Chicken and Dumplings - Instant Pot (or Not)

Chicken and Dumplings is a real comfort food classic! And if you’d like to make it on the stovetop rather than in the Instant Pot, go to my original Chicken and Dumplings post. 

Also, go to that post if you’d like to read about the great dumpling controversy—you know, fluffy versus flat, dropped versus rolled. As you can see, I make fluffy dumplings. 

And fluffy they are. Never stodgy (unpleasantly solid and heavy). Sometimes I use a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in the milk, and sometimes not. Either way, they come out light, fluffy and delicious. 

Thing is, the Instant Pot is narrower in diameter than my Dutch oven, so there’s really only room for half the dumplings. If you’re serving it all at once (dinner for at least 6), you could transfer the finished stew to a wider pan that will hold all the dumplings. 

I’ve often used bone-in chicken breasts and thighs rather than cutting up a whole chicken, but for this Instant Pot version I went with a whole chicken and did not cut it up. 

You see, I’m still on my Streamlined Cooking kick and not cutting up the chicken and not browning the pieces was a huge timesaver. The chicken comes out fall-apart tender and easy to remove from the bones. 

I was prepared to have to remove a lot of fat from the broth, but there didn’t seem to be a lot of fat, so I just went with it. That was another timesaver.

I hope you’ll try it soon and let me know how you like it. And, tell me, which dumpling team are you on, fluffy or flat?

Chicken and Dumplings - Instant Pot

(Serves 6 to 8)

The Chicken Stew

1 whole organic free-range chicken (3.5 to 5 pounds/1.6 to 2.25 kg), giblets removed

1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 medium (about 12 ounces/340 grams) yellow onion, quartered and sliced (1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 cups thinly diagonally sliced carrots (about 12 ounces/340 grams)
3 stalks (about 4 ounces/113 grams) celery, thinly diagonally sliced (1/2 cup)

2 cups (16 fluid ounces/473 ml) water

1/4 cup flour shaken with 1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

The Dumplings

(Makes 18)

2 dip-and-sweep cups (10 ounces/283 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon non-GMO baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/57 grams) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup (8 fluid ounces/237 ml) milk (1 tablespoon of which can be apple cider vinegar)

1 In 6-quart Instant Pot inner cooking pot, place the chicken (mine was an even 4 pounds); sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper, marjoram and poultry seasoning. Top with onions, carrots and celery; pour in the water.

2 Put the lid in place and turn the steam valve to Sealing. Plug in the Instant Pot. Press the Pressure Cook key. Leave the indicator lights on High Pressure and Normal temperature, and change the cooking time to 25 minutes.

Note: It took about 25 minutes to come up to pressure and begin the cooking time.

3 When the "It's done" beep sounds and the indicator says "Off," set a kitchen timer for 25 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally, then do a quick release by turning the steam valve to Venting. 

4 When the float valve drops down, carefully remove the lid. Transfer the chicken to a large plate or bowl and let cool for about 20 minutes. When it's cool enough to handle, use 2 forks to remove the skin and take the meat off the bones. Cut it into bite-size (about 1-inch) pieces.

5 Shake together flour and water until mixture is as smooth as possible; then pour it through a strainer into the stew. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding the additional 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, if needed; press Saute and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes to thicken. Stir in the chicken.

Note: You can stop right here if you want to and finish the dish tomorrow or the next day. See the Note at the end before proceeding.

6 While stew returns to a simmer, make dumplings. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Drizzle melted butter over flour mixture, stirring with large fork. Stir in milk. Let stand for 5 minutes before scooping onto stew.

7 Stir in the parsley (and a cup of frozen peas, if you like). Spray a #40 scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) or round measuring tablespoon with cooking spray. Drop level scoops or rounded tablespoons of dough onto simmering stew. Cover and simmer dumplings for 20 minutes, then test one to see if toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If not, cover and simmer an additional 5 minutes.

Note:  Only half the dumplings will fit in the Instant Pot. If you want to cook all the dumplings, you will need to transfer the stew to a wider pot, such as a 5.5-quart Dutch oven. And, if you are not an experienced dumpling maker, you will likely find it easier to do that anyway because cooking the dumplings is a bit tricky in the Instant Pot. You have to go back and forth between Saute and Slow Cook to keep the stew at a simmer. I did it one time, just to see if and how it could be done, and it worked. But I'll do the dumplings on the stovetop next time.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Steamed Persimmon Pudding - Instant Pot or Not

Steamed Persimmon Pudding is one of my favorite comfort food desserts during the cold months of persimmon season. This is the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker version. (Note: A persimmon is known as 'kaki' in some countries.)

