13 of the Best Paleo Instapot Recipes for Your Pressure Cooker (2024)

FAQs

What foods should not be cooked in an Instant Pot? ›

While they are invaluable when it comes to braising, stewing and transforming tough cuts of meat, and cooking ingredients like dried pulses from scratch, pressure cookers are less successful with delicate foods like fish or green veg, as they use such a high heat.

Any dish that requires 30 minutes or more on the stovetop will usually work well cooked in an Instant Pot. Soups, stews, bean dishes, and whole grain recipes all fit that bill.

Foods containing dairy, like milk, cream, or yogurt, should not be pressure-cooked. The high heat and pressure can cause dairy products to curdle or separate, ruining the texture, taste and flavour of the dish. Cooking fried foods is a strict no no, when it comes to pressure cookers.

Mostly we boil potatoes in a pressure cooker, but like rice, potatoes also contain a lot of starch. This is the reason why boiling or cooking in this pressure cooker is not considered good for health. If you still plan to use cooker for the same, add a lot of water and wash them thoroughly post cooking.

However, starchy foods may form acrylamide, a harmful chemical, when pressure cooked. Consumption of this chemical on a regular basis may lead to health issues like cancer, infertility, and neurological disorders.

In fact, many renowned chefs have sung the praises of pressure cookers. Heston Blumenthal has written extensively about their stock-making abilities, while chefs like Jamie Oliver and Tom Aikens have demonstrated their effectiveness on their shows.

Instant Pot: The Modern Marvel

The Instant Pot, often hailed as the modern marvel of kitchen appliances, has revolutionized the way we cook. It's a multi-functional device that combines the features of a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, and sauté pan.

Here are my preferred cooking times for rice in the pressure cooker: Brown rice: 20 minutes on high pressure for firm rice, or 22 minutes for softer grains. White rice: 15 minutes on low pressure for firm rice, or 17 minutes for softer grains.

You can still pressure cook leaner pieces – like eye of round and top sirloin – but these work best if they've been stuffed, shredded or rolled (with other ingredients). Best cuts of beef to use: Chuck steak, Round Roast, Shoulder, Pot roast, Ribs, Brisket, Oxtail.

Can you use oil in a pressure cooker? ›

To be clear, you can use a small amount of oil (one to two tablespoons) to saute using your Instant Pot — in fact, most models even have a specific mode for that. But, under no circ*mstance should you ever fill your Instant Pot to the brim with cooking oil and use it as an improvised deep fryer.

The pressure cooking process breaks down tough meat, making it tender. Put the lid back on, seal the pressure cooker, and cook at high pressure for another 10 to 20 minutes.

Yes, electric pressure cookers like the Instant Pot are generally safe and easy to use.