Instant Pot Jacques Pepin style Potatoes and Pesto Chicken

If you've met my husband, then you'll know he's more of a meat and potatoes kind of guy.  If you've eaten with my husband, you'll also know that although I wouldn't call him a picky eater, he's fairly vocal about what he loves and will tell me if something's not his favorite.  (Respectfully of course - he just really loves food, and his food choices reflect that.)  I'm here to tell you that THESE POTATOES are his favorite.  They are SO easy.  They involve a little more work than some other potato recipes, but they're a heck of a lot easier than...oh...say...scalloped potatoes.  For that reason, I secretly love that he's deemed these his new favorite.

Dawn's Instant Pot Jacques Pepin-style Potatoes

Wash up some small potatoes.  I've used Baby Creamers, small red potatoes, and small golden potatoes with success.  Throw the potatoes in your IP, pour in 2 cups of chicken stock, add 2 Tablespoons of butter, and salt & pepper.  You *can* add whole garlic cloves if you wish, and I highly recommend it.  I like to do 4 huge garlic cloves or 8 normal size.  Seal the pot, make sure the valve is closed, set your IP manual High Pressure for 3 minutes.  

 As soon as it is finished, quick release the pressure.  (Otherwise your potatoes will explode and not be nearly as pretty.)  Remove the potatoes to a greased baking sheet (but leave the garlic in the liquid), and gently flatten them slightly.  They will each "pop" just a little.  (I use the flat side of a meat tenderizer, but you could just as easily use the bottom of a glass.)  Brush them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper (and garlic powder if you want.)  Slide them into a 425 degree oven or under a broiler (but pay attention) just to give them a little color, crisp, and depth of flavor.  Keep an eye on them, because if you cook them too long, they'll get rubbery and not be the creamy goodness they should be. 

 While your potatoes are in the oven, turn your Instant Pot to Saute and reduce the remaining chicken stock, "melted" garlic, and butter down until you have enough to toss the cute little 'taters in.  Remove the sauce, pour over the potatoes, sprinkle with parsley & Parmesan, and serve!

 Seriously, these are so good and go with ANYTHING....Well, almost anything.

Dawn's Instant Pot Jacques Pepin-style Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs Small potatoes
• 2 C Chicken stock
• 2 T butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• 4-8 Garlic cloves or garlic powder *optional
• Parsley and Parmesan for garnish

Cooking Directions:

1. Wash small potatoes. (Baby Creamers, small red potatoes, and small golden potatoes)
2. Place potatoes in IP
3. Add 2 cups of chicken stock, 2 Tablespoons of butter, garlic cloves, and salt & pepper to the IP.
4. Seal the pot, make sure the valve is closed, set your IP manual High Pressure for 3 minutes.
5. Once complete, immediately quick release the pressure according to manufacturer's directions.
6. Remove the potatoes to a greased baking sheet, and gently flatten them slightly. (I use the flat side of a meat tenderizer, but you could just as easily use the bottom of a glass.)
7. Brush them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper (and garlic powder *optional*)
8. Place into a 425 degree oven to slightly brown.
9. While your potatoes are in the oven, turn your Instant Pot to Saute, and reduce the remaining chicken stock, butter, and "melted" garlic down
10. Remove the sauce, pour over the potatoes, sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan, and serve!

I was really in an Instant Pot mood, and after I used it to make my potatoes, I also used it to make chicken thighs.  (Yeah, yeah, it's clear that I live near a Costco.  I'm not an affiliate for them.... I wonder if that's even a thing?  We tend to have a lot of Kirkland brand in our house.)

Instant Pot Pesto Chicken

Okay!  So, pesto chicken!  Again, this is super easy.  Like so easy that I had time to make a salad and butter some bread for sides while this magically cooked in my Instant Pot.
I used 8 chicken thighs (that's 2 packages from Costco, Ha!) and nestled them in my IP.  I mixed 1 1/4 cups of chicken stock, 3/4 cup of prepared pesto, 1/8 C Ranch, and some pepper and poured it over the top of the chicken.  I added 6 whole cloves of garlic and some fresh thyme from my herb garden.  (Read: pots on the back patio that I use to grow herbs.  It's too dang hot here to grow basil and mint in the sweltering sun.)  
Seal up the pot, make sure the vent is closed, set it for manual high pressure for 9 minutes. When it is finished, turn the pot OFF and let it naturally release pressure for 6 minutes.  Then quick release the remaining pressure.  Again, you can remove the chicken and use the saute function to cook down the sauce.  I served the chicken with some of the pesto sauce and freshly grated Parmesan.