If you’d like to make it on the stovetop or in the slow cooker, go to my original Steamed Persimmon Pudding post. There you’ll also find my recipe for Brandy Butter Hard Sauce.

It’s a classic sauce for this, but what I like even more with it is Custard Sauce (Creme Anglaise). Try both with it and let me know which you prefer. A little vanilla ice cream partially melting next to the warm pudding makes a lovely sauce as well.

Couldn't resist doing a little watercolor painting while waiting another day 

for the persimmons to ripen.

Both pudding and sauce can be made ahead. Just reheat the pudding before serving it topped with the cold sauce. I also like it at room temperature with whipped cream.

Be sure your Hachiya persimmons are perfectly ripe and squishy-soft. It’s handy to have a supply of persimmon puree in the freezer. Just cut your squishy-soft persimmons in half, scoop out the pulp and mash it with a fork; you shouldn't even need to use the blender or immersion blender to puree it. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice per cup of persimmon. Freeze in glass containers for up to 6 months.

I hate recipes that are vague; as in calling for "2 medium persimmons." First of all, "medium" of one variety of persimmon is not "medium" of another. And who decides what "medium" is? A recent batch of store-bought Hachiya persimmons averaged out to 7.25 ounces/205 grams, so that is my definition of a medium Hachiya persimmon.

Steamed Persimmon Pudding

(Makes 6 servings) 

1/2 cup (2.8 ounces/80 grams) raisins
3 tablespoons (1.5 fluid ounces/44 ml) brandy, rum or hot tea
3/4 cup (6.625 ounces/188 grams) persimmon puree*
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 dip-and-sweep cup (5 ounces/142 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour 
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/4 cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) sugar
2 tablespoons (1 ounce/28 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup (2.66 fluid ounces/79 ml) milk

1/3 cup (1.33 ounces/38 grams) chopped pecans or walnuts 

* From about 1 1/2 "medium" (7.25 ounces/205 grams) Hachiya persimmons

1 In small bowl, soak raisins in brandy, rum or hot tea for 30 minutes to plump them. Start them off with 15 seconds or so in the microwave, then cover them and let them steam. 

2 Butter well a 2-inch deep 7-inch round cake tin or 3-inch deep 6-inch round cake tin. Put a round of parchment paper in the tin and butter it as well. 

3 Stir baking soda into persimmon puree and let stand 5 minutes while proceeding with recipe.

4 In 1.5-quart bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. 

5 In medium bowl with a wooden spoon, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg, then persimmon puree, followed by the vanilla and milk. Stir in the flour mixture followed by the nuts and raisins. Turn into buttered tin and cover tightly with foil. 

6 Place rack (with its handles up) in bottom of the Instant Pot cooking pot, and add 2 cups of boiling water to the pot. Center the pudding on the rack.

7 Put on the optional Instant Pot glass lid. Plug in the Instant Pot. Press the Saute key to select that program. Press the Saute key as many times as it takes to change the temperature indicator to Less. Press the Plus or Minus key to change the cooking time to 20 minutes to pre-steam the pudding before pressure cooking.

Note: You need to start with hot water because the Instant Pot set on the Saute function starts counting down the minutes right away (and does not display the minutes, just the word “Hot,” so I set a kitchen timer just to be sure!). 

8 When the beep sounds, it turns Off. Remove the optional Instant Pot glass lid and put the pressure cooking lid in place. Turn the steam valve to Sealing. Press the Pressure Cook key. Leave the indicator on High Pressure and change the cooking time to 35 minutes for the 7-inch pan or 40 minutes for the 6-inch pan.

Note: Since it is already hot, it only takes about 4 minutes to come up to pressure.

9 When the beep sounds, it turns Off. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes, then do a quick release by turning the steam valve to Venting. Then leave the lid in place for another 10 minutes.

