6 ms·

The secret to the Instant Pot, I've found, is using it for things it does well. Beans and bean-based dishes are a home run every time. Chicken broth and beef

The secret to the Instant Pot, I've found, is using it for things it does well. Beans and bean-based dishes are a home run every time. Chicken broth and beef bone broth are great, too. Slow cooker favorites like pot roast and pulled pork? Not so much, in my opinion. These dishes need more time to break down the collagen slowly without destroying the meat and veggies. I much prefer them in the slow cooker. Oatmeal is great but I can make it faster and better on the stovetop. I've been working on adapting family favorite recipes to the IP. My favorites so far: My Cajun mother-in-law's real deal red beans and rice recipe: https://gist.github.com/chrissnell/2ee0a820b7ba7c25a12d1b253d1aaf48 https://gist.github.com/chrissnell/2ee0a820b7ba7c25a12d1b253... My grandmother's refried beans from her regionally famous 1960s-era Tex-Mex cookbook: https://gist.github.com/chrissnell/c87a98b7ee3239065737eaf14657db71 https://gist.github.com/chrissnell/c87a98b7ee3239065737eaf14...

Zancarius 10y ago
> Oatmeal is great but I can make it faster and better on the stovetop. Just curious: The OP mentioned steel cut oats rather than traditional oatmeal. Did you mean the same as well? The reason I ask is because, while I love steel cut oats, cooking a nice sized batch on the stove can be time consuming, and I don't like the 3-5 minute oats (precooked and/or steamed; lacks the same texture IMO, same reason I don't like standard oatmeal). I'm not sure I'd go so far as to use them in an Instant Pot, but it'd be interesting to read a second opinion of how they turn out.
- shostack 10y ago
  I posted the 3 Minute Oatmeal recipe straight from the recipe book that comes with the IP below if you're interested [1]. I too am wondering if the parent was talking about precooked/steamed. The recipe that comes with the IP is definitely steel cut and has that great springy bite to it--almost al dente in a way (or QQ as my Chinese friends might say). And my version is 3 minutes of cook time, but there's several minutes of getting up to pressure time, and then 10 minutes of natural release when it finishes. Still largely "set it and forget it" though. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13816579 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13816579
  - Zancarius 10y ago
    That sounds perfect, actually. I love steel cut for the simple reason that their texture is fantastic and the earthier flavor versus regular oats has more complexity and depth. But stove top usually requires persistent attentiveness to avoid boiling over (first 5 minutes) or burning (remaining 15-20). Your post makes me want to buy an IP to try it out, because a mostly hands off cooking process for something like that would be great! Thanks a bunch!
    - shostack 10y ago
      It really is hands off once you start it going such that you can start it, go about your morning routine, and go grab it when you're ready. Takes a couple minutes prep to toss everything in it, and then it can sit for quite some time on the warming mode.
bryanlarsen 10y ago
According to seriouseats, the only thing a slow cooker is best at is keeping food warm, carmelized onions and bread pudding. http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/10/why-pressure-cookers-are-better-than-slow-cookers.html http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/10/why-pressure-cookers-are-... I certainly getter results doing pot roast & pulled pork in a pressure cooker than a slow cooker.
- nwordsam3 10y ago
  The instant pot is a pressure cooker and a slow cooker. And other than a fucking electronic panel similar to a rice cooker I don't see what the big deal is. Indians have been using them for years, electric or stove top pressure cookers, that is. I bought an Instant Pot years ago and we love it, but god these fucking hipsters turn everything into a self congratulatory bunch of crap. No electric pressure cooker on the market can get up to a stove top, but the instant pot is pretty good.
- kpil 10y ago
  The main problem with slow cookers are that the liquid is not reduced properly which have to be done as a separate step using an ordinary sauce pan. If you do a 7-hour lamb in a pot in an oven, you have the opposite problem, as it's a bit warmer, and might have to glue together the lid with dough. I think the taste will be better though, as I think there is more caramelisation going on at higher temperatures.
- exclusiv 10y ago
  What temp are you doing the pulled pork at? I get amazing results with a crock pot and pork shoulder with honey and a nice rub. Start it in the morning and it's ready when I get back from work. Interested in the pressure cooker though for some more versatility. What's the main difference btw your pulled pork in PC vs SC?
Osiris 10y ago
Chicken and ribs are awesome in the pressure cooker. It only takes about 15 minutes to make really good BBQ ribs.
- shostack 10y ago
  Care to share your ribs recipe? The issue with things like that which I noted in my original comment is that they seem to require steps like finishing under the broiler. At that point I'm not sure the IP adds much to the dish and I'm inclined to just grill or broil them to begin with and save myself some cleanup with the IP.
  - Osiris 10y ago
    I'll have to ask my wife. As far as I know it's basically fatty beef ribs covered in BBQ sauce. We don't broil them afterwards. I suppose it just depends on if you want that caramelized flavor or not.

Zancarius 10y ago

> Oatmeal is great but I can make it faster and better on the stovetop. Just curious: The OP mentioned steel cut oats rather than traditional oatmeal. Did you mean the same as well? The reason I ask is because, while I love steel cut oats, cooking a nice sized batch on the stove can be time consuming, and I don't like the 3-5 minute oats (precooked and/or steamed; lacks the same texture IMO, same reason I don't like standard oatmeal). I'm not sure I'd go so far as to use them in an Instant Pot, but it'd be interesting to read a second opinion of how they turn out.

shostack 10y ago
I posted the 3 Minute Oatmeal recipe straight from the recipe book that comes with the IP below if you're interested [1]. I too am wondering if the parent was talking about precooked/steamed. The recipe that comes with the IP is definitely steel cut and has that great springy bite to it--almost al dente in a way (or QQ as my Chinese friends might say). And my version is 3 minutes of cook time, but there's several minutes of getting up to pressure time, and then 10 minutes of natural release when it finishes. Still largely "set it and forget it" though. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13816579 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13816579
- Zancarius 10y ago
  That sounds perfect, actually. I love steel cut for the simple reason that their texture is fantastic and the earthier flavor versus regular oats has more complexity and depth. But stove top usually requires persistent attentiveness to avoid boiling over (first 5 minutes) or burning (remaining 15-20). Your post makes me want to buy an IP to try it out, because a mostly hands off cooking process for something like that would be great! Thanks a bunch!
  - shostack 10y ago
    It really is hands off once you start it going such that you can start it, go about your morning routine, and go grab it when you're ready. Takes a couple minutes prep to toss everything in it, and then it can sit for quite some time on the warming mode.

bryanlarsen 10y ago

According to seriouseats, the only thing a slow cooker is best at is keeping food warm, carmelized onions and bread pudding. http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/10/why-pressure-cookers-are-better-than-slow-cookers.html http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/10/why-pressure-cookers-are-... I certainly getter results doing pot roast & pulled pork in a pressure cooker than a slow cooker.

nwordsam3 10y ago
The instant pot is a pressure cooker and a slow cooker. And other than a fucking electronic panel similar to a rice cooker I don't see what the big deal is. Indians have been using them for years, electric or stove top pressure cookers, that is. I bought an Instant Pot years ago and we love it, but god these fucking hipsters turn everything into a self congratulatory bunch of crap. No electric pressure cooker on the market can get up to a stove top, but the instant pot is pretty good.
kpil 10y ago
The main problem with slow cookers are that the liquid is not reduced properly which have to be done as a separate step using an ordinary sauce pan. If you do a 7-hour lamb in a pot in an oven, you have the opposite problem, as it's a bit warmer, and might have to glue together the lid with dough. I think the taste will be better though, as I think there is more caramelisation going on at higher temperatures.
exclusiv 10y ago
What temp are you doing the pulled pork at? I get amazing results with a crock pot and pork shoulder with honey and a nice rub. Start it in the morning and it's ready when I get back from work. Interested in the pressure cooker though for some more versatility. What's the main difference btw your pulled pork in PC vs SC?

Osiris 10y ago

Chicken and ribs are awesome in the pressure cooker. It only takes about 15 minutes to make really good BBQ ribs.

shostack 10y ago
Care to share your ribs recipe? The issue with things like that which I noted in my original comment is that they seem to require steps like finishing under the broiler. At that point I'm not sure the IP adds much to the dish and I'm inclined to just grill or broil them to begin with and save myself some cleanup with the IP.
- Osiris 10y ago
  I'll have to ask my wife. As far as I know it's basically fatty beef ribs covered in BBQ sauce. We don't broil them afterwards. I suppose it just depends on if you want that caramelized flavor or not.