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-   -   any tips for lowcarbing with an instant pot? (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=471258)

walnut Sun, Jan-03-16 20:00

any tips for lowcarbing with an instant pot?
 
I just got an instant pot and have been messing around with it, trying a few new recipes. There seems to be a bit of a learning curve with it, but everything that has worked well has been really delicious. Anyone else instant potting? Any fave recipes?

There are some recipes on this link that i want to try:
http://thepaleomama.com/2015/12/low...nt-pot-recipes/

And this one. Not all of them are lowcarb, so i'll have to modify the ones that aren't. I'm also gluten and dairy free, so i'm always changing recipes to suit my needs. http://www.phoenixhelix.com/2015/06...recipe-roundup/

MickiSue Sun, Jan-03-16 20:10

I'd try to answer, but I really am not certain what an instant pot is.

snertflirt Sun, Jan-03-16 21:29

Quote:
Originally Posted by MickiSue
I'd try to answer, but I really am not certain what an instant pot is.

Looks like it's a pressure cooker.

Growing up my mother used it quite a bit.

I believe I recall beans being cooked up fairly quickly.

Verbena Sun, Jan-03-16 22:20

A friend tried to interest me in one, but, quite honestly, it seemed the best uses are for beans and grains, and I don't eat them anymore. Also it can be used as a slow cooker (I already have 2 of those) and a rice cooker (have one, but don't use it anymore). I am also retired, have a reasonable amount of time on my hands, and don't see any need to speed up the cooking process with pressure cooking. I am a big believer in Slow Food, as opposed to Fast Food. So I won't be getting one, but I can see that for a working person, with children demanding food NOW! it might be quite useful.

MickiSue Mon, Jan-04-16 09:52

What a pressure cooker (thanks for the info!) is great for is tough cuts of meat, because the pressure tenderizes them without the day long cooking of a slow cooker.

When I was a little girl, "roast beef" meant a chuck roast that was cooked in the pressure cooker with potatoes, carrots and onions. Obviously, not appropriate for low carb, but I still make it with a few carrots and onions, and cook a potato in the microwave for Husband. It's so very, very good, and with an automatic pressure cooker, you can brown the meat in the pressure cooker, add the veggies, water and seasoning, and then let it go on its own till the pressure drops--only a couple of hours.

If you're impatient, release the pressure as soon as it's done, and the total time drops to about an hour and fifteen minutes.

Older chicken--which we don't really see in the grocery stores, but can be found from local farmers, if you have them--does great in a pressure cooker, too.

The general rule, because they vary in size and shape, is to add about a cup (.25 liters) of water to the pot, and not to fill more than 2/3 of the way to the rim.

Beyond that, just use your imagination. The tougher the meat, the longer the cooking, to break down the fibers that toughen it.

walnut Mon, Jan-04-16 10:36

it makes amazing bone broth. i've been making 48-72 hour bone broth for many years. this thing does it in 2 1/2-3 hours to perfection.

i'm big into the slow food thing too, to the point where we bought a piece of land so that i can raise my own meat and know exactly how it was raised and what it was eating, and how it was slaughtered, etc! the instant pot is apparently a healthier way to cook food: less acrylamides, lectins, phytic acid, more nutrients retained, etc.

Nancy LC Mon, Jan-04-16 10:41

I have one also! The past week I've been using the slow cooker option as a humidifier. LOL! So versatile!

I did a chuck roast in it last week. Just put mirpoix on the bottom, schlepped in my roast, seasoned, some water, voila. Done in 35 minutes.

It is good for steaming veggies too. I drop in a veggie steamer and a bit of water. I bought a glass lid for it. Put that one and then steam the veggies.

I haven't had good luck using the pressure cooking part for most veggies. It usually overcooks them.

Sometimes I just use it as a big pot and not a pressure cooker. In fact, probably more often than not.

walnut Mon, Jan-04-16 10:48

Quote:
Originally Posted by MickiSue
What a pressure cooker (thanks for the info!) is great for is tough cuts of meat, because the pressure tenderizes them without the day long cooking of a slow cooker.