10 Carefully remove the lid and wipe any condensation off the foil covering. Using potholders or oven gloves and the handles on the rack, carefully lift out the pudding and set on wire cooling rack. Remove the foil. The pudding should be slightly pulling away from the edges of the pan. Let stand for 15 minutes before unmolding onto a small platter. Slice and serve warm with whipped cream, brandy butter hard sauce or, my favorite, Custard Sauce.

Note: If making it ahead, even a day or two before, cover and store pudding at room temperature and then reheat before serving. 

11 While pudding is steaming, make Brandy Butter Hard Sauce or Custard Sauce. If you prefer your Custard Sauce cold, make it several hours or up to 2 or 3 days ahead. Hard Sauce can be made way ahead; it needs to be refrigerated at least 2 hours or up to 3 weeks.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Split Pea Soup with Ham - Instant Pot or Not

Split Pea Soup served with either homemade bread or biscuits, or a well-made grilled cheese sandwich, makes a satisfying meal any time of year, though it's often thought of as a cold-weather food.

I used to make a big production of sauteeing the celery, carrots and onion first; but I discovered several years ago that the soup is just fine when you skip that step, and I haven't looked back. Part of my Streamlined Cooking. 

Perhaps because of the very long cooking of the stovetop and slow cooker versions, and the pressure cooking of the Instant Pot, all the flavor is drawn from the vegetables without precooking them.

It's one of my all-time favorite soups, but Mr Delightful is not a soup fan, so I get to eat the whole pot. Planning to have it for breakfast today as soon as I get this posted! Are you a soup fan?

If you like it, please Pin it and share it!

Split Pea Soup

(Makes 6 servings)

2 1/4 cups (16 ounces/454 grams) green split peas, washed and drained

6 cups (48 ounces/1.42 litres) water
1 cup chopped celery (2 large stalks)
1 cup chopped or coarsely grated carrots (2 large carrots)
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1/3-to 1/2-pound (5.33 to 8 ounces/151 to 227 grams) piece of a fully cooked ham
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon marjoram leaves
1 bay leaf

Garnish: sherry, sour cream, creme fraiche or plain yogurt and something green

For slow cooker: Cook on Low for 8 hours.

For stovetop: Increase water to 2.5 quarts. In at least a 4-quart pan (I use a 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven), combine all ingredients (except garnishes, of course). If you are going to puree the soup (I do not), vegetables can be just roughly chopped and ham added after the pureeing. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, loosely covered, for about 3½ hours (or up to 5 hours, depending on the peas), stirring occasionally. Remove ham, chop it or shred it using two forks and add it back to soup. Remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish.

For Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker:

1 Put in all the ingredients at once. Give it a stir. Put the lid in place and turn the steam valve to Sealing. Press the Pressure Cook key. Leave the indicator lights on High Pressure and Normal temperature, and change the cooking time to 17 minutes. Press lit Keep Warm key to cancel that feature.

Note: It can take 20 to 25 minutes to reach working pressure. This varies with the amount and temperature of the ingredients in the pot. 

2 When the beep sounds, unplug Instant Pot. Set a kitchen timer for 25 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally, then do a quick release by turning the steam valve to Venting.

3 When the float valve drops down, carefully remove the lid. If the peas are not done, put the lid back on, turn the steam valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 1 to 3 additional minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Note: The soup can be kept in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Once cooled or chilled, I like to put 2 1/2 cups of soup in my favorite 3-cup glass storage container and pop it in the freezer for two servings of soup on another day.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Baked Beans from Scratch - Instant Pot or Classic

Aunt Sissy's Baked Beans came to mind last month for two reasons: 1) Summer would be starting, and that's Baked Bean Season around here; and 2) It was the ninth anniversary of her death and I was enjoying fond memories of her. She was a very capable woman and quintessential homemaker, skilled in all the domestic arts.

Ever since I got an Instant Pot in December, I've wanted to adapt her recipe to the electric pressure cooker. If you don't have one, do make these beans Aunt Sissy's way at the post Baked Beans - From Scratch. But I think my Instant Pot version is identical, and there's no need to presoak the beans.

Usually at the end of the natural pressure release time, I take the inner cooking pot out of the Instant Pot to either cool or serve. This time, for some reason, I left it in place and learned a valuable piece of information. 

