Today we’re going to master meats in the pressure cooker. I’ll reveal four secrets to marvelous meats and share my best tips while we make two recipes: a savory Spiced Beef Stew and an easy Chicken Cacciatore.
Welcome to Pressure Cooking School!
Getting tender, juicy, flavorful meats from the pressure cooker might seem like rocket science but it’s actually pretty simple. I’m going to share my four secrets to marvelous pressure cooker meats.
4 Secrets to Marvelous Pressure Cooker Meats
- Cut of Meat -The right cut of meat is essential. The pressure cooker is overkill for some cuts while it will tame others into tender juiciness.
- Liquid Amount – Adding too much liquid will drown your meat recipe into a stock. While too little will run the pressure cooker dry and turn your meat into a lump of coal.
- Cooking Time – Meat is easily overcooked in the pressure cooker so choose the right cooking time to avoid squeezing out all of the juice, moisture, and flavors.
- Opening Method – And, finally, even if you’ve followed all of the previous secrets and used the wrong opening method you’ll turn that tender perfection into a tasteless doorstop.
How do I know these secrets will work? I’ve already done everything I’m going to tell you not to do.
Let’s get into the details!
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I’m new to pressure cooking and the first dish I made was baby back ribs. I cup water, one rack of ribs and 25 min high pressure with natural release and 10 min at 450 in oven after I put sauce on to carmelize them. They were dry! My family not impressed. What went wrong?
As a quick guess, I would say too little water and too much cooking.
Check out this recipe.
You will see Laura specifies THREE cups water and 15-20 minutes cooking.
http://www.hippressurecooking.com/pressure-cook-meat-before-grilling-bbq/
As you are new to pressure cooking, I suggest you work through some of Laura’s lessons to get a better handle on how your PC works. Her recipes will be more reliable than event he ones that came with your pressure cooker. They are manufacturers after all. Not cooks.
I new to the instant pot. I made a rump roast & did as recipe instructed. The roast was moist but tough. I did buy the meat @ Walmart their black label angus. Can you tell me what I should have done differently?
Hi Joyce, can you tell me what roast recipe you followed?
Thanks,
L
I used the recipe that came with my pot
Joyce, I want to help you but I need more information. I just checked the online version of the Instant Pot recipe booklet, and there is no rump roast recipe in there:
https://instantpot.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Instant-Pot-Pressure-Cooker-Recipe-Book-North-America-December-11-2017-reference.pdf
I can’t really theorize about or explain what went wrong with your roast if I don’t know what recipe you used.
Ciao,
L
Did you mean adding too much liquid results in tasteless meat?what if its stock?in your book it calls for less than a cup of liquid for apple chops but i have an IP and dont know if its safe enough to do that little?i know you said in the vid that meat and fruit/veg contains water but i thought ip required enough thin liquid for safety so is less than a cup safe then?
Of course, when making stock the goal IS to have flavorful liquid and to squeeze all the flavor out of the bones and meat being used to make it. : )
Ciao,
L