Pressure Cooker

Pressure Cooker Steel Cut Oats

November 28, 2018 by laurenpacek Leave a Comment

These Pressure Cooker Steel Cut Oats are healthy, delicious, and endlessly customizable. Even better: they take hardly any time at all to make AND are almost entirely hands-off.

When making oatmeal for the week, my go-to recipe has been this one for Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats. The only downside to it is that it takes several hours to cook. When pressed for time one Sunday, I decided to try making oatmeal in the pressure cooker.

Just like the slow cooker method, this method is almost entirely hands-off. The resulting oatmeal is tender (but still has a nice texture) and is basically a blank slate. You can flavor your oatmeal and add whatever nuts and fruit you’d like. But without a doubt, the biggest benefit of using the pressure cooker is that everything cooks very quickly.

The proportion of oats:water was taken from The Kitchn; the method is based on my trial and error.

Pressure Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal

Prep Time

2 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Pressurization & depressurization

30 mins

Total Time

12 mins

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: American

Servings: 5 servings

Author: Lauren Pacek

Ingredients

For the steel cut oatmeal

1 1/4 cups steel cut oats
3 1/4 cups water
pinch kosher salt

For the toppings (optional)

milk of choice
sweetener of choice
nuts
fruit

Instructions

Spray the insert of your electric pressure cooker with cooking spray.
Add the steel cut oats, water, and salt to the pressure cooker.
Pressure cook for 8 minutes on high pressure. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
Top your oatmeal with whatever toppings you desire.

Recipe Notes

Notes: For toppings, I went with almond milk, brown sugar, sliced almonds, and pomegranate arils.

Have more time on your hands to prep for breakfast? Consider this Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oatmeal, instead!

Looking for other recipes to make in your electric pressure cooker? I gotchu.

This Pressure Cooker Chicken Ropa Vieja is tasty and versatile
Pressure Cooker Carnitas are a favorite in my house!
This Pressure Cooker Green Chicken Chili will help warm you up now that the temperatures are falling

Pressure Cooker Chicken Ropa Vieja

May 25, 2018 by laurenpacek Leave a Comment

This Chicken Ropa Vieja is so great for so many reasons. It’s super flavorful without being fussy in any way. It’s super versatile, too: serve it on its own, over rice, in a taco, and so on. The last option is a little less traditional, given that Ropa Vieja is a Cuban dish, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

It also comes together really quickly thanks to it being prepared in an electric pressure cooker. And since the weather is already too hot here in North Carolina, being able to whip this up in a pressure cooker is a double blessing in that you don’t have to worry about heating up your kitchen.

This is quickly becoming a favorite in my house. It’s up there with my Three Ingredient Slow Cooker Taco Chicken, Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken, and Pressure Cooker Carnitas. And that’s saying something, because I make and enjoy those three dishes a lot.

Fun fact: “ropa vieja” translates to “old clothes”! The dish gets its name because the shredded meat (usually beef, but in this case, chicken) resembles torn, old clothes. The more you know…

This recipe is adapted from one found on Budget Bytes.

Pressure Cooker Chicken Ropa Vieja

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

50 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Cuban

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tbs oregano
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
black pepper, to taste
15 oz. can of diced tomatoes
3 tbs tomato paste
kosher salt, to taste

Instructions

Mince the garlic and set it aside.
Slice the onion into half-moons and cut the bell peppers into strips. Set aside.
Place the chicken breasts in an electric pressure cooker. Top with the garlic, spices, and sliced onions and peppers.
Add the can of tomatoes (with juices) and tomato paste.
Place the lid on the pressure cooker and lock it. Cook for 25 minutes on high pressure. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
Shred the chicken with two forks. Salt to taste.
Serve the ropa vieja in a bowl, over rice*, in tacos, etc.

Recipe Notes

Notes: This ropa vieja is great served over my Cilantro Lime Rice!

Pressure Cooker Carnitas

March 30, 2017 by laurenpacek 7 Comments

You have no idea how close you are to eating delicious carnitas…

These Pressure Cooker Carnitas are the easiest, most delicious carnitas you will ever make. Depending on how much time you have on your hands, I’ve included instructions for how to make them in either the electric pressure cooker (e.g., Instant Pot) OR slow cooker.

You’ve got options!

FYI – this post contains affiliate links

So, just how easy is it to make this recipe?

So easy.

Basically, all you do is mix up a spice mix in a little bowl and set it aside for a sec. Cut your pork into chunks and toss ’em into the pressure cooker (or slow cooker). Rub the spice mix allll over the pork chunks with (clean!) hands. Squeeze some citrus juice over the top and walk away. It’s that easy.

From there on out, you follow the pressure cooker- or slow-cooker specific cooking instructions.

But once the meat is done, you’ll shred it up, put it on prepared baking sheets, and let it broil until some of the bits are crispy. Sprinkle with cilantro, and that’s it!

How should I serve these carnitas?

Follow your heart, baby. You can’t go wrong.

Eat them as the main course, stick them in a taco (corn tortillas, please), burrito it up… the list goes on and on.

BUT I will say that our favorite way to eat these carnitas is Chipotle burrito bowl-style. Toss some of this crispy yet tender pork in a bowl with some Cilantro Lime Rice and a variety of taco/bowl toppings (beans, cheese, guacamole, etc.), and you’re in business.