When I took the inner pot out over an hour later to put the "cooled" beans in the refrigerator, they were not cool. Leaving them in the turned-off and unplugged Instant Pot had kept them piping hot for over an hour! 

These beans are a must for every summer barbecue, and I hope you'll try them soon, either way.

Baked Beans from Scratch - Instant Pot

(Makes 8 servings) 

6 slices (about 6 ounces/170 grams) bacon, chopped

1/2 cup finely minced onion (1 small onion)
1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) navy or small white beans
3 1/2 cups (28 fluid ounces/828 ml) water
3 tablespoons (1.31 ounces/37 grams) dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons (2.1 ounces/60 grams) unsulfured molasses
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 to 1 1/4 cups ( 8 to 10 fluid ounces/237 to 296 ml) ketchup

1 With Instant Pot on Saute function, cook chopped bacon until crisp. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot. Add chopped onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Be sure to scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom, adding a bit of the water if needed, to free up all that flavor and to make sure your Instant Pot won't give you the Burn signal. Turn it Off.

2 Rinse and pick over beans to remove any debris. Add beans to Instant Pot along with all remaining ingredients. Stir everything up. 

3 Put the lid in place and turn the steam valve to Sealing. Press the Pressure Cook key. Leave the indicator lights on High Pressure and Normal temperature, and change the cooking time to 45 minutes.

Note: It can take 20 to 25 minutes to reach working pressure. This varies with the amount and temperature of the ingredients in the pot. 

4 When the beep sounds, turn it off by pressing Cancel. Set a kitchen timer for 25 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally, then do a quick release by turning the steam valve to Venting.

5 When the float valve drops down, carefully remove the lid. If the beans are not done to your liking, put the lid back on, turn the steam valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for additional minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Note: The cooked beans can be kept in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Note: Check out Instant Pot Pinto Beans post for more info about the vagaries of dried bean cookery!

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Ground Beef Chili with Beans - Instant Pot (or Not)

I like all kinds of chili: all meat, all beans, ground turkey, chunks of beef, pork, chicken. But Mr Delightful was in the mood for my Ground Beef Chili with Beans, and I decided to adapt it to the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker. And, if you're not using an Instant Pot, you can easily adapt it to slow cooker or stovetop.

If you have an 8-quart Instant Pot, definitely double this recipe. And I think--but can't guarantee--the 6-pot could handle a double batch. 

The first time I made it I used 3 tablespoons of ground dried New Mexico red chiles, and it was a bit hot. I liked it a lot, but Mr Delightful's comment was "It's not painful, but I think you could cut way back on the chile powder."

So next time I made it with just 1 tablespoon, and that was good, too. I think 2 tablespoons would be ideal for me, but the 1-tablespoon batch still had plenty of flavor. Of course, it all depends on how much heat you like and on the chiles. There is so much variation, it's safer to start low and add more later.

I'll make a double batch next time and freeze several meals. And I'll let you know if the 6-quart Instant Pot did indeed handle a double batch. How do you like your chili? Painful or mild?

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Ground Beef Chili with Beans

(Makes almost 2 quarts, about 6 servings )

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium (about 8 ounces/227 grams) yellow onion, chopped
1 medium (about 6 ounces/170 grams) green bell pepper, chopped
1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) 85% lean ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 to 3 tablespoons ground dried New Mexico red chiles
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 14.5-ounce can organic fire roasted crushed tomatoes
1 1/4 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) dried pinto beans, rinsed and picked over

3 1/2 cups (28 fluid ounces/828 ml) water

1 Plug in the Instant Pot. Select the Saute program. Leave the indicator on Normal temperature. When the word Hot appears on the display, add 1 tablespoon of oil to the stainless steel cooking pot of the Instant Pot. 

2 Add the oil and chopped onion to the pot, and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped green pepper and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef, salt and pepper, and cook for about 15 minutes, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks and browns. 

Note: I only cook the onion first like that when I'm chopping the onion and green pepper with a knife--the onion might as well be cooking while I'm chopping the green pepper, right? But when I do my chopping in the food processor, they both go into the pan at the same time and get cooked for 10 minutes.

3 In small bowl, measure out the ground chiles, cumin, paprika, coriander, oregano and thyme. Stir it into the meat mixture and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, deglazing the cooking pot. Stir in the dried beans and water. Press the Cancel key. 

