http://www.tastecooking.com/instant-pot-cult-real/
Now. my friends IRL are posting about this. I have to get one and read this thread!
I don’t have an Instapot (I own another brand), but I just made carne adovada in my electric pressure cooker. I usually make adovada by long, slow braising in the oven (n a pyrex dish with a tight foil cover). It usually takes several hours-- 2 or 3.
Today I made a small batch of adovada in the pressure cooker in 30 minutes. Excellent flavor! The adovada will served with huevos rancheros for breakfast on Sunday and made into carne adovada burritos for dinne rtomorrow.
I’m psyched! Next experiment–posole in the pressure cooker!
I found a recipe for caramelized onions in the IP and wanted to try it, since I make them every single time I make soup. (It’s my go-to. If I don’t know what else I’m cooking, I caramelize onions while I look through the fridge and freezer.) Twenty minutes at high pressure. Well, they ended up thoroughly cooked and nicely sweet–and VERY soupy. Lots and lots of liquid. Not a problem since tonight’s meal is beef-and-barley soup, but if I were making real caramelized onions, I’d have to spend some time sauteing those onions and cooking them down. It would still be faster than my usual three hours on the lowest possible gas in a saute pan (and keep an eye on them, because they go from perfect to burnt in a few seconds when you near the end).
@WayOutWestMom – I make a soup with posole in the pressure cooker, it’s great–no more overnight simmering. Same with beans.
I just made a salsa verde chicken in the IP from an Internet recipe to put into a white bean chili. Waiting for DH to get home to have a bowl, but the aroma has me salivating. Time for another glass of wine.
One to two month wait for Instant Pot from Amazon 
Chicken soup in the Instapot tonight to nourish my sick 60 yr old baby boy. From solid frozen chicken to yummy soup - in 30 min or so. 
My 38 year old crockpot broke this week. I am torn about getting another one or switching to an IP. I don’t eat any red meat or pork but do eat lots of boneless skinless chicken breasts and fish. We don’t eat rice but love quinoa. We don’t eat yogurt. We do eat lots of soup. Would an IP work for me?
@NorthMinnesota, the IP has both pressure cooker functions and slow cook (“crockpot”) modes, so it has multiple applications. Yes, an IP would work for you.
If you eat beans, then IP is the only way to go. I will never ever soak and/or boil beans after watching the IP do its magic.
The chicken soup I made last night was delicious. Much better than the stove-top version would have turned out using the same ingredients.
Thank you. I have read this thread and saw several posts that recommended not using boneless skinless chicken breasts and that is the only real meat that I eat. Nice to know I can use the IP to continue my crockpot recipes with the chicken. This recipe looks good to me! http://littlespicejar.com/crispy-chicken-carnitas/
Has anyone made quinoa in the IP?
DD had success with sb chicken breasts starting from frozen. Dumped in jar of salsa and 1/2 cup water. Set on poultry for 15 min. Came out great.
NMinn, quinoa is on the list of grains that can be cooked in IP:
Quinoa is super easy!!!
1 cup quinoa (rinsed)
1.5 cups water
Close lid and vent. Set for one minute on manual. When done, let it natural pressure release for 10 minutes. Release any remaining pressure, open lid and fluff.
Perfect every time. Mindless cooking.
I’m thinking of getting an Instant Pot. I do see a 1-2 month for the 6 qt. Duo on Amazon, but 5 qt is in stock. Any thoughts on that? I live alone, absolutely never entertain at home, so only ever cook for one – though I do like to cook up bigger batches of soups, beans or chili for the freezer.
What do people think about the choice of 5 qt vs. 6 – I had been weighing options and had decided to go for the 6 qt, but that was before I saw that there would be a wait.
Also – have you guys found the Instant Pot reliable over time? Wondering whether I should opt for the extended warranty that Amazon offers.
Never mind… I went ahead and ordered the 5 qt. Guaranteed delivery Feb. 13th.
My guess is that Amazon will get the other one in stock sooner rather than later, but I’m going with “bird in hand” rationale.
Just opened my Christmas present! Looking good! Had to do some google searches though because they’ve changed designs on lid and mine didn’t match the manual. Bit confusing to say the least. But glad I did cause I learned quite a bit from the videos I watched.
I know I saw suggested recipe books but 29 pages is a bit daunting and maybe there are new ones?
The chicken from frozen sounds good to me (that’s up my alley). Anybody tried other meats from frozen?
I’ve made beef stew from frozen beef chuck cubes (frozen in a solid block) in a stovetop pressure cooker. If it works in a stovetop pressure cooker, I’m sure it’ll work in an IP. Beef wasn’t browned but in a stew, who cares?
I’ve figured out that chicken thighs from frozen come out very nicely with just 10 minutes (using a natural release) – and mushrooms seem to do very well with that – so I’ve had success now twice with a chicken/mushroom meal (using boneless, skinless thighs). I varied the flavorings – the first time was an asian sauce, the second time was more of a stroganoff type thing (I stirred a little yogurt into the pan drippings at the end on the saute setting to get a creamier gravy). I don’t really follow recipes, just season with what is on hand.
Also, I don’t generally cook or eat beef, but if you want browned meat in your stew you would just saute for a few minutes before starting.
I confess to some buyer’s remorse after 2 fails with my IP. First I tried the chicken recipe linked by CardinalFang. The flavors were wonderful but I must have released the pressure too quickly because the meat looked like it exploded off the bone of the legs. I didn’t even attempt to make the rice in the second part of the recipe. Next I tried a 6 lb marinated pot roast from Trader Joes. I used a Williams and Sonoma recipe for cooking time, it recommended 80 minutes on high pressure for a 6 lb roast. I added potatoes and carrots for the whole cooking time. The roast had the most unappetizing texture, almost like liver. The carrots were pulverized but the potatoes were okay. I had hoped this pot would be forgiving and foolproof, but that is certainly not the case. I did have success with brown rice, so there is hope. Does anyone have an idiot proof recipe for pork shoulder? Perhaps a carnitas style I can use in tacos?
So far the best resource has been the Facebook group “instant pot community”. if you are on Facebook at all search for it. They are very forgiving of beginnners and provide a lot of helpful advice. You can search the group with key words. I found this with a quick search. This is also a good website for recipes. https://www.hippressurecooking.com/carnitas-pulled-pork-mexican-pressure-cooker-recipes/