What inspired this recipe?

Well, I first found and made the original recipe for these carnitas about 5 (!!) years ago. The OG version is for the slow cooker, which is great if you have all day, or have the presence of mind to throw everything together before you leave for work.

Though I’ve definitely made these bad boys in the slow cooker numerous times, I’m not always on top of my game in the morning when it comes to meal prep. After receiving an electric pressure cooker for Christmas, I decided to adapt the recipe. That way, I’m able to have carnitas in a fraction of the time and I don’t have to have my act together early in the morning.

Using the pressure cooker to make carnitas has been a real game changer. Think about it: carnitas in less than an hour!!

The slow cooker preparation comes from Damn Delicious.

Pressure Cooker Carnitas

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican, Tex-Mex

Servings: 8 people

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic
2 onions, quartered
1 tbs chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
3-4 lbs boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
2 oranges, juiced
2 limes, juiced
fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Combine all of the spices in a small bowl. Set aside.

Instructions for pressure cooker

Cut the pork shoulder into 2- to 3-inch chunks.
Add the garlic cloves, quartered onions, and cubed pork to the electric pressure cooker insert. Sprinkle the spice mixture over everything. Using your hands, toss the garlic, onions, and pork around in the spices, rubbing the spices into the meat. Add the orange and lime juice to the pressure cooker.
Place the lid on and lock it. Cook for 25 minutes on high pressure. Depending on your preference, you can allow the pressure to release naturally or do a quick release.

Instructions for the slow cooker

Add the garlic cloves, quartered onions, and pork to the slow cooker. Sprinkle the spice mixture over everything. Using your hands, toss the garlic, onions, and pork around in the spices, rubbing the spices into the meat. Add the orange and lime juice to the slow cooker.
Put the lid on and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

Instructions for both preparations after meat is finished cooking

Now that the pork shoulder is cooked through, you'll want to crisp things up a bit. Preheat the broiler to high. Remove the pork from to a baking sheet lined with foil, and shred the meat. Spoon some of the juices and onions that are left over onto the shredded meat. Broil for 2-3 minutes.
Remove the sheet pan from the oven and toss the meat around a bit with tongs. Pour some more of the juices over the meat and broil for 2-3 additional minutes.
Remove from the oven, top with chopped cilantro, and serve immediately.

Looking for other tasty taco-ish recipes?

You know I’ve got your back!

What sort of equipment should I have on hand to make this recipe?

An Instant Pot!
Or a slow cooker, if that’s more your stye
These meat shredder “claws” are too funny and practical to pass up
A citrus juicer (I love this one and use it all the time)
I like to serve my carnitas up with some kitchen tongs
Good quality baking sheets are a must
Heavy duty aluminum foil comes in handy when broiling the carnitas; it will cut down on cleanup time and effort!

Pin this recipe for later!

Pressure Cooker Green Chicken Chili

January 30, 2017 by laurenpacek 8 Comments

This Green Chicken Chili is super flavorful and a little spicy. Best of all, it comes together quickly in the pressure cooker!

This post contains affiliate links.

Like so many others out there, I received an electric pressure cooker for Christmas! Based on my observations on various social media channels, I know that the Instant Pot was a very popular present to give and receive. My parents picked up this Farberware model for me.

I’m just a little bummed that I waited this long to start using an electric pressure cooker. They’re so convenient! I love that you can throw an entire meal in there and have it on the table in like half an hour, with hardly any effort on your part.

This chili is as convenient as that, too. Just sauté some vegetables right in the pressure cooker before adding the rest of the ingredients, locking the lid, and stepping away. A little more than half an hour later and you have a seriously delicious chili. I’ve made it twice in the past two weeks. And since there are only two of us in the house, we get to have leftovers throughout the week. Perfect.

Pressure Cooker Green Chicken Chili

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Pressurizing & pressure release

25 mins

Total Time

50 mins

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Author: laurenpacek

Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil
1 onion diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced, seeds and ribs removed (leave the seeds and ribs for a spicier chili)
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 - 4.5 oz can diced green chiles
1 - 15 oz can green enchilada sauce
1 - 15.5 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken broth,
1 cup frozen corn kernels,
salt and pepper, to taste

Optional toppings

shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream/Greek yogurt
tortilla chips

Instructions

Add the olive oil to your electric pressure cooker insert. Using the sauté/brown function, heat the oil and cook the onions, garlic, and jalapeño for 3-4 minutes. Add the cumin and oregano and sauté for another minute or two.
Add the chicken thighs, diced green chilis, enchilada sauce, cannellini beans, chicken broth, and frozen corn to the pressure cooker insert. Place the lid on and lock it. Cook for 25 minutes on high pressure. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
Open the pressure cooker and remove the cooked chicken thighs to a plate. Shred with two forks and return to the chiil. Taste, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle into bowls and top with cheese, sour cream/Greek yogurt, and crushed tortilla chips (we like multigrain), if desired.

Recipe Notes

Notes: A few readers have mentioned, via Facebook and Reddit, that this chili is a bit on the thin side. You can feel free to reduce the amount of chicken broth that you use if you prefer a thicker chicken chili.