When I was a little girl, "roast beef" meant a chuck roast that was cooked in the pressure cooker with potatoes, carrots and onions. Obviously, not appropriate for low carb, but I still make it with a few carrots and onions, and cook a potato in the microwave for Husband. It's so very, very good, and with an automatic pressure cooker, you can brown the meat in the pressure cooker, add the veggies, water and seasoning, and then let it go on its own till the pressure drops--only a couple of hours.

If you're impatient, release the pressure as soon as it's done, and the total time drops to about an hour and fifteen minutes.

Older chicken--which we don't really see in the grocery stores, but can be found from local farmers, if you have them--does great in a pressure cooker, too.

The general rule, because they vary in size and shape, is to add about a cup (.25 liters) of water to the pot, and not to fill more than 2/3 of the way to the rim.

Beyond that, just use your imagination. The tougher the meat, the longer the cooking, to break down the fibers that toughen it.


Thanks for all of your tips. We don't have any old hens yet, but when we do, they're destined for the pressure cooker for sure. It seems like people are cooking their lowcarb veggies under pressure too. spaghetti squash looks promising. i did cabbage the other day but it turned to mush. i'm guessing i went too long with it. i keep seeing recipes for cauli-rice etc in the instant pot. i guess it's just a matter of figuring out the timing.

walnut Mon, Jan-04-16 10:53

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nancy LC
I have one also! The past week I've been using the slow cooker option as a humidifier. LOL! So versatile!

I did a chuck roast in it last week. Just put mirpoix on the bottom, schlepped in my roast, seasoned, some water, voila. Done in 35 minutes.

It is good for steaming veggies too. I drop in a veggie steamer and a bit of water. I bought a glass lid for it. Put that one and then steam the veggies.

I haven't had good luck using the pressure cooking part for most veggies. It usually overcooks them.

Sometimes I just use it as a big pot and not a pressure cooker. In fact, probably more often than not.

my husband wants to get the glass lids and some extra gadgets for it. it's so much fun to have a new toy in the kitchen. i make everything from scratch, and cooking gets tedious sometimes.

i had to look up mirpoix! what do you make yours with? google says it's traditionally a mix of carrots, celery and onion

it seems like it would be handy in the summer too, since it doesnt heat up the kitchen. and we've noticed that there's no smell when the bone broth is going. hubby just told me yesterday that he can't stand the smell of the 48hr bone broth when it's going. :/ after years of tolerating it!

Nancy LC Mon, Jan-04-16 13:08

That's what I use for my mirpoix. I actually got pre-chopped mirpoix from Trader Joe's. I cook my roast with it then I use an immersion blender and make a gravy from it. Turn the pot back onto saute and boil it down. You can splash some wine or sherry into it if you want. Makes a nice gravy.

Once you open the vent though it lets all that smell out into the house! :lol: I sometimes cook things in the garage for that reason. Just put it on my workbench and plug it in.

thud123 Tue, Jan-05-16 07:43

Wow! I just accidentally ran into this thread and have an instapot too. I've been trying to do stuff in it for about a year with some good results and a few kitchen nightmares. I'm going to catch up on this thread, steal ideas from you all and share some of my experience.

I thought I was alone. Go Instapot!

PS, I have a batch of collard greens and ham hocks in the pot sitting in the fridge. I need to portion that out this evening and get a chuck roast going that I bought a few days ago for lunches.

walnut Tue, Jan-05-16 09:52

for some reason there don't seem to be very many lowcarb instant potters online. maybe it just hasn't caught on yet? lots of paleos and autoimmuners though.

how do you do up your collard greens in the instant pot?

Seejay Tue, Jan-05-16 10:01

There's a recipe for collard greens in the cookbook "Pressure Cooker Perfection" from America's Test Kitchen.

I like it because it makes the meat so tender and flavorful. Otherwise I can only get the food that way if I do hours-long slow cooking. I like that too, but sometimes i want it during the week too. What I plan on Sunday, I change my mind by Wednesday if you know what I mean.

walnut Tue, Jan-05-16 12:47

there's a run on pressure cooking books at my library! waiting lists for everything. i put a hold on 'pressure cooking perfection' but it looks like a month or so before i'll see it. :)

thud123 Tue, Jan-05-16 21:53

omg, I was typing up a long method for doing collards and the browser diedand I lost all my work. Ha! I'll try again tomorrow.


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