4 Put the lid in place and turn the steam valve to Sealing. Plug in the Instant Pot. Press the Pressure Cook key. Leave the indicator on High Pressure and change the cooking time to 45 minutes. If "Keep Warm" indicator is on, press it to cancel.

5 When the beep sounds, the display will say "OFF." Set a kitchen timer for 25 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally, then do a quick release by turning the steam valve to Venting. Carefully remove the lid. If the beans are not done to your liking, put the lid back on, turn the steam valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for a few additional minutes.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Steamed Jam Sponge Pudding - A British Classic

For some reason, it’s been a few years since I last made a steamed pudding. But it was one of the first things I thought of when I unboxed my Instant Pot in December. But you don't need one of those to steam a pudding.

Steam on Stovetop, in Slow Cooker or in Instant Pot

You can steam this in a slow cooker, using the directions given in my Steamed Pumpkin Pudding post, or on the stovetop, using the directions below. For those with an Instant Pot …

… I’ve gone into great detail with the directions, in case you’re new to steaming puddings in the pressure cooker. So it might look a bit complicated, but it really isn’t. And the total cooking time is just an hour! 

It seems the texture is improved by first pre-steaming without pressure, which makes this a two-stage process—which kind of bugs me, but if that’s what it takes for the best result, well …

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Steamed Jam Sponge Pudding

(Makes one 6-cup/1.4-litre pudding, 10 servings)

1/2 cup (5.5 ounces/156 grams) raspberry or strawberry jam
1 1/2 dip-and-sweep cups (7.5 ounces/213 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons non-GMO baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons (7 ounces/198 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature and very soft
1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temperature, beaten

1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces/118 ml) milk, room temperature

1 Butter well the inside of a 3-inch-deep 6-inch round cake tin (or other 6-cup/1.4-litre pudding mould that will fit in the Instant Pot, slow cooker or stovetop pot). Put a round of parchment paper in the tin and butter it as well. Spread the jam evenly in the bottom of the tin; place the tin in the freezer while you proceed. This will make it easier to spread the thick batter in the tin without disturbing the layer of jam. 

2 In 1.5-quart bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisking vigorously for about 60 seconds “sifts” the dry ingredients.

3 In 2.5-quart bowl, with electric mixer (electric hand whisk), cream butter. Add sugar and vanilla, and continue creaming until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. While beating, slowly drizzle in beaten eggs, adding about a tablespoon or two of flour to smooth out the mixture. Continue beating until light and fluffy. With large metal spoon, fold in the flour mixture. Stir in the milk. Batter should be rather thick, of a consistency to drop from the spoon.

4 Scrape the batter into the prepared cake tin/pudding mould and cover tightly with foil. Tie a piece of kitchen string tightly below the rim of the tin. (I don't bother to make a "pleat" in the foil because I've formulated the batter to be precisely the right amount to fill the tin to about 1.5 centimeters from the top and to rise to meet the tight foil lid and go no farther. Besides, I don't really think that pleat business works!

Note: If your Instant Pot rack doesn't have handles, or if you are steaming your pudding on the stovetop, you can make a handle with kitchen string to make it easy to put in and take out of the pot.

Note: If using the Instant Pot, skip right to step 5 and carry on. If steaming your pudding stovetop: In a saucepan or stockpot wide enough and deep enough for your pudding mould, place a wire rack or folded tea towel to lift the mould off the bottom of the pan. Place the pudding on the rack and pour in enough hot water to come halfway up the side of the mould. Over medium heat, bring the water to a boil. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and let steam for about 2 hours, checking the water level every 30 minutes to make sure it doesn't boil dry. Skip to number 9. 

5 Place rack (with its handles up) in bottom of the Instant Pot cooking pot, and add 2 cups of boiling water to the pot. Center the pudding on the rack.

6 Put on the optional Instant Pot glass lid. Plug in the Instant Pot. Press the Saute key to select that program. Press the Saute key as many times as it takes to change the temperature indicator to Less. Press the Plus or Minus key to change the cooking time to 20 minutes to pre-steam the pudding before pressure cooking.

Note: You need to start with hot water because the Instant Pot set on the Saute function starts counting down the minutes right away (and does not display the minutes, just the word “Hot,” so I set a kitchen timer just to be sure!). 

