Good bye Nesco, hello InstantPot, the story of why I changed teams

I the spirit of full disclosure, I will tell you the store of why I'm jumping ship; I like to keep you all in the loop.  I have put up my Nesco Pressure cooker.  It's been a really good product up to now I've LOVED it, but a weird turn of events in my personal relationship with the company as well as a big crack happening in the lid, directly beside a screw, (a design flaw, not something *I* did)  has helped me make the decision to move on.  I contacted the company about the flaw and they did reply!  wow!  I was told I can buy a new lid for $15? plus $12 shipping?  Well, for that $30 plus my birthday money, I could get a BRAND NEW machine so that's what I did.  In my opinion, if the lid cracked at the screw once, it might again...  so I moved on.

I have been a Nesco fan since I got my first Nesco pressure cooker.  I contacted the company to ask if I could review any of their products, 3+ years ago, resulted in the company sending me a new electric pressure cooker.  I wrote recipes and used the machine almost daily since. I loved that thing.  I told everyone I knew to buy a pressure cooker, I told strangers... most of them did.  You're welcome Nesco.  I more than covered the cost of the machine sent to me in sales by friends, family and strangers all over the world

I was contacted by a representative of the company last year and asked about reviewing their entire line.  I said SURE!  We sat on the phone for TWO HOURS while he told me about their product line, asked me for recipe ideas!!?? , asked my opinion on their website and videos.  He asked me what appliances I would like to test and review.  He to send a review email listing what we'd discussed as well as a review of the machines I was going to test/review.  I did, that very day.  I said I would hold off buying any other kitchen appliances, large or small, or contacting any other companies.  I did that, I held off... for 9 months.  I have emailed, called and tried to contact that representative or any other rep of the company to find out what the heck is going on regarding the plan to test and review and create recipes...  I was going to link to them for pete's sake..well i'm glad I didn't and it doesn't matter now because I have heard nothing, nothing at all...radio silence.

FINE, I can take a hint (eventually)  There's a million companies out there that make small kitchen appliances.  Some of those I own, some I've asked to test equipment.  I always tell you if I have been given a machine to test and review.

It was my birthday last week so I bit the bullet and I bought my own InstantPot.  I have the Duo6 QT, 7-1.  I got it yesterday... already, I think there's too many buttons and there's not even a start button!! BUT I am going to give it a try.  I believe in a fair shake.  I'm going to try to use it, even with the dumbed down button chaos, and I'll write out any alterations to my pressure cooker recipes.

I'm already 1HR 43 minutes into the 8 our yogurt process, I'll report back on that one.

I am going to try to rework all of my recipes to also have pressure cooker versions.  I know a bunch of people who have bought them, on my recommendation, and the least I can do it supply some of MY recipes.

Just to be clear though, all the electric pressure cookers are the same, basically, some have a million buttons (ugh) and some have only a few  They all turn themselves of an reset to a warm mode.  They all sautee and they all are slow cookers, rice cookers and steamers.

I still think that every single person needs an electric pressure cooker on their counters.  I still think you should use it almost daily.  I just don't, anymore, think it HAS to be a Nesco.  Go, go get yourself a pressure cooker, some are cheap, some are expensive.  Get the one you can afford and come back here and I'll have even more recipes we can pressure cook!

/tracy

Pressure Cooker version of Mississippi Roast, yeah, 90 mins instead of 9 hours, there's nothing wrong with that at all

MISSISSIPPI ROAST

Pressure Cooker Version

For the three people, apparently, who haven't seen this recipe online

INGREDIENTS

2-4 (this is 3lb) chuck roast

one packet of dry ranch dressing mix

one packet of dry brown gravy mix

one stick of butter (my favorite part of the recipe)

however many pepperoncini peppers you want and some of the juice

1/2 cup water

THE METHOD

I threw the meat in a little hot oil in the pressure cooker and browned one side.  I flipped it and sprinkled the gravy mix, dressing mix over the meat, added the stick of butter and threw in a handful of peppers. 

I did add a little water in the bottom, as well as a little juice from the jar of peppers. 

LOCK AND LOAD, 75 minutes, leave to release naturally, about 15 minutes. 

Open and behold! Tender ridiculousness in a pressure cooker.  

I took the meat out, sort of shredded it, thickened the sauce with a little cornstarch slurry (2TB corn starch mixed in with a 1/2 cup water) drizzled into the boiling liquid then boil a minute or so. 

I have the meat out to reheat later and the gravy in a container to nuke.  I'm going to pressure cook some mashed potatoes and cook the carrots at the same time (in with the potatoes then take them out and put them aside when you mash the spuds, really, so simple)  

Calling it DINNER, DONE 

FAB! 

