

The Rancho Gordo bean box I talked about last week, the one that came with a jar of smoked Spanish paprika? It also had a bag of garbanzos. I had to use them together. Had to, I tell you!

Pressure cooker garbanzos are one of my favorite techniques. Now, not that there's anything wrong with canned beans, but…after making homemade garbanzos, I don't want to go back to bland, canned beans. I mean, canned beans work in a pinch. But, when I'm making a recipe where beans are the star, it's worth the hour to pressure cook dried beans. Or, to pull out some pre-made, frozen beans - my freezer is stocked with 2-cup containers of beans, ready for their starring role.

I'm using the garbanzos in a simple bean sauté. I make variations on this recipe all the time; this one uses that fantastic smoked paprika with sautéed onions and garlic to add a taste of Spain to the garbanzos. And, yes, this is a two-pot meal; I use a frypan on the stovetop for the sauté. It's easier than cleaning out my Instant Pot and trying to sauté in it once the beans are done.

And, since I always get this question: what's the difference between garbanzo beans and chickpeas? They're different names for the same beans. Garbanzo means chickpea in Spanish.

Recipe: Instant Pot Garbanzos and Smoked Paprika

Inspired by: The Rancho Gordo Heirloom Bean Guide

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Pressure Cooker Chickpeas
Instant Pot Pasta con Ceci (Pasta with Chickpeas)
Pressure Cooker Hummus
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Spanish Ribs with Pimenton Dry Rub

September 29, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 1 Comment

Spanish ribs on a yellow plate with smoked paprika, chickpeas, and an Instant Pot in the backgroud — Instant Pot Spanish Ribs

Instant Pot Spanish Ribs. Pressure cooker St. Louis cut pork spareribs made with a Spanish smoked paprika rub.

I've been on a smoked Spanish paprika kick recently (Can you tell?). I think Steve Sando at Rancho Gordo knows this, because a bonus in my bean box was a jar of pimenton from Extremadura, Spain.

One of my favorite ways to use smoked Paprika is spice rubs, which got me thinking about rib rubs, which got me hungry, so I went off to the grocery store and grabbed a slab of St. Louis cut spareribs. St. Louis cut spareribs are trimmed into a rectangular shape by removing the breastbone and cartilage. That trimming helps them cook quicker in the pressure cooker, so I try to get St. Louis cut when I want to pressure cook spareribs.

After that, I used my typical Instant Pot ribs technique. I pour a cup of water into the pot, then stack the ribs in the pot loosely, bone side facing down. I pressure cook for 30 minutes with a Natural Release, then run the racks under my oven's broiler to brown them a bit. Quick, easy, tender ribs in a little over an hour, end to end. Buen Provecho!

Recipe: Instant Pot Spanish Ribs

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Beef Stew with Spanish Smoked Paprika
Instant Pot Spanish Farm Beans (Alubia Blanca De La Granja)
Fresh Tomato Gazpacho (in a Vitamix)
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Cooking With Wine in an Instant Pot (or Other Pressure Cooker)

September 24, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 6 Comments

This bottle is for drinking, not pouring into the Instant Pot...

This recipe (for Syrah-braised lamb shoulder) looks interesting. Can you cook with wine in an Instant Pot?
Reader Jim

Jim is a regular here at DadCooksDinner, emailing me recipes and asking me questions. This recipe is a simple braised lamb shoulder that uses an entire bottle of wine. Yes, all 750ml of it - pour it in the pot. Which leads to his question - can we cook with wine in an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker?

Why don't I cook with an entire bottle of wine in my Instant Pot

I avoid large amounts of wine in my pressure cooker recipes. The alcohol doesn't cook off; it gets trapped in the sealed pressure cooker, and condenses back into the liquid. This always seemed like a bad idea, so I cut way back on the wine. In my Instant Pot recipes, I use a small amount of wine, about ½ a cup. This gets some wine flavor into the dish without overdoing the alcohol.

I've always liked the results of this approach, but Jim's question made me wonder. Are my instincts correct? Am I overly cautious about pressure cooking with wine? The only way to find out was to run a test, so I went to the store and bought a few ingredients:

Simplest Beef Stew

Brown 1.5 pounds of cubed beef chuck on one side. Set aside. Sauté a chopped onion and garlic clove, then add a 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes. Put the beef back in the pot. Add either 500ml of red wine or 500ml of chicken broth to the pot. Pressure cook for 30 minutes, let the pressure naturally release, and…it's taste test time!

(I went with 500ml because of the convenient, inexpensive Bota Box and Black Box wines I can get at my local grocery store. They're cheap, good wines - $5 for 500ml. They're wines I'm willing to drink, but not so expensive that I regret cooking with them.)

Taste Test Conclusions

The results were, unfortunately, exactly what I expected. The "regular" beef, cooked with chicken broth, tasted like beef stew. The wine-cooked beef was…edible. It had a hint of grape juice to the flavor, and I could smell the alcohol coming off of it.

My kids, when I called them over to taste, were like "Wait - are you giving us straight up wine? Is this legal? We're still underage, you know." Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

Can I cook with a whole bottle of wine in an Instant Pot?

Well, you can - but I wouldn't recommend it. The problems are:

No evaporation of alcohol from the sealed pressure cooker. It tastes noticeably alcoholic.
Too much liquid in general. Again, because there is no evaporation, the whole bottle of wine is still in there. In a long-simmering stew on the stovetop, the alcohol will boil off and the wine will mingle with the beef juices to make a thick sauce. In a pressure cooker, it's basically beef and wine soup.

But, that said…

Can I cook with wine in an Instant Pot?

Yes, if you cut way back on the amount of wine in the recipe. I do this with all liquids, not just wine; because there is no evaporation in the pressure cooker, I want just enough liquid to bring the cooker up to pressure, and no more. (Unless it's a recipe like a soup that I want swimming in liquid.) I use ½ cup of wine in a recipe, maybe up to a cup. Also, I make sure to boil it for a minute to simmer off some of the alcohol before sealing the lid.

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Impassioned defenses of using a whole bottle of red Burgundy in your Boeuf Bourguignon? Leave them in the comments section below.

Pressure Cooker Beef Stew Provencal (Beef en Daube)
Instant Pot Easy Braised Oxtail
Pressure Cooker Pork and Cider Stew
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Quick Chili Verde

September 22, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 2 Comments

A bowl of green pork chili, with sliced jalapenos, and an Instant Pot in the background — Instant Pot Quick Chili Verde

Instant Pot Quick Chili Verde. Green ground pork chili, with dried pinto beans, ready in under an hour thanks to pressure cooking and jarred Salsa Verde.

Brisk fall days make me think of chili. Every year I hold a potluck Chili Fest at work, and this year's is going to be interesting, thanks to 2020 and social distancing. (I think I'm going to do a Zoom Chili Fest, with everyone sharing their bowl of chili in a massive conference call. Chili in front of my computer - what could go wrong?)

This is a variation on my quick pork chili, leaning into green ingredients. It's also a streamlined version of my real deal chili verde, substituting ground pork and jarred salsa verde instead of homemade. It's a little milder than both of those chilis; I counted on the store-bought Salsa Verde to bring the heat and…even though it said "Medium heat", it was pretty low wattage. The chili tasted great, though, and a few dashes of green habanero hot sauce took care of my need for extra heat.

The only trick to this recipe is remembering to sort, rinse, and soak the dried pinto beans ahead of time. Which…I'm not good at. That's why I have the quick soak method, for when I say "Oh, darn it, I forgot to soak the beans. Again."

Recipe: Instant Pot Quick Chili Verde

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Pressure Cooker Chili Verde (Green Pork Chili)
Instant Pot Ground Pork and Bean Chili
Instant Pot Steak Chili
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Mustard Potato Salad

August 25, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 2 Comments

Instant Pot Mustard Potato Salad. A classic summer side dish, easy to make in your pressure cooker.

A bowl of mustard potato salad in front of a plate of hamburger buns and an Instant Pot — Instant Pot Mustard Potato Salad

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

I'm a mustard fan, from Cheap Yellow Mustard™ to the fanciest stone ground whole grain Dijon. (But of course.) That's why I prefer mustard potato salad. Sure, I enjoy regular potato salad, but add in some mustard and I'm a happy man.

This recipe a straightforward potato salad, using an Instant Pot to pressure cook the potatoes and eggs. (This speeds things up while I'm mixing the mustard dressing.) I don't add any vinegar to my dressing; mustard has more than enough vinegar to balance out the sweet mayonnaise and pickle relish.

Tips and Tricks

The only trick to this recipe is using baby red potatoes. They match the time to hard cook the eggs. If all you have are full-sized red potatoes, cut them in relatively large chunks - say, 2-inches or so - and live with the fact that they'll be a little overcooked. I always have a bag of baby potatoes lying around, so it's usually not a big deal for me.

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Potato Salad
Instant Pot Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes
Instant Pot Fingerling Potatoes with Herbes de Provence
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Soup

August 18, 2020 by Mike Vrobel Leave a Comment

A bowl of Buffalo chicken soup topped with celery and blue cheese crumbles, with an Instant Pot and celery sticks in the background. — Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Soup

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Soup. Spicy and tart, with the backbone of homemade chicken broth from a rotisserie chicken.

Special thanks to Dan at work, who reminded me that I owed him a Buffalo chicken soup recipe…

Michael Ruhlman's Grocery is a fascinating look at the history of grocery stores, and a book I recommend all the time. It's also the inspiration for today's recipe. Michael mentions in passing that one of the soups in the regular rotation at Heinens, a local grocery chain, is Buffalo Chicken Soup.

Buffalo chicken soup! Why didn't I think of that?

Well, a good idea is a good idea, so I'm using my Instant Pot rotisserie chicken broth to make my own batch of Buffalo chicken soup. If you've made one of my rotisserie chicken soups before, the beginning of this recipe will look very familiar. And, that broth is the key - as much as this recipe is about Buffalo sauce, it needs that backbone of homemade broth to make it the best it can be. (That said, you can make any homemade chicken broth you like - it doesn't have to be from a store-bought rotisserie chicken.)

For the Buffalo sauce, I went with the simple, traditional version: melted butter plus Franks Red Hot hot sauce. (Not sponsored by Franks Red Hot - but it is what gives the sauce that "Buffalo wing" flavor.)

I picked up a few other ideas on the internet that I incorporated into my recipe:

Sauté celery, onions, and garlic in a lot of butter, then add flour to make a roux and thicken up the broth
Add cheddar cheese - a lot of it - for even more body
Save the blue cheese crumbles for a topping at the table - if they melt into the soup, they lose their bite

Looking for a spicy soup to clear out your sinuses? Want the taste of chicken wings, in soup form? Just want something different for dinner? Give this soup a try.

Recipe: Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Soup

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Pressure Cooker Buffalo Chicken Wings
Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie Soup (with Rotisserie Chicken)
My other Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Berry Cheesecake

August 11, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 8 Comments

A berry cheesecake in front of an Instant Pot — Instant Pot Berry Cheesecake

Instant Pot Berry Cheesecake. Pressure cooker cheesecake topped with a colorful mix of summer berries - with a few mashed up and mixed in the batter for good measure.

Summer berries! At first, I want them straight off the vine. (One strawberry for me, one strawberry for the basket.)

Then I'm buying them in pints at the farmers market - blueberries - and eating them plain, straight out of a bowl.

But, eventually, the joy of the first bounty of summer wears off. I'm looking at the colorful selection of berries and thinking…now what?

Cheesecake, that's what! I was googling around for cheesecake ideas and came across this one, mixing some mashed berries into the batter and piling the rest of the berries on top. It looked fantastic, so I started to work on adapting it to my standard Instant Pot cheesecake recipe. (For new readers: pressure cooked cheesecake is my secret dessert weapon. I'm not a baker, but my Instant Pot will turn out great cheesecakes whenever I need to bring something to a party.)

A green stand mixer in front of plates, bowls, and measuring cups holding the ingredients for berry cheesecake — Berry Cheesecake Ingredients, ready to go

This berry cheesecake gave me trouble at first. I was over-beating my cheesecake batter, making it light and fluffy - so fluffy that it overflowed my cheesecake pan while it was pressure cooking. I don't know if it's something about adding mashed berries to the mix, or if I was just overworking the batter. I cut back a bit on my standard timings, mixing everything a little less, and the result came out exactly how I hoped it would - thick and delicious.

Looking for a way to use up the summer's bounty of berries? Try this cheesecake.

Recipe: Instant Pot Berry Cheesecake

Inspired by: Berry Bliss Cheesecake [AllRecipes.com]

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Mini Cheesecakes
Instant Pot Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Pressure Cooker Key Lime Cheesecake
My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Chinese Pork Meatballs (Lion’s Head meatballs)

August 4, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 9 Comments

Instant Pot Chinese Pork Meatballs (Lion's Head meatballs). Quick pressure cooker pork meatballs, Chinese style, and named after Foo Dogs. What else could you want in a recipe?

Sometimes you just feel like a meatball, you know?

A small bowl with a tower of Chinese meatballs, sprinkled with sliced green onions and sesame seeds for garnish, in front of an instant pot, a knob of ginger, and more scallions — Instant Pot Chinese Pork Meatballs

I went looking for ideas, and these Chinese meatballs jumped out at me. They are called "Lion's Head" because they supposedly look like the heads of the stone guardian lions used in Chinese architecture. Which are also called Foo Dogs. How could I not make a meatball named after a guardian lion, with a nickname like Foo Dog?

So, I read up on the recipe. They all use what I think of as the basic Chinese/Cantonese flavor profile. Scallions, garlic, and ginger make up the aromatics; soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and toasted sesame oil add the sauce. The only difference is, instead of stir frying with them, I'm mixing them straight into the meatballs. Great! I have everything I need in my pantry.

Now I did add one ingredient that I didn't find in most of my research - bread crumbs. It seems that bread crumbs are a controversial ingredient; most recipes don't have it, using cornstarch instead. My meatballs were too soft without bread crumbs, so I added a few tablespoons to tighten everything up. I can see why the few recipes that do use bread crumbs add them, to hold everything together.

The rest of the recipe is straightforward, and follows the technique I used in my Instant Pot Meatballs recipe - the meatballs don't need browning, just 10 minutes under pressure, with a natural pressure release. An alternative I add in the notes: traditionally, the meatballs are simmered on top of a layer of shredded cabbage. It's not necessary, but if you want a simmered cabbage side dish, add a layer of shredded cabbage to the pot before you add the meatballs. (If you're looking for an American version, here's how to make bbq meatballs in an instant pot.)

My son particularly loved this recipe. He's a pot sticker fan; he judges Chinese restaurants on the quality of their dumplings. His review? "This tastes like the inside of a pot sticker!", said while shoveling more meatballs onto his plate. High praise indeed!

Inspired by: Lucky Peach Presents: 101 Easy Asian Recipes

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Red Braised Pork Belly
Pressure Cooker Chinese Kale
Pressure Cooker Chinese Red Cooked Chicken Thighs
Instant Pot Meatballs
My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes

Summer Vacation 2020

July 28, 2020 by Mike Vrobel Leave a Comment

I'm off to the shores of Lake Erie for vacation. (Don't worry - we are socially distancing, and staying by ourselves in a single family home.) I'll be back next week with new recipes. See you then!

Instant Pot Whole Chicken - Testing Notes

July 23, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 4 Comments

A whole chicken sprinkled with Cajun Spice Rub in an Instant Pot, ready to cook — Chicken in the Pot, ready to cook

Testing notes on cooking a whole chicken in the Instant Pot

If you read the recipe header for Tuesday's Instant Pot Whole Chicken recipe, you could probably feel my frustration. It's like I was doing a real-time version of the meme: *Record Scratch* *Freeze Frame* "You're probably wondering how I ended up in this situation..."

Where did I end up? With a good technique for a pressure cooker whole chicken. It's useful, and I've used it repeatedly since I finished recipe testing. (It's a great way to cook a whole chicken when the end goal is shredded chicken enchiladas, for example). But it still irritates me. This post is a blend of me talking to myself, and the notes I took along the way. I figured it would be interesting for readers to follow along with a recipe that didn't exactly go how I planned it.

Why is it hard to cook a whole chicken?

There's a reason Julia Child said: "One can judge the quality of a cook by his or her roast chicken." It's not easy to get a whole chicken just right.

Chicken has two wildly different types of meat. The dry, easily overcooked white meat is in the breast. The tough, fatty dark meat is in the leg. Leg meat thrives under pressure; it wants to be overcooked, and a pressure cooker is great at that. Breast meat is finicky, and is perfectly cooked in a very narrow window from 160°F to 165°F, where it starts to dry out.

All my tricks for perfectly cooked chicken breast involve thermometers, so I can pull the chicken off the heat at exactly 160°F. That's impossible in a sealed pressure cooker. So, I'm making a command decision - the dark meat takes priority, and I'll have to live with how the white meat comes out.

Instant Pot Whole Chicken - 6 minutes per pound?

The standard recipe on the internet is:

1 cup water in the pot
Chicken on a rack
6 minutes per pound

I want that to work. Whenever I write a recipe that says, say "Cook a 4-pound chicken for 24 minutes", I get a wave of comments (usually on the day on a major holiday) asking "but what if I have a 3 pound chicken? Or a 6 pound chicken?" Having a "minutes per pound" timing will head off many questions.

According to the 6 minutes per pound rule, that should give me:

3 pound chicken - 18 minutes
4 pound chicken - 24 minutes
5 pound chicken - 30 minutes

Which…seems about right from my previous attempts at this recipe. I figured I'd compare 6 minutes a pound to 5 minutes a pound, to see if I got better results with a shorter cooking time. I pull out my 6-quart Duo Nova and my 6-quart Ultra, buy some 3, 4, and 5 pound chickens, and get to work.

Complications

The chickens I cook in my Duo Nova are best at 6 minutes per pound. They all come out between 180°F and 185°F in the leg, right where I want them. And, the breast meat is around 175°F - not ideal, but not completely overcooked. I can work with this.

At 5 minutes per pound, the 3 pound chicken is good - the legs are a little underdone, but the breast is exactly 165°F. But the 4-pound bird is undercooked, at only 155°F in breast - and I have the same undercooked result with the 5 pound bird. 6 minutes a pound is looking good.

At the same time, I'm trying the Ultra, and…it overcooks the breast meat (180°F+) at 6 minutes per pound. That's weird. And when I test the 5 minute per pound timings, they work. Ultra does not mean "Runs Hotter" - high pressure is the same 12 PSI in both the Duo Nova and the Ultra.

So, I pull another one of my pressure cookers off the shelf. I set my Instant Pot Max to high pressure (not Max pressure), and try again. The results match the Duo Nova - 6 minutes a pound give me the best results…except for the 5 pound bird, where 30 minutes at high pressure leave it a little overcooked. (180°F in the breast.) Close enough - I don't want to undercook the chicken, so 6 minutes a pound it is.

How long should I cook a whole chicken in an Instant Pot?

So, my pressure cooker whole chicken technique lines up with most of the internet. Put a cup of water in an Instant Pot, add the rack, then set the seasoned chicken on the rack. Cook the chicken for 6 minutes a pound at high pressure (24 minutes for a 4 pound bird). Then, let the pressure come down naturally for 10 minutes. Quick release any remaining pressure - usually, my pressure valve has dropped at this point, so there's nothing to quick release - and the chicken is ready.

They can't all be gems

As you can probably tell, cooking white meat in the Instant Pot exasperates me. I never love those recipes the way I love dark meat chicken. Whole chicken is the worst case scenario - I have to choose to overcook the white meat or undercook the dark meat. I can't have everything. And I want to have everything.

All that said, it was interesting to test this out, in a "no knowledge is wasted" kind of way. Now I can answer the question "how do I cook a whole chicken" with a link to a recipe. And that feels like a good thing.

A whole chicken sprinkled with Cajun Spice Rub, on a plate, with more spice rub and some parsley in the background — Instant Pot Whole Chicken with Cajun Spice Rub

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

The Recipe: Instant Pot Whole Chicken with Cajun Spice Rub
What to Do if I Dump Liquid Into My Instant Pot Without the Pot Liner
Pressure Cooker Beans (Basic Technique)
My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Whole Chicken with Cajun Spice Rub

July 21, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 4 Comments

Instant Pot Whole Chicken with Cajun Spice Rub. Pressure cooking a whole chicken, with a spice rub to give it some kick. Bam!

How do I pressure cook a whole chicken?

I get this question from time to time, and I've always struggled to answer it. It's hard to cook a whole chicken well. It's the classic white meat vs dark meat conflict - white meat is lean and overcooks easily; dark meat is tough and needs to be cooked past well done to tenderize it.

That's why my go-to pressure cooker chicken recipes use thighs, drumsticks, or the whole leg. They want to be pressure cooked. The breast meat, though? Not so much.

And yet, "a chicken in the pot" is tempting. After some tests, I realize that a whole chicken is not as bad as I thought it would be. Yes, the breast meat is overcooked - not a perfect, juicy 160°F. It's a borderline 175°F. But the chicken is…good? The sealed environment of the pressure cooker traps liquid, which I think keeps the breast meat from completely drying out. And the legs and drumsticks are amazing - but I'm always a dark meat fan, so I may be biased.

Also, this recipe gives you a couple of cups of chicken broth in the bottom of the pot; perfect for drizzling on the chicken breast to moisten it.

Since I can't make The Perfect Roast Chicken, I'm going with a simple chicken in a pot with a spice rub. Yes, the rub has a lot of ingredients - it's worth it. But, if it seems like too much, look for a pre-mixed jar of "Cajun Seasoning" in your local grocery store.

Also, I'm taking the easy way out and skipping any sort of browning; check the notes if you want to add some finesse to the recipe by running it under the broiler.

Chicken in the Instant Pot - it's not bad? It's…good? And easy. And a convenient way to cook a whole chicken on a busy day. OK, it's not the Perfect Roast Chicken…but I'm not going to turn it down, either.

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Instant Pot Quick Chicken Thighs
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Pollo a la Brasa recipe
My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Chickpea and Chorizo Tacos

July 14, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 2 Comments

Chickpea and chorizo in blue corn tortillas, sprinkled with crumbled queso fresco and diced cilantro, with more queso, blue corn tortillas, and lime wedges in the background. — Instant Pot Chickpea and Chorizo Tacos

Instant Pot Chickpea and Chorizo Tacos. Pressure cooked chickpeas, mixed with crispy chorizo, make a spicy filling for tacos at your next fiesta - or a weeknight.

Chorizo y papas? How about Chorizo y garbanzos? I saw this recipe for chickpea and chorizo tostadas in Bon Appetit, and knew what we were having for Taco Tuesday this week!

This is a simple, two-ingredient taco filling. (Four ingredients if you count a little salt and a squeeze of lime.) It's great for a weeknight Taco dinner, with lots of flavor for very little effort.

I cook my own chickpeas (because, of course I do). Sure, chickpeas from a can are fine, and they'll work in this recipe in a pinch. (See the Notes section if all you have are canned chickpeas). But, if you want this recipe to go from good to great, cook the chickpeas from dried. Thanks to the Instant Pot and the miracle of pressure cooker beans, they're ready in about an hour - no soaking required, just a quick sort and rinse before the dried chickpeas go in the pot.

Note that I switch to a frypan on the stove to cook the chorizo. I could do it in the Instant Pot, using Sauté mode, but the second pan lets me start the chorizo while the chickpeas are finishing in the Instant Pot. Also, my 6-quart Instant Pot is kind of small for cooking this much chorizo, especially once I add the chickpeas. It will take longer to get the chorizo to crisp in a narrower pot. I'd rather clean the second pan…or, should I say, make the kids do the dishes.

I use chickpeas and chorizo as a taco filling - the pictures have cool blue corn tortillas I found at my local Mexican market. But, don't limit yourself to tacos; this is a fantastic filling for any Mexican fiesta. Wrap them in a burrito, fill up a crispy taco shell, or (as in the original Bon Appetit recipe), pile them on top of tostadas. Whatever works for you!

Recipe: Instant Pot Chickpea and Chorizo Tacos

Inspired by Chickpea and Chorizo Tostadas, Bon Appetit magazine.

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Chickpeas and Tomato Lemon Vinaigrette
Pressure Cooker Hummus
Instant Pot Borracho Beans (Drunken Beans)
My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Sun-Dried Tomato Deviled Eggs

July 7, 2020 by Mike Vrobel Leave a Comment

Instant Pot Sun-Dried Tomato Deviled Eggs. Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs make deviled eggs easy. They make a great appetizer when flavored with sun-dried tomato pesto.

Sun-dried tomato deviled eggs on a plate, sprinkled with basil, with basil leaves and sun-dried tomatoes in the background.

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

I was thinking of sun-dried tomatoes as a garnish when I made basil pesto deviled eggs a few months ago, a little hit of red on top of those green deviled eggs. Then I saw the sun-dried tomato pesto in the pasta aisle of my grocery store, and decided to split them off into their own recipe. That way, I can make a red and green color theme, pairing this recipe with the aforementioned Instant Pot Basil Pesto Deviled Eggs. A dozen eggs, jars of both basil and sun-dried tomato pesto, and I have a colorful party platter of deviled eggs.

The recipe follows the instant pot deviled eggs recipe I've honed over the years. Instant Pot 5-5-5 hard-boiled eggs make the hard boiling quick and easy. I peel the eggs, slice them, and mash the yolks with mayo, mustard (have to have mustard for the "deviling"), and the flavors - in this case, the sun-dried tomato pesto. I pack the filling into the corner of a zip-top quart bag and use it as an improvised pastry bag, piping the filling into the halved eggs.

Then comes the hard part - keeping myself from eating all the deviled eggs before the party. "Just one to check the seasoning. Oh, that one doesn't look quite right, I can eat it." (a few minutes pass.) "Hey, why do I only have three deviled eggs left, and why am I so full?"

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Pesto Deviled Eggs
Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs, or Is the 5-5-5 Method a Myth? - DadCooksDinner
Instant Pot Deviled Eggs
My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs with Memphis Dry Rub

June 30, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 10 Comments

Baby back ribs with dry rub on a red plate, with an Instant Pot and a jar of dry rub in the background — Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs with Memphis Dry Rub

Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs with Memphis Dry Rub. Pressure cooker baby back ribs, Memphis style, with a spice rub and no sauce.

Then I'm walking in Memphis
Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale
Walking in Memphis
But do I really feel the way I feel?
Walking In Memphis - Marc Cohn

It's time for Fourth of July Ribs from the Mississippi Delta. Dry ribs are a specialty of Memphis, and the signature dish at Charlie Vergo's Rendezvous These ribs are all about the dry rub. No sweet, sticky barbecue sauce allowed, just meat, smoke, and spices.

Now, this recipe is not Real Barbecue (he says, trying to head off the angry comments from Real Barbecue Purists). I've made hundreds of pounds of real barbecue in my day, and I love it. But, sometimes I just want some easy ribs, you know?

These ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender thanks to pressure cooking and my Instant Pot, and the smoke flavor comes from a little liquid smoke. I know I'm cheating, but these ribs are too good (and too easy) for me not to share.

Recipe: Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs with Memphis Dry Rub

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Spare Ribs with BBQ Rub and Sauce
Pressure Cooker Baby Back Ribs
Instant Pot Baby Back Rib Sandwich (With Real Baby Back Ribs)
My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Red Braised Pork Belly

June 23, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 12 Comments

Instant Pot Red Braised Pork Belly. The Chinese classic, adapted for pressure cooking, with tender chunks of pork belly cooked in soy sauce and spices.

A bowl of red braised pork belly cubes in front of an Instant Pot and a bowl of rice — Instant Pot Red Braised Pork Belly

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

This was Chairman Mao Zedong's favorite meal. In Hunan, where he grew up, the recipe is named after him - Chairman Mao's Red Braised Pork. Sure, he was a tyrant, but he enjoyed his pork.

Too soon? Ahem. Sorry. I know, I know…don't discuss dictators in the opening of a recipe. But it's too good of an anecdote, so I have to share.

Back to cooking. Pressure cooking, that is. This is not a low fat recipe - good pork belly is more fat than pork - and the key is making the fat tender and wobbly. That's where my Instant Pot comes in, taking an all-afternoon simmer and turning it into tender pork in about an hour.

Looking for some other red cooked recipes? Try my Instant Pot Red Cooked Chicken, or my Instant Pot Pork Adobo for a Filipino variation.

What is Red Braised Pork Belly?

Red braising is the Chinese technique of long, slow cooking in soy sauce. Red braised pork belly is a classic example, with hunks of pork belly cooked until the meat is tender and the fat turns to jelly.

Ingredients

Pork Belly, skin removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
Water
Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine)
Soy sauce
Dark soy sauce
Ginger
Garlic
Brown Sugar
Five spice powder

How to Make Red Braised Pork Belly in Instant Pot

Everything in the pot

Put the pork belly cubes in an Instant Pot pressure cooker. Stir in the water, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. Scatter the ginger, garlic, brown sugar, and five-spice powder over the top.

Pressure Cook for 30 minutes with a Natural Release

Lock the lid on the pressure cooker. Cook at high pressure for 30 minutes (Use Manual, Pressure Cook, or Pressure Cook - Custom mode in an Instant Pot). Let the pressure come down naturally, about 15 more minutes. (You can quick release any remaining pressure after 15 minutes.) Remove the lid, tilting it away to avoid the hot steam.

Reduce the liquid and glaze the pork belly

(Optional but worth the extra fifteen minutes.) Gently scoop the cooked pork belly out of the pot with a slotted spoon and move it to a platter. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode adjusted to high (medium-high heat on a stovetop). Bring the pot liquid to a boil until reduced by half, about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes to ensure the sauce is not sticking to the bottom and burning. Turn off the heat and add the pork belly to the pot, stirring to coat it with the thickened sauce. Transfer the pork belly to a serving bowl, pass the extra sauce at the table, and enjoy!

What does red braised pork belly taste like?

Red braised pork belly is a surprising balance of flavors. It is full of pork flavor: tender meat with melting fat thanks to the pressure cooking; it's like pork jello. The pork cubes have a complex combination of Chinese flavors, sweet, salty, and sour, thanks to the brown sugar, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine. There is also a hint of aromatics from the ginger and garlic. It's a fantastic combination, and easy to see why it is one of the classics of Hunan cooking.

Recipe Tips

Can't find pork belly? You can substitute boneless pork shoulder cut into 1-inch cubes. The cooking time stays the same. It won't have the jellied consistency that makes pork belly unique, but it will have tender, shreddable pork.
Only finding sliced pork belly? My local stores will often have pork belly sliced about ½-inch thick. You can use thin slices of pork belly in this recipe; cut each slice into pieces, about 1 inch long, then reduce the pressure cooking time to 15 minutes.
I make a special trip to my local Asian market for Shaoxing rice wine and dark soy sauce. (Shaoxing is sometimes spelled Shao Hsing - they're the same wine). Dark soy sauce is a thick, sweet soy sauce that helps coat the pork cubes. If you can't find them, substitute dry sherry for the Shaoxing wine and regular soy sauce for the dark soy sauce.

Inspired by: Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook: Recipes from Hunan Province by Fuchsia Dunlop

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Pressure Cooker Chinese Kale
Pressure Cooker Chinese Red Cooked Chicken Thighs
Pressure Cooker Chinese Pepper Steak
My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Chicken and Herb Soup with White Beans and Acini di Peppe

June 16, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 3 Comments

A bowl of chicken and herb soup, with bits of chicken, pancetta, herbs, and pasta visible, and an Instant Pot and bowl of arugula in the background. — Instant Pot Chicken and Herb Soup
with White Beans and Acini di Peppe

Instant Pot Chicken and Herb Soup with White Beans and Acini di Peppe. Pressure cooked chicken and herb soup, Italian style, with broth and meat from a rotisserie chicken.

This recipe was inspired by Milk Street Magazine and their Sardinian Herb Soup. Chicken soup with herbs, beans, and little pasta bits grabbed me, but I had to make do with the ingredients I could find in my local grocery store.

The chicken came from a store-bought rotisserie chicken; this is my kitchen shortcut when I need both broth and shredded meat for a soup. The herbs became parsley and arugula. The picked-over-pasta aisle still had Acini di Peppe (Italian for "peppercorns"). And I had some frozen leftover cannellini beans, so they went in the pot.

Now, as you can probably tell, this was a "throw what you've got in the pot" recipe that turned into a fan favorite, one that I was buying for at the tail end of spring. Don't be afraid to substitute. Leftover chicken broth? Don't buy the chicken, go straight on to making the soup. Have a different white bean on hand, or maybe a brown bean like a pinto or cranberry? Sure, throw it in there. No pancetta? Switch to bacon. (Or skip it if you're vegetarian.) Want to use ditalini, orzo, or fregola pasta? Any small shape will work. How about spinach or baby kale instead of the arugula? Go for it. Have some summer herbs, like thyme or a little bit of rosemary? Great, add them in. (But don't go crazy with rosemary - it can overpower other flavors. And stay away from mint for the same reason.)

No matter how you get there, this Italian-inspired chicken and herb soup is a winner. Just remember - the secret to this recipe, if there is one, is making your own chicken broth.

Recipe: Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken and Herb Soup with White Beans and Acini di Peppe

Inspired by: Sardinian Herb Soup With Fregola and White Beans (S'Erbuzzu), Milk Street Magazine, Feb. 2020

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken and Lentil Soup
Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken Tortilla Soup
Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken Broth
Instant Pot White Beans
Instant Pot Tomato Soup
Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie Soup (with Rotisserie Chicken)
My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Beef Stew with Spanish Smoked Paprika

June 9, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 11 Comments

Instant Pot Beef Stew with Spanish Smoked Paprika. Pressure cooker beef stew, Spanish style, seasoned with pimenton de la Vera.

A bowl of Spanish beef stew in front of a dish of smoked spanish paprika - pimenton de la Vera - and an Instant Pot — Instant Pot Beef Stew with Spanish Smoked Paprika

Spanish smoked paprika is of my favorite spices, and I use it all the time. (And I do mean all the time). That's why I loved Albert Stumm's The Delicate Art of Pimenton, about a visit to Spain's La Vera valley. He talks about process of wood-smoking Spanish peppers to create pimenton de la Vera. By the time I was done with the article, I knew I had to hit up my pantry and use some pimenton.

It also reminded me of the Spanish beef stew in Pam Anderson's Perfect One Dish Dinners, a mix of beef, bell peppers, chickpeas, and of course, smoked paprika.

One trick I learned from Mr. Stumm's article is that, in Spain, the paprika is added in late in the cooking process. This preserves the sweet and smoky Spanish paprika flavor. I'm using that paprika in one of my pressure cooker stew tricks, a corn starch slurry. Pressure cooking doesn't allow evaporation, and the cornstarch slurry thickens up the stew - and lets me add in that extra burst of paprika at the end.

And, as always with my beef recipes, I want to shout out to my friends at Certified Angus Beef® Brand. This post is #notsponsored, but I do enjoy the quality of the beef from just down the road in Wooster, OH.

Recipe: Instant Pot Beef Stew with Spanish Smoked Paprika

Adapted from: Perfect One Dish Dinners by Pam Anderson

Inspired by: The Delicate Art of Pimenton Milk Street Magazine, March-April 2020

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Spanish Farm Beans (Alubia Blanca De La Granja)
Pressure Cooker and Oven Roasted Chickpeas
Instant Pot Easy Beef Stew with Certified Angus Beef Bottom Round
Instant Pot Beef Tips Recipe
Instant Pot Flemish Beef Stew
Instant Pot Colombian Beef Short Rib Soup
My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

May 26, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 4 Comments

Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese. Spicy mac and cheese from the pressure cooker.

My kids haven't been this excited about a blog recipe for a long time. As jaded teenagers with a food blogger dad, they have the world weary attitude of a hard-boiled detective. "Taco night? Let me tell you about that taco night back in '12…"

But, the questions haven't stopped since they saw this week's menu on the refrigerator whiteboard. "Is today Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese day? When is Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese Day? You said today was Buffalo Mac and Cheese Day! Where is it?"

A plate of buffalo chicken mac and cheese in front of an Instant Pot and a bottle of Franks RedHot — Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

This recipe is adapted from my most viewed recipe of all time, Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese. Like that recipe, I pressure cook the noodles in just enough water, use evaporated milk to replace the thickening from flour whisked into milk (a bechamel sauce), and stir in a lot of shredded cheddar at the end as my cheese sauce. If you're looking for some other buffalo chicken style recipes, check out my Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Wings recipe and my Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Soup.

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

Ingredients

Vegetable oil
Boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into ½-inch thick strips ("Stir Fry" cut)
Fine sea salt
Elbow macaroni
Butter
Evaporated milk
Franks RedHot original sauce
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Panko breadcrumbs
Crumbled blue cheese
See the recipe card for quantities

How to make Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

A browned chicken tender — Sauté the Chicken

Brown the chicken

Heat the vegetable oil in an Instant Pot set to Sauté Mode - High until the oil is shimmering. Sprinkle the chicken with ½ teaspoon of salt, then add it to the pot and cook until it is browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes.

An Instant Pot with noodles, broth, and chicken ready to cook — Pasta and Chicken in the pot

Pressure cook the chicken and pasta for 4 minutes with a quick release

Stir the macaroni, water, and 1½ teaspoon salt into the pot, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any stuck bits of chicken. Lock the lid and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes in an Instant Pot, electric PC, or stovetop PC. (Use "Manual", "Pressure Cook", or "Pressure Cook - Custom" mode in an Instant Pot) When the cooking time is done, quick release the pressure and remove the lid.

Sprinkling cheese into the pot — Stir in the Sauces and the Cheese

Stir in the sauces and cheese

Leave the Instant Pot in Keep Warm mode (turn the heat down to low under a stovetop PC). Add the butter, evaporated milk and Franks RedHot, and stir until the butter melts. Stir in the cheese one large handful at a time, and keep stirring until all the cheese melts.

A red baking dish full of Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese, topped with a browned crust of breadcrumbs and blue cheese — Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese - a whole baking dish, ready to serve

Top with breadcrumbs and blue cheese, and broil (Optional)

Pour the macaroni into a 3 quart broiler-safe baking dish, and sprinkle the panko bread crumbs and blue cheese over the top. Broil the macaroni and cheese until the bread crumbs are toasted, about 5 minutes - but it really depends on your broiler. Serve and enjoy!

Substitutions

Chicken Strips vs Chicken Fingers

If you can't find Stir Fry cut chicken, cut it yourself. Buy boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, and cut crosswise into ½-inch thick strips. Or, use chicken tenders. They cook the same, but they're a bit bigger, and don't mix into the mac and cheese as well.

Leftover chicken

If you have 2 cups of shredded leftover chicken you can substitute that for the uncooked chicken breast. I love to use leftover rotisserie chicken for this.

Buffalo Sauce - Homemade vs Store Bought

Buffalo sauce is a simple, two ingredient recipe: butter and Franks RedHot sauce. This recipe is not sponsored by Franks RedHot, but it is the key ingredient. Sure, you can use any hot sauce, but the flavor of Franks RedHot and butter is the Buffalo wings flavor. If you have a bottle of buffalo wing sauce, use it to replace the butter and Franks RedHot sauce.

Change the Heat

You can cut the Franks RedHot in half to reduce the heat level, or double it to increase the heat. (Or, substitute an extra-hot wing sauce for the Franks RedHot and butter.)

Bread Crumb and Blue Cheese Crust

The last step is optional, but a good one - garnish with toasted bread crumbs and blue cheese. I spread panko bread crumbs over the top of the mac and cheese, scatter crumbled blue cheese on top, and brown it in the oven. I prefer panko to regular bread crumbs because of the larger, crispier pieces of bread, but if all you can find are regular crumbs, they will work.
If you're anti-blue-cheese, you can skip it - the recipe will still be great - but I always have blue cheese with my buffalo chicken wings, so I miss it when it's gone. When I'm serving picky eaters, I'll pass the crumbled blue cheese at the table instead of adding it to the crust.
Or, if you can't find blue cheese, a drizzle of blue cheese dressing after the crust is browned will work.

Ranch Dresing

If you like Ranch Dressing with your buffalo wings, you can drizzle it on after browning the bread crumbs, either to replace the blue cheese, as another layer of flavor. Or, pass the ranch dressing at the table for your diners to add as a topping.

Chicken Broth

If you have chicken broth - especially homemade chicken broth - you can use it in place of the water for extra-rich mac and cheese. If you use store-bought broth, try to get low sodium broth, and skip the fine sea salt that's added with the pasta and water.

What to do if quick release starts spraying starch?

This happens occasionally with this recipe - quick releasing the pressure throws the pot into a boil, and the steam from the quick release includes a lot of starch. When this happens I (Carefully!) close the pressure valve and let the pot sit for 5 minutes before trying again. That usually gives the pot enough time to cool down from the rapid boil, and stop spraying starch. (If it's not enough time, I give it another 5 minutes, and that almost always solves the problem.) If spitting starch happens, make sure to thoroughly clean your pot lid and pressure valve.

What to serve with Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

This is a one pot meal, so all it needs is a salad on the side. When I feel fancy, I also cut up some celery sticks, the traditional buffalo wing side dish.

Inspired by: https://www.franksredhot.com/recipes/franks-redhot-classic-buffalo-chicken-mac-n-cheese.

Storage

I portion leftovers into 2-cup containers. Leftovers last in the refrigerator for a few days, and can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Instant Pot Chili Mac Recipe
Pressure Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
Pressure Cooker Buffalo Chicken Wings
Instant Pot Fettuccine Chicken Alfredo
Instant Pot Pastalaya (Cajun Jambalaya with Pasta)
My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Mini Cheesecakes

May 19, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 21 Comments

Instant Pot Mini Cheesecakes. Six single serving cheesecakes in the pressure cooker.

A common question on my pressure cooker cheesecake recipes: "Can I make this in single-serving cups?" Why, yes!

The trick is finding 8-ounce jars or ramekins that fit in the Instant Pot. You'll need 6 jars - we're going to make two layers, with 3 jars per layer. (Check to make sure the jars or ramekins fit before you start.) I use Kerr half-pint wide mouth canning jars, which are the perfect size to fit in the pot. Also, I have a bunch of wide mouth canning jar storage lids, so it's easy to lid up the cheesecakes when they are done cooking.

Oh, and you'll need a second pressure cooker rack. We're using the Instant Pot as a pressure steamer; we need a rack on the bottom of the pot, to lift the first layer of cheesecakes above the water. The second rack helps balance the second layer of cheesecakes on top of the first layer. I use my silicone baking sling as the bottom rack, then the wire rack that came with my Instant Pot as the rack between the layers of cheesecake jars.

The only other trick is how quickly these smaller cheesecakes cook. It takes 20 minutes under pressure for a full-sized cheesecake, but these smaller cheesecakes cook through in 3 minutes at high pressure. (With a 10 minute natural pressure release, to let the heat penetrate the batter and cook it through.)

Recipe: Instant Pot Mini Cheesecakes

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Instant Pot Lemon Cheesecake
Instant Pot Maple Cheesecake with Candied Walnuts
My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes

My Mandoline Tried To Kill Me...Again

May 14, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 7 Comments

Orange mandoline on a black surface with dramatic lighting — Mandoline of DEATH

My mandoline is a death machine, just waiting for me to slip up and feed its blood thirst. But it makes such evenly sliced potatoes!

Every time I use it, it wants a sacrifice. So much so that I've nicknamed it Audrey II:

Feed Me Seymour (Little Shop of Horrors) [Youtube.com]

I know I should use the hand guard…but the potatoes are so small that they disappear into it. I know I should wear a cut-proof glove...but mine got chewed up the last time the bloodthirsty mandoline wanted a piece of me, and I never actually got around to ordering a replacement. It's fine. I'll be careful. I know what I'm doing.

Everything was going fine until the potato stuck. And my hand slipped. And oh no my index finger...

My finger is healing…but it hurts to type the letters "N" and "M" because of where the cut is. Ow, ow, ow. That's right, I'm suffering for my art.

But the potatoes - they are so evenly sliced. I put Audrey II back in the cabinet, and ordered a new cut-resistant glove on Amazon.

There it sits, in its box. Waiting. Waiting for the next time I get sloppy, and let my guard down for a second. Waiting for its next chance to strike.

Ow.

Amazon affiliate links:

My…favorite?…mandoline: Swissmar Borner V-Slicer
Trust me, buy a cut-resistant glove: NoCry Cut Resistant Glove
Why I need evenly sliced potatoes: Cast Iron Spiral Skillet Potatoes

Cast Iron Spiral Skillet Potatoes
Things I Can Never Have Enough Of In My Kitchen
Review: Ceramic Knives
My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes

Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks with Potatoes

May 12, 2020 by Mike Vrobel 13 Comments

Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks with Potatoes. A one-pot pressure cooker meal of drumsticks and potatoes - just add a green veggie and dinner is served.

Whenever I publish a recipe for a pressure cooker braise, or a stew, I get a question: "can I add potatoes to that?" So, I'm getting ahead of the curve on this one by making the chicken drumsticks with potatoes right from the start.

A bowl of cooked chicken drumsticks and baby red potatoes, with parsley leaves — Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks with Potatoes

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

My favorite potatoes to pressure cook are whole baby potatoes. They're small enough to cook through quickly - on their own they take about 8 minutes - but they're sturdy enough to stand up to longer cooking times, like they do with these chicken drumsticks.

Ingredients

Vegetable oil
Chicken drumsticks
Fine sea salt
Paprika (preferably smoked paprika)
Garlic powder
Butter
Baby red potatoes (aka new potatoes)
Dried thyme
Chicken broth
Minced parsley for garnish (optional)

How to make Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks with Potatoes

Brown the chicken legs, on one side, in 2 batches

In an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, heat a tablespoon of oil over Sauté mode until the oil is shimmering. (Use medium heat in a stovetop pressure cooker). Sprinkle the drumsticks with 1 teaspoon salt, the paprika, and the garlic powder. Brown the drumsticks in 2 batches: Add half the drumsticks in a single layer, skin side down, and cook until browned on that side, about 3 minutes. Remove the browned drumsticks to a bowl, add the rest of the drumsticks, and brown on one side, about 3 more minutes. Move to the drumstick bowl.

Brown the potatoes on one side

Add the butter to the pot and let it melt, scraping any browned bits of chicken loose from the pot with a flat edged wooden spoon. Once the butter is melted, add the potatoes, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon fine sea salt and ½ teaspoon dried thyme. Toss the potatoes to coat with butter, then cook until the potatoes are browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes.

Everything in the pot

Pour in the 2 cups of chicken broth, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt if using homemade broth. Stack the browned drumsticks on top of the potatoes and pour in any chicken juices left in the bowl.

Pressure Cook for 15 minutes with a Natural Release

Lock the lid. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes in an Instant Pot or other electric PC, or for 13 minutes in a stovetop PC. (Use "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" mode in an Instant Pot.) Let the pressure come down naturally, about 15 more minutes. (If you get impatient you can quick release the remaining pressure after 15 minutes of natural release.)

Serve with the pot sauce

Unlock the pressure cooker (carefully - tilt the lid away from you to avoid any hot steam.) Move the drumsticks and potatoes to a platter with tongs and/or a slotted spoon. Ladle a scoop or two of the pot sauce over the drumsticks and potatoes, and sprinkle with minced parsley. Pass the rest of the pot sauce at the table. Enjoy!

Substitutions

Different Spices - use what you have

I season the drumsticks with salt, paprika, and garlic powder, and the potatoes with dried thyme - one of my favorite flavor combinations. But, if your pantry is running low, don't get hung up on the spices. The paprika, garlic powder, and thyme are optional. Use whatever herb mix or spice rub you have on the drumsticks, or just a simple sprinkling of salt and pepper.

What do you think?

Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Instant Pot Greek Baby Potatoes with Garlic, Lemon, and Herbs
Pressure Cooker Chicken Legs with Herb Rub
Instant Pot Quick Chicken Thighs
How to make Pollo a la Brasa
Instant Pot Doro Wat
My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes

Join the #InstantPotChallenge

May 7, 2020 by Mike Vrobel Leave a Comment

@InstantPotOfficial is teaming up with @SaveTheChildren to donate Instant Pots to families in need. Share your Instant Pot meal on Instagram with the hashtag #InstantPotChallenge and Instant Pot will donate a pot. Here's my entry:

View this post on Instagram

For the #InstantPotChallenge I'm making my kid's favorite - Instant Pot Chicken Massaman Curry. @InstantPotOfficial is teaming up with @SaveTheChildren to donate Instant Pots to families in need. Share your Instant Pot meal with the hashtag #InstantPotChallenge and Instant Pot will donate a pot! I'm challenging @mexicoinmykitchen, @lori_lemons , @gavincpinto @fitfortheroad.co and @perchja What can you make for the #InstantPotChallenge? @savethechildren @instantpotoffical #HomeCookOff #YesInstantPot

A post shared by Mike Vrobel - Food Blogger (@dadcooksdinner) on May 2, 2020 at 8:38am PDT

And here's the recipe - I'm actually making it for tonight's dinner:

Recipe: Instant Pot Massaman Chicken Curry

Link: Instant Pot Massaman Chicken Curry

Instant Pot asked me to participate in their #InstantPotChallenge. This isn't exactly a sponsored post, but it is at their request. It's for a good cause, so if you're an Instagram kind of person, please share a picture of your meal with the #InstantPotChallenge hashtag. Thank you!

Instant Pot Coconut Brown Rice
Instant Pot Short Ribs with Coconut Milk and Thai Curry Paste
Instant Pot Quick Lentil Curry
My other Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Recipes

« Previous Page
1
…
7
8
9
10
11
…
37
Next Page »

Recipe: Instant Pot Jamaican Chicken Fricassee

What do you think?

Related Posts

Recipe: Instant Pot Texas Beef Stew With Sweet Potatoes

What do you think?

Related Posts

🥫Ingredients

🥘Substitutions

🛠 Equipment

📏Scaling

🤨 Soaking Black-Eyed Peas?

Sorting Peas

💡Tips and Tricks

☃️ Storage

🤝 Related Posts

Recipe: Instant Pot Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake

What do you think?

Related Posts

What do you think?

Related Posts

🥫Ingredients

🥘 Substitutions

🛠 Equipment

📏Scaling

🤨 Soaking pinto beans?

💡Tips and Tricks

What do you think?

Related Posts

What do you think?

Related Posts

The Main Course

Desserts

Save the bones!

Recipe: Instant Pot Mini Pumpkin Pies

What do you think?

Related Posts

Recipe: Instant Pot Pork Shoulder Chops with Apples and Onions

What do you think?

Related Posts

Recipe: Instant Pot Arrabbiata Sauce

What do you think?

Related Posts

Recipe: Instant Pot Chinese Beef Noodle Soup with Short Ribs

What do you think?

Related Posts

🥫Ingredients

🥘 Substitutions

🛠 Equipment

📏Scaling

🤨 Soaking lentils?

💡Tips and Tricks

Other Lentil Recipes

☃️ Storage

🤝 Related Posts

Should I cover a Pressure Cooker Cheesecake in foil before cooking?

Mangoes or Mangos?

Recipe: Instant Pot Mango Cheesecake

What do you think?

Related Posts

Instant Pot Prime Day deals

Other cooking related Prime Day deals

Just show me all the deals!

Amazon Prime Membership

Recipe: Instant Pot Garbanzos and Smoked Paprika

What do you think?

Related Posts

Recipe: Instant Pot Spanish Ribs

What do you think?

Related Posts

Why don't I cook with an entire bottle of wine in my Instant Pot

Simplest Beef Stew

Taste Test Conclusions

Can I cook with a whole bottle of wine in an Instant Pot?

Can I cook with wine in an Instant Pot?

What do you think?

Related Posts

Recipe: Instant Pot Quick Chili Verde

What do you think?

Related Posts

Tips and Tricks