7 When the beep sounds, it turns Off. Remove the optional Instant Pot glass lid and put the pressure cooking lid in place. Turn the steam valve to Sealing. Press the Pressure Cook key. Leave the indicator on High Pressure and change the cooking time to 35 minutes.

Note: Since it is already hot, it only takes about 4 minutes to come up to pressure.

8 When the beep sounds, turn it off by pressing Cancel. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes, then do a quick release by turning the steam valve to Venting. Then leave the lid in place for another 10 minutes.

9 Carefully remove the lid. Using potholders or oven gloves and the handles on the rack, carefully lift out the pudding. Remove the foil. The pudding should be slightly pulling away from the edges of the pan.

10 Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pudding. Invert it onto a serving plate. Serve warm with hot or cold Custard Sauce or with whipped cream.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Instant Pot Pinto Beans - Frijoles de Olla Instante

Don’t worry, my regular readers—I’m not going to be blogging constantly about Instant Pot cooking. I’m not convinced everyone “needs” one, even though I’m having fun with it. But I’ve decided there is one group of people who might need one—people who cook a lot of beans. So far I’ve just made Pinto Beans.

I’ve stuck with the one kind of bean because I wanted to experiment and find the ideal way—well, my ideal way, anyway—of cooking Instant Pot Pinto Beans. The first conclusion I came to on the subject was that presoaking is not necessary. I kept reading that you’ll have more “blown-out” beans if you pressure cook them without presoaking. 

But my experiments have shown that it’s not whether the beans have been presoaked or not, but rather it’s the length of the natural pressure release, that determines whether the beans remain whole, for the most part, or break apart. For stovetop beans, I presoak; for Slow Cooker Pinto Beans, I do not. For the Instant Pot, definitely not.

The second conclusion I came to is that the beans made in the Instant Pot taste better than the beans cooked with the same ingredients by any other method. I was amazed and have no scientific explanation for it. I can only assume that pressure cooking somehow forces more flavor into the beans. Is that true, or just my imagination? 

Cooking times can be tricky for dried beans. Whatever method you use—stovetop, slow cooker or pressure cooker—cooking times for dried beans will vary due to the age of the beans and perhaps other factors about the beans themselves. There are different cooking times for different beans.

I decided to cook my presoaked pinto beans for 10 minutes at high pressure followed by natural pressure release for 25 minutes, with the idea that if they were underdone I’d set it for another 2 minutes (it should build pressure quickly the second time) and check again.

The presoaked (for 12 hours) beans were perfectly done in 10 minutes. So 20 to 25 minutes to come up to pressure, 10 minutes to cook, 25 minutes natural pressure release—an hour or less total—instead of 7 hours in the slow cooker or 2 1/2 to 4 hours on the stovetop. And they taste better! 

But then I decided to experiment with beans that had not been presoaked. Yes, they take longer to cook—the same 20 to 25 minutes to come up to pressure, 40 minutes to cook, the same 25 minutes natural pressure release—but it’s still just an hour and a half or less.

One pound of dried pinto beans makes the equivalent of four 15-ounce/425 gram cans of cooked pinto beans and costs about the same as one can—a significant savings. You can even put the batch of beans into four pint jars or glass storage containers to freeze. Just pull one out anytime a can of beans is called for. 

Since dried beans are done so quickly in the Instant Pot, you could cook several batches of various kinds of beans all in one day, refrigerate what you need for the week and freeze the rest for future meals. Can’t wait to try pressure cooking dried garbanzo beans for hummus.

Mr Delightful is not a bean fan, but since I’m not a huge carnivore, I rely on legumes for a lot of my protein. Lovelovelove Black Bean Soup and Bean with Bacon Soup. 

Instant Pot Pinto Beans - Frijoles de Olla Instante

(Makes about 6 cups of drained beans)

2 1/2 cups (16 ounces/454 grams) dried pinto beans
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 small (about 3 ounces) onion, peeled, optional

6 1/2 cups (56 fluid ounces/1.66 litres) water 

1 Rinse beans, watching for any debris or bad beans, and add to the inner cooking pot of the 6-quart Instant Pot or other brand pressure cooker. Add remaining ingredients. 

Note: Don't skip the olive oil; it prevents foaming that could clog up the valve. 