Do this in the pressure cooker, you're going to go mad for it

I have a youtube video: 

rather than the play by play pics... enjoy! 

 OH and go make this!!

Cabbage Roll Casserole, in the Pressure Cooker, quick, easy, delicious, and no rolling!

I love cabbage rolls, I love cabbage, rice, meat and tomato.  I make a cabbage roll casserole to feed an army and I cook it in the oven.  I ALSO make a cabbage roll casserole to feed my family, in the pressure cooker.  It's a big bowl of yummy warmyness (yes, that is a word).  Add a blob of sour cream, and a hunk of bread or even better, a crusty roll, and you have yourself  one heck of a fabulous winter meal.  Warm and healthy and did I mention the yummy warmyness? :D

TRACY'S CABBAGE ROLL CASSEROLE IN THE PRESSURE COOKER

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground beef
1/2 head of cabbage, cut into bite size pieces
1 carrot, chopped small
1 rib celery, chopped small
1 onion, chopped small
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 TB of butter, optional but really, use it
1/2 cup rice
1/2 can 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1/2 + water
salt, pepper, bay leaf

METHOD

Brown the ground beef and onions in the pressure cooker, add the carrot, celery,  garlic and till the veggies start to soften.  Add the salt, pepper and rice and stir in well.  Add the blob of butter, adding butter to a dish that has tomatoes really does cut some of the acidity and add a little extra richness.  Try it.
Add the cabbage, tomatoes and bay leaf.  Stir.  Add water so the liquid is about 2 inches deep in the bottom of the pressure cooker.

LOCK and cook on high pressure for 15 mins, leave 5 mins before you open the vent.

Stir, serve, eat, repeat.

This stuff freezes beautifully, it microwaves beautifully.  You can easily futz with it, add more rice, more veggies, no rice, the possibilities are endless, THIS recipe is your jumping off spot.
Oh and it's delicious, did I mention the yummy warmyness? HAHAHA  Make it!  Enjoy it!

THE PICTURES


Brown the meat and veggies, add the blob of butter, shush it all around

    

Add the rice, cabbage and tomatoes

   

 Stir it around, add some water, see, about 2 inches in there.  Stir some more then lock and load, high pressure for 15 minutes, leave about 5 when it's done.

    

Ahhhhhhh, the big reveal, so yummy.

  

This is my kind of one bowl, warm and delicious meal.  Confession time, this is best eaten curled up on the couch with a book, a glass of wine OR on the couch with a good movie and some family nearby.  

Go make this, 

/enjoy

THE Pressure Cooker Creamy Cheesecake, with my oh so secret topping, in a 7 inch springform pan, better than all of them :) trust me THIS is the one you want to make

I love cheesecake, I love smooth, creamy cheesecake.  I don't like that crumbly style cheesecake, if that's the sort you like, avert your eyes because this is smooth, creamy, delicious and makes you want more more more of it.

I have to admit, I usually make the mini cheesecake in a jar:
http://www.tracycooksinaustin.com/2013/01/mini-pressure-cooker-cheesecake-in-jars.html

BUT sometimes I need a whole cheesecake to present, or just to make :).  I do own a 7 inch springform pan, go get one, they're fabulous for not only cheesecake but bread pudding, other cakes, all made in my pressure cooker.  Yeah, it's pretty crazy how much deliciousness you can make in one pan. But, as usual, I digress.  This is super easy, no fuss, no drama or leaving things in open ovens or fretting over the cracks, oh hell, life is way too short for that.  This is straight forward, 15 min cook time and a few minutes of rest then a chill and there you have it, one of the best cheesecakes I have ever made and have ever had.

TRACY'S CREAMY CHEESECAKE IN THE PRESSURE COOKER

INGREDIENTS

CRUST
12 graham crackers
4 1/2 Tbsp of soft or melted butter

FILLING
2 blocks ROOM TEMPERATURE (8 oz each) cream cheese
1Tbsp vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 eggs
drizzle of lemon juice (optional)

TOPPING
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp sugar

Ok, there you go.

METHOD

Combine crackers and butter in cuisinart, press into a 7 inch springform pan.
Clean bowl :) sorry but we can't have crumbs in our cheesecake
Combine 2 blocks cream cheese with sugar, lemon, vanilla, salt till smooth smooth smooooooth
Add 2 eggs and a drizzle of lemon if you're using it
Combine and leave to beat for a couple of minutes you want smooooooooooth, scrape down a few times.
Pour lovely smooth soft mixture into the lined pan.

IN pressure cooker, put about 2 cups of water and a trivet that fits in the bottom, I got mine at the dollar store, it's a warmer that you use with a tea candle, cost me a buck,  Use what you have.

Make an aluminum sleeve, purely to help lift the cake from the cooker, if you don't want to, don't.

Place cheesecake on trivet over the water, lock and load, high pressure, 15 minutes.

DING, just unplug your unit and leave it to come down naturally, about 10 minutes?  Open it and if there's a little water on top of your cheesecake just tip it and use kitchen paper to dab it up, no worries, it's just condensation from resting while the pressure came down.

While the cheesecake is still warm, put the topping on it, gently smooth it out and leave it on the counter to cool completely.

Cover and put in the fridge..  8 hours... wait for it, wait for it, trust me now.........

PLAY BY PLAY PICS.....

    

    

   

   

   

I like a little of my strawberry compote drizzled on top but ANY topping is great, fresh fruit, chocolate, caramel, anything at all

  

You're going to want to go and make this, seriously, right now.  I'd wax poetic and tell you more details of how wonderful this is but, c'mon, I have a plate and a fork and, well.............cheesecake

/enjoy

Mince or Hamburger stew in the Pressure Cooker, dinner on the table with one pan and 15 mins of pressure.

I  have certain dishes that are my comfort zone motherlodes.  I need the flavor, texture and smells of my mother's kitchen.  Mince is one of those meals, actually it's probably THE meal.  I love it, it's fast, easy and delicious.  Best of all, it reminds me of my mom and being cooked for and taken care of.

I had three 'playdays' in a row with girlfriends.  Not that I'm complaining about girlfriend playdates but as joyful it makes the soul, it exhausts the body.  I stood in the middle of the kitchen with a 1.3 lb pack of ground beef and knew I had no energy to be creative.  I wanted my mom to come cook for me and then I spied it....my pressure cooker....looking at me, smiling.  Ok, it wasn't actually smiling at me but I felt the love.

I've been making mince (hamburger stew to the locals) on the stovetop for a hundred years and didn't think to pressure cook it.  That's changed.  This is what I did and frankly, I'll never cook it stovetop again.  Wow, no hours of simmering to get the thick beefy veggie gravy, 15 at high pressure and we're there.  Get your pen and dig out the pressure cooker, we're making mince.

TRACY'S MINCEMEAT (OR HAMBURGER STEW) IN THE PRESSURE COOKER

*ok, technically it's my mom's :D

INGREDIENTS

1 lb +/- ground meat.  I use beef all the time but if you want something different, go for it.
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 rib of celery, chopped
(any other root veggies you have, chopped, like rutabaga, parsnip, turnip, potatoes)
Bayleaf, fresh or dry
Worcestershire sauce
oil (or bacon fat)
handful of frozen peas
handful of frozen corn
salt, pepper
tomato paste (optional)
water
flour

INSTRUCTION AND METHOD

Fry up the meat and veggies (not frozen) in the pressure cooker till the meat is browned.  Add a little flour and fry it till the flour is dark and there's no loose oil/fat around in the pan. IF you are using a little tomato paste, add it with the flour and fry till dark. Add water to almost cover and scrape up the brown bits.  Add some worcestershire and drop in the bay leaf.

Lock and load, 15 minutes on high pressure.

Release immediately or leave it to come down on it's own, it doesn't matter.

Add the frozen veggies and stir.   Cook about 3 minutes.

If the mince is too loose, boil it down a little, if it's too dry, add a little water or stock :)

Season with salt and pepper.

Serve over mashed potatoes or in baked potatoes.  It takes a little meat a much longer way, use leftovers in pie or in a bowl.

PLAY BY PLAY PICS 

Throw the meat, carrots, celery and onion in the bowl of the pressure cooker, set to brown and fry it up.  When the meat is brown, sprinkle a little flour over it, fry till the meat is dry and there's little yummy brown bits to scrape up.

    

Add the bay leaf, water to almost cover and a little worcestershire sauce.  Lock and load, set for 15 mins, high pressure.

    

 Prepare the gargantuan potatoes.  I had baked potato (jacket potato), as a bowl for my mince, the gravy mixes into the potato, oh it's all kinds of good.

Release pressure if you're starving, leave it on warm if you're not.  Open and stir and check for seasoning, add salt and pepper.  If it's too thick, add water/stock and if it's too loose, boil it down for a few minutes.

Add a handful of frozen peas and frozen corn, shush it around a bit and leave about 3 mins to cook through. Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper as you desire.

    

Random beauty shots... I love this stuff.  it's rib sticking, delicious and crazy comforting. 

  

Go make some and think of me and my mom :D 

/enjoy