Here’s one thing I think I’d like to start with. I have a crapload of apples that are going bad, and I need to use them ASAP. Thinking a healthy sort of recipe for apple crisp might be something to do. It’s easy for me to dice apples fairly small, and I’m okay with sugar, just not huge amounts of it. I guess I could probably just double the apples in a recipe to make it mostly apples.
Okay, I’m keeping it! Sounds like the right size, and found a place to stash it.
What cut of lean beef would be good for pot roasting? I don’t think of lean meat as ideal for long slow cooking.
@“Cardinal Fang” the nice thing about the instant pot is you really can use any cut of meat…it’s not slow cooking…it’s pressure cooking. We use chuck roast, fat trimmed.
@busdriver11 applesauce is really easy too. Peel (or not) and core apples. Cut in chunks, dump into liner of pot with 1/2 cup of water and 1 tsp of cinnamon or to taste. If you like sweeter applesauce add a little vanilla and/or a little sugar. I don’t do either. Lock lid, remember to flip the lever to seal and set it on manual for 5 minutes. After it beeps as done Release pressure carefully or let it set for a few minutes before you do. Mash the apples to however chunky you like. I can’t keep it in the house it goes so fast.
Beginner mistakes to avoid. Always make sure you have the stainless steel liner in the pot. If you removed the sealing ring to wash it make sure it is reseated completely. Always make sure you have flipped the lever to “seal”. have fun. It is great!
Thank you, @Singersmom07, that could get rid of a lot of apples!
@busdriver11 I, too, was initially intimidated when I got one. I did find a number of you tube videos that walked me thru step by step (for example, hard boiled eggs). Relieved my anxiety, got easier to use… good luck!
Chicken breasts do not do well in IP, but leaner beef and pork are fine. For pulled pork, I use some leaner chunks. BBQ sauce provides both the moisture and the flavor. Pork ribs cooked in IP, smothered with BBQ sauce, and finished on the grill are always a hit. Thanks to @allyphoe ! 
Depending on the recipe I have found that chicken breasts work fine if I do a quick browning on the breast pieces (I tnd to prefer my chicken breast meat in either chunks or tenderloin size - as opposed to a big piece of chicken breast) using saute on the Instant Pot. Lightly sear them, then add in the other ingredients - seems to keep them more tender and give them good color than the blah boiled chicken look!
We’ve made fried rice a couple times, and the flavor is really good. Anyone have any tips for keeping the grains from getting a little mushy? Maybe that’s not the right word, but I’m used to the grains retaining a bit more of their natural shape at Chinese restaurants.
I’ve made quinoa and it was very fluffy. Less liquid???
There are only two of us but we just upgraded to the 8-quart and will be gifting our son with the old 6-quart. We don’t eat meat yet still find we need to keep the IP on the counter because we use it so much. It makes perfect spaghetti squash in three minutes (cook time), and we love the mushroom risotto. We make a lot of soups and stews in it and wanted the larger capacity for freezing the larger portions for even easier leftover meals.
Saw this this morning and while it definitely falls in the comfort food group and not the healthy dinner group I have to save it because I know my H would love it.
http://www.thecreativebite.com/pressure-cooker-pork-loin-stuffing-gravy/
I love Thai basil chicken in it. Just google instant pot thai basil chicken and you’ll find a bunch of recipes. Chicken thighs (can sauté them first, or not) can of full fat coconut milk, red curry paste (our grocery store caries it) perhaps a little chicken broth, fish sauce, brown sugar, pea pods, red bell peppers… serve over rice and is so yummy!
Instapot on sale today at black friday sale price on Amazon ($70 instead of $100)
Has anyone every done a bone-in turkey breast (like a 6 or 7 lb-er) in their IP? Any tips?
@Hoggirl I have not done one but this was just on my Facebook IP recipes page https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/instant-pot-turkey-breast/. If you read through the notes you can see the discussion on bone in and liquids.
And I’m looking for a spaghetti and meatballs recipe…but all the online ones I’m finding use frozen meatballs. I just want to make my own.
@Singersmom07 - thanks! I think I’ll try the 6 minutes per pound as indicated in a commment - plus a little extra. I bought mine today frozen. Hoping it will be thawed enough to cook by Sunday - what do you think? It’s a bone-in at 5.63 lbs. Package says to thaw in the fridge 1 - 3 days. That will be three days! The only time I ever cooked a whole turkey (not just a breast) for Thanksgiving, it was a horrible disaster! I had thawed it out for exactly the longest time indicated on the package, only it hadn’t completely thawed. So, it didnt’ finish baking in the time I had allowed for, and all the rest of my Thanksgiving meal was cooked. I had to keep it warm for about an hour and a half while the bird finished and it was all so stressful and everyone was starving! I have had a fear of cooking any kind of turkey ever since! I had a great butcher where we lived before and would just have him do it, but I don’t have that now. Doing a trial run on just a breast before Thanksgiving arrives - only four of us here.
@Hoggirl, general consensus is that you use the same time but it just takes longer to come to pressure. Some guides add some time, but the great thing about the instapot is that if it is not done, you can just close back up and set for more time. Also, there are 2 great Facebook groups one for Instant Pot Community that has all kinds of Q&A and the other Instant Pot Recipes Only.