2 Put the lid in place and turn the steam valve to Sealing. Plug in the Instant Pot. Press the Pressure Cook key. Leave the indicator lights on High Pressure and Normal temperature, and change the cooking time to 40 minutes.

Note: It takes 20 to 25 minutes to reach working pressure. This varies with the amount and temperature of the ingredients in the pot. 

3 When the beep sounds, turn it off by pressing Cancel. Set a kitchen timer for 25 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally, then do a quick release by turning the steam valve to Venting.

4 When the float valve drops down, carefully remove the lid. If the beans are not done to your liking, put the lid back on, turn the steam valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for additional minutes.

5 Remove the onion; taste and adjust seasoning.

Note: The cooked beans can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Carrot Cake - Instant Pot (or Oven)

Carrot cake has always been a favorite of ours. And I usually make one (in the oven) from a recipe my mother and I developed together when I was a teenager and we first had carrot cake but couldn’t find a recipe for it.

Last week I told Mr Delightful I wanted to try a cake in my new Instant Pot and he requested carrot cake. So I cut down my usual Carrot Cake recipe to fit in a 7-inch round pan perfect for the Instant Pot.

We really liked it, but one might ask, Why make it in the Instant Pot when it isn’t any quicker than baking it in the oven? And if you need to feed a crowd, you need to bake the larger carrot cake or exactly two dozen Carrot Cupcakes.

But if you only need a small cake and don’t want to heat up your house by running the oven on a hot day, or you're using your oven for other things, making a cake in the Instant Pot makes sense.

Of course, you can also bake this cake in the oven at 350F/180C/Gas4. Have you made any cakes in the Instant Pot? What is your favorite cake flavor?

Please Pin it and share it!

Carrot Cake – Instant Pot 

(Makes one 7-inch/18 cm cake, 8 servings) 

The Cake

1 dip-and-sweep cup (5 ounces/142 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup (1.25 ounces/35 grams) chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted and cooled

1/3 cup (1.67 ounces/47 grams) dried currants

2/3 cup (4.67 ounces/132 grams) sugar

2/3 cup (5.33 fluid ounces/158 ml) organic expeller pressed canola oil*
2 large eggs, room temperature

1 packed cup (6 ounces/170 grams) peeled and shredded carrots

* I want to try this with organic extra virgin olive oil. 

The Frosting

1 3-ounce (85 grams) package cream cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces/43 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/16 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 packed cups (6 ounces/170 grams) unsifted powdered sugar

1 After you’ve chopped and toasted the nuts and shredded the carrots, butter well and lightly flour a 2-inch deep 7-inch round cake tin. In small bowl, whisk together flour, soda, cinnamon and salt. 

2 In a small bowl, stir together the toasted and cooled nuts and dried currants with about a teaspoon of the flour mixture, making sure all the currants are separated and coated. 

3 In medium bowl, beat the sugar and oil together well, and then beat in the eggs. Stir in the flour mixture followed by the nuts and currents and then the shredded carrots. Scrape into prepared tin and cover tightly with foil. 

4 Place rack (with its handles down) in bottom of the Instant Pot cooking pot, and add 1 cup of water to the pot. Carefully set the cake, centered on its foil sling, on the rack.

5 Put the lid in place and turn the steam valve to Sealing. Plug in the Instant Pot. Press the Pressure Cook key. Leave the indicator on High Pressure and change the cooking time to 45 minutes.

Note: It took just a few minutes to reach working pressure. This varies with the amount and temperature of the ingredients in the pot. 

6 When the beep sounds, turn it off by pressing Cancel. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes,* then do a quick release by turning the steam valve to Venting.

* I set my kitchen timer (my favorite timer of all time!) so I don't get distracted.

7 When the float valve drops down, carefully remove the lid. With a paper towel, gently blot any moisture that collected on top of the foil. Using the foil sling, carefully lift out the cake. Remove the foil. The cake should be pulling away from the edges of the pan.

8 Carefully run a knife around the edge of the cake. Turn it out onto a wire rack. Let cool completely, about 1 hour, before frosting.

9 In 1.5-quart mixing bowl, mix cream cheese and butter with electric hand mixer until smooth. Add vanilla extract, salt, and about a third of the powdered sugar; then beat in the remaining sugar. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean