I borrowed my sister’s Instant Pot this weekend to give it a try before purchasing one of my very own, to make sure it was worth the cost. I am super excited about what seems like endless cooking possibilities, but will it be as life changing as I have heard?
By: Kathryne
I used the 6 quart Instant Pot, this is a link for the one that I used…here. I have been seeing recipes and my friends enjoy using theirs multiple times a week. Is this a trend I really want to hop onto? Can it really save me time and help me to prepare healthy meals for my family? Maybe, but after reading some Amazon reviews I was a little hesitant, there are quite a few less than glowing reviews, and more than a few with pot malfunction. Well here’s what I discovered…
After reading the “Get Started Booklet”, the “Warnings Booklet” and watching several videos on setup and proper cleaning of the Pot, I was scared to even begin, seriously, how many steps could this possibly take. I started by doing the water test to make sure everything was functioning properly and this gave me the confidence I needed to plow forward to my chosen recipe. Nothing blew up, or melted and I managed to not injure myself during any of the steps. It was a win!
This is the Recipe I used. I chose to make corned beef and cabbage.
I omitted the potatoes and doubled the cabbage, I also used beef stock rather than beer, however I did carefully follow all other cooking instructions. Generally speaking with my cooking I don’t follow recipes closely, I make substitutions regularly and everything turns out how my family prefers it. I chose to follow this recipe closely as I do not have previous experience with the equipment and didn’t want to improperly prepare such a large cut of meat.
- Pour beer into Instant Pot.
- Use seasoning packet as a rub to thoroughly coat corned beef. Place beef in the pot.
- Secure the lid, making sure the vent is closed.
- Using the display panel select the MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK function* . Use the +/- buttons and program the Instant Pot for 70 minutes for a sliceable corned beef, 90 minutes if you want it “fall-apart” tender.
- When the time is up, let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes, then quick-release the remaining pressure.
- Remove corned beef to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil to rest, reserving juices.
- Remove the trivet and place the vegetables into the pot with the reserved juices. Secure the lid, making sure the vent is closed.
- Using the display panel select the MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK function* . Use the +/- buttons and program the Instant Pot for 3 minutes.
- When the time is up, quick-release the pressure.
It was delicious and I was pleasantly surprised by the simplicity of the process once I overcame my fear of it exploding on my countertop. This recipe feeds my family 3 dinners and a lunch or two for mom, by the time we were done eating I wished I had frozen the leftovers for another time. This is one of the “leftover” meals we had for dinner.
Corn beef and cabbage Grilled cheese
- Whole Wheat Bread
- Salted Butter
- Shredded Cheese
- Spicy Mustard
- Thinly sliced corned beef and cabbage
Does this get my recommendation?
Will I purchase one of my own? I want to try the rice cooking function and a few more recipes before I make my decision. I would definitely recommend this for a larger family or for cooking large batches of meat, beans, etc. For just me and my two young kids, I’m not sold on the cost for my little family. Will I change my mind after I try some different recipes…stay tuned to find out!
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