So you can understand my reticence to revisit the pressure cooker. But after assurances that the new models had plenty of safety features to prevent geysers, I broke down and got one.
Ten-Bean Soup
After thoroughly reading my instructions, I decided to try a bean soup. These always take forever with traditional cooking methods. I got the 10-bean soup from the Denver's Women's Bean Project. This is a great soup and a great non-profit. If you've never heard of them, I encourage you to check out their products and their mission.
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| Women's Bean Project 10-Bean Soup |
I did pre-soak the beans, although that wasn't necessary with the pressure cooker. I like my beans soft, so I took the time to get them ready. I followed the recipe for the soup and the cooking recommendations. The normal 2.5 hour cook time was reduced to 40 minutes. I didn't saute anything, just put it all in the pot. I will say releasing the pressure the first time is a little startling, but the geyser of steam was clean and safe.
Then the end result was delicious, so I decided to try a second dish (maybe the first was a fluke). This time I used the Mealthy App for the iPhone. It has healthy recipes for Instant Pots and other cooking methods. The best part is that it links to your Instacart to purchase everything you need for your recipe. So it makes it almost as convenient as the meal delivery services. I don't have the proprietary Mealthy Instant Pot, but you don't have to use it to take advantage of the app.
Teriyaki Chicken Wings
Next, I tried the Mealthy recipe for teriyaki chicken wings. The person who developed this recipe must have previous Asian cooking experience because the wings were amazing. I think they may be the best teriyaki wings that I've ever tasted. They were fast, easy and actually had sufficient sauce (a common complaint about restaurant or frozen wings).
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| Teriyaki Chicken Wings |
Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Finally, I followed another Mealthy recipe, sauteeing my vegetables, and then I combined the remaining ingredients. The one-pot potential for Instant Pot recipes is a major selling point. This soup is not a low-fat meal since it has cream cheese and half-and-half in it, but at least the rest of it is good for you. I wound up doubling the cooking time to 10 minutes since the rice seemed a bit al dente for my tastes. The end result was fast and wonderful. I was beginning to appreciate the rave reviews for Instant Pot cooking.
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| Chicken Wild Rice Soup |
I will continue to explore the new pressure cooking. I like the improved technology and the available apps. I certainly enjoy the shortened cooking time, and so far I've been pleased with the end results.
So, if you are a more seasoned cook and remember the old pressure cookers with their spinning knobs, the new pressure cookers have little similarity. If you haven't tried one, they seem to be worth the investment if you like to cook, but have little time for cooking and cleanup. And so far, I've had no green geysers!
