Instant Pot thread

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by kcladyz

The best thing I made so far in the pot is ham and bean soup and bow tie pasta with meat/spaghetti sauce. I really want to make a cabbage dish. I would like corned beef but I remember as a child that corned beef was extremely fatty. Is it possible to buy corned beef that is lean?

Most of today's Corned Beef is lean, by yesteryear standards. In fact, most beef is lean today. It's hard to find good marbled beef anymore; I have to go to a commercial restaurant butcher to find decent, edible beef (for nicer cuts I mean). Wanna know why those restaurant burgers taste SO much better than the ones you make at home? Mucho fattier beef, more like 60-80% than 93%. Same with prime rib and filet mignon, etc.

So, pretty much any corned beef that you find is going to be leanish. It's the marbling that makes it tasty, tho.

I don't know if I'd bother making Corned Beef in the IP. You can slap it in a crockpot, or a simple stockpot on the range, and slap the cabbage in later. IP, to me, for Corned Beef & Cabbage, would almost be overkill.

FWIW.

Hitch

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I don't know if I'd bother making Corned Beef in the IP. You can slap it in a crockpot, or a simple stockpot on the range, and slap the cabbage in later. IP, to me, for Corned Beef & Cabbage, would almost be overkill.

My wife's just the opposite. She'd need a good reason NOT to use the IP over the stove top or oven or some other appliance. All else being equal, she'll take the single timer controlled appliance that doesn't heat up the kitchen over anything else. No reason to break out the crock pot if the IP does it just as well (and faster).

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by ApK

My wife's just the opposite. She'd need a good reason NOT to use the IP over the stove top or oven or some other appliance. All else being equal, she'll take the single timer controlled appliance that doesn't heat up the kitchen over anything else. No reason to break out the crock pot if the IP does it just as well (and faster).

For a lot of dishes, I would understand that; but for Corned Beef & Cabbage, you'll have to do the beef; stop the cooker, allow it to depressurize, open it, then add the cabbage, go to the next phase. To me, that kinda ruins the whole appeal of the IP. I love mine for anything that's a one-n-done, once you get into the multi-step, open it, do this, do that, depressurize, do the next thing part, I might as well use something else. It's that or you'll have cabbage mush.

Hitch

[Difflugia]

Originally Posted by kcladyz

The best thing I made so far in the pot is ham and bean soup and bow tie pasta with meat/spaghetti sauce. I really want to make a cabbage dish. I would like corned beef but I remember as a child that corned beef was extremely fatty. Is it possible to buy corned beef that is lean?

I don't use an Instant Pot, but I use a regular pressure cooker to make corned beef all the time. I keep it at 15 psi for about an hour, then let it cool until the pressure drops. This cuts the overall time about in half relative to regular stovetop cooking.

Briskets, corned or not, are usually cut into "flat" (square) and "point" (triangle) pieces before selling. The flat is less marbled and tends to have most of the fat as a layer on top that can be lifted off while it's still warm.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Difflugia

I don't use an Instant Pot, but I use a regular pressure cooker to make corned beef all the time. I keep it at 15 psi for about an hour, then let it cool until the pressure drops. This cuts the overall time about in half relative to regular stovetop cooking.

Briskets, corned or not, are usually cut into "flat" (square) and "point" (triangle) pieces before selling. The flat is less marbled and tends to have most of the fat as a layer on top that can be lifted off while it's still warm.

This certainly is a valid point, in terms of time, but I confess, I love my cabbage cooked in that nice, fatty water...SOOOO bad. :-)

Hitch

[HLS]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Most of today's Corned Beef is lean, by yesteryear standards. In fact, most beef is lean today. It's hard to find good marbled beef anymore; I have to go to a commercial restaurant butcher to find decent, edible beef (for nicer cuts I mean). Wanna know why those restaurant burgers taste SO much better than the ones you make at home? Mucho fattier beef, more like 60-80% than 93%. Same with prime rib and filet mignon, etc.

So, pretty much any corned beef that you find is going to be leanish. It's the marbling that makes it tasty, tho.

I don't know if I'd bother making Corned Beef in the IP. You can slap it in a crockpot, or a simple stockpot on the range, and slap the cabbage in later. IP, to me, for Corned Beef & Cabbage, would almost be overkill.

FWIW.

Hitch

My mom made corned beef a lot and I hated all the fat. seemed like every fiber of the beef was encased in fat. That I hated and that is why I never made it as an adult. I hate touching and looking at raw fat

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by kcladyz

My mom made corned beef a lot and I hated all the fat. seemed like every fiber of the beef was encased in fat. That I hated and that is why I never made it as an adult. I hate touching and looking at raw fat

I'm a total fatophobe. I hate raw or visible or icky fat. I even remove fat from ham, lol.

But I love marbling, when properly cooked. Whether rare in prime rib or filet, or cooked to death in pot roast, (with the collagen broken down), the truth is, all the flavor is in the fat, really.

Hitch

[PeterT]

Today I've tried making egg bites, with ham, cheddar, green onion, and red peppers. Now to wait until breakfast (or maybe lunch) tomorrow and see how they are.

Next on the agenda is some beef stew; I'm hoping the wife remembers she wanted to make it but I have a gut feeling that it will be me. This will (with luck) be supper tonight.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[HLS]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I'm a total fatophobe. I hate raw or visible or icky fat. I even remove fat from ham, lol.

But I love marbling when properly cooked. Whether rare in prime rib or filet, or cooked to death in pot roast, (with the collagen broken down), the truth is, all the flavor is in the fat, really.

Hitch

I can handle fat from ham because it usually reduces and crisps up a little in the oven. Same with chicken. I am totally disgusted by the skin but love it when it reduces and crisps up in oven or frying

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Today I've tried making egg bites, with ham, cheddar, green onion, and red peppers. Now to wait until breakfast (or maybe lunch) tomorrow and see how they are.

Next on the agenda is some beef stew; I'm hoping the wife remembers she wanted to make it but I have a gut feeling that it will be me. This will (with luck) be supper tonight.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Peter, please let me know how your egg bites work out. I'm dying to try to make something along those lines, but I'm particular about my breakfasts. :-)

Hitch

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Peter, please let me know how your egg bites work out. I'm dying to try to make something along those lines, but I'm particular about my breakfasts. :-)



Hitch

Will do.

The stew turned out great. Few minor hiccups white making it. I was acting as the sou chef and want given clear instructions as to what order things were needed I spent time prepping the carrots and rutabaga only to learn the onion and mushrooms were needed first!

Then when everything was in the Instant Pot I wondered why it was taking so long to get to pressure. oops the lid was not on properly so the was no way it would ever reach pressure.

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[Hitch]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Will do.

The stew turned out great. Few minor hiccups white making it. I was acting as the sou chef and want given clear instructions as to what order things were needed I spent time prepping the carrots and rutabaga only to learn the onion and mushrooms were needed first!

Then when everything was in the Instant Pot I wondered why it was taking so long to get to pressure. oops the lid was not on properly so the was no way it would ever reach pressure.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

LOL, yeah, locking the lid would definitely help.

Hitch

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Peter, please let me know how your egg bites work out. I'm dying to try to make something along those lines, but I'm particular about my breakfasts. :-)

Hitch

Indeed, I'm always on the look out for breakfast options that aren't all carbs and sugar (not that there's anything wrong with that....)

If you like them, please post the recipe.

ApK

[PeterT]

Just microwaved two of the egg bites for lunch. Really enjoyed them. Taste was very much like the omlettes I make (which I think are actually closer to frittatas).

Unfortunately I can't really post a recipe add I didn't write everything down (actually didn't measure stuff).

Basic idea was
* 5 medium eggs
* Diced ham
* Diced 1/2 red pepper (deseeded of course)
* 1/4 cup table cream
* Sliced bunch of green onions
* Diced cheddar cheese
* Salt and pepper
-------
* Whisk eggs and cream with some salt and pepper
* Divide among the 7 moulds of a silicon egg bite tray
* Add ham, peppers, onions and cheese to each mould
* Add 1 cup of water to Instant Pot
* Place egg bite tray on to of trivet in the pot and ensure the top is on the egg tray (can just be lightly placed, doesn't have to be snapped on)
* Close lid on the pot
* Set to sealing and STEAM for 9 minutes
* Do a natural pressure release for 10 minutes followed by a quick pressure release

Enjoy!

You might need a sling under the egg tray for easy removal

Times etc are based on looking at various web sites and their recipes

If refrigerated reheat in microwave for 30 seconds

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[Hitch]

Originally Posted by ApK

Indeed, I'm always on the look out for breakfast options that aren't all carbs and sugar (not that there's anything wrong with that....)

If you like them, please post the recipe.

ApK

Me, too. I'm a savory, not a sweet. All the make-aheads seem to be ALL sugar, all the time, and that's not my cuppa.

Hitch