Instant Pot Pesto Chicken

Ingredients:

• 8 Chicken Thighs
• 1.25 C Chicken stock
• .75 C Prepared Pesto
• 1/8 C Ranch Seasoning
• 6 Garlic Cloves
• Fresh Thyme
• Parmesan, freshly grated

Cooking Directions:

1. Place 8 chicken thighs in Instant Pot
2. Mix 1 1/4 cups of chicken stock, 3/4 cup of prepared pesto, 1/8 C Ranch Seasoning, and ground pepper
3. Pour over chicken
4. Added 6 whole cloves of garlic and fresh thyme
5. Seal the IP, make sure the vent is closed, set for manual high pressure for 9 minutes.
6. When it is finished, turn the pot OFF and let it naturally release pressure for 6 minutes.
7. Quick release remaining pressure.
8. Remove thyme stems and discard.
9. Remove the chicken and use the saute function to cook down the sauce as desired.
10. Serve chicken with the pesto sauce and freshly grated Parmesan.

Instant Pot Beef Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

Have you missed me?  I've missed you.  It's just been crazy busy, and I've been trying to really focus on being "present" where I need to be.  I feel like I have a bit of a better balance personally, and I'm excited to get back to blogging and share some things that friends and readers have been asking me about...a lot.

So...this whole Instant Pot craze?  (Or choose your brand of pressure cooker / multi-cooker.  I'm not sponsored by any of them, so it "makes me no nevermind."  *That was in my best Southern drawl.*  I'm from Texas, so it's a pretty serious drawl.  I once ordered "Sprite" at a drive through and got "fries." Spriiiiiiiiite.....friiiiiiiiiies apparently sound a little alike.)  I digress.  Yes, I really love my IP.  I use it for entrees, soups, rice, Jacque Pepin potatoes, yogurt, and more.

Confession:  I actually own two Instant Pots.  I have an 8 qt. that I use at home, and I have a 6 qt that we use in our travel trailer.  I might have a bit of an obsession.

That being said, yes, I *do* love to cook and bake, BUT...the whole purpose of the IP recipes are to make things a little easier and less work for those of us who don't have time or those that don't like to cook.  I'm hoping to share some of the recipes that I use in my kitchen to make this whole process a little less daunting.  (You need to read through your manual and understand the sealing, pressure release options, and safety measures.  I am not responsible for you using your specific model correctly.)  Confession #2: I owned an old school pressure cooker, but I *never once* used it, because it scared the bejeebers out of me.  Once you understand the IP, it's EASY (and not scary at all.)

So let's get to it!

Instant Pot Beef Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

"Sunday" Beef Pot Roast that doesn't take ALL. DAY. LONG.?  Yes, please!  There are a few tricks to make it TASTE like you spent all day on it, and it makes this IP recipe a little more involved than most of the others I'll share, but hopefully this helps you get comfortable with some of the features.

Gather your ingredients (or most of them at least...they aren't all pictured here.)  Pat your roast dry and generously season it with salt and pepper.  Put oil in the Instant Pot and select "Saute."  This part is important if you want it to taste like you REALLY invested time in your roast.  Yes, it's going to take some extra time, but I *promise* that it is SO worth it!  LET IT SEAR FOR AT LEAST 5 (to 8) minutes per side.  You want a dark brown "crust" on all sides.

OH!!!  Huge tip here (especially if you have a bigger IP like my 8 qt that's pictured): Get a set of LONG TONGS!  They are life-changing when working in the IP with hot oil and searing food.  My hands don't end up with 2nd degree burns if there's extra moisture that makes hot oil pop.  Drying the meat is important, but these help!  These are often used for grilling, but they are amazing when working in the IP, too.

 

Look at that crust!!!  Isn't it pretty?  It smells *so* good.  Remove the beef and set it aside.  Yes, the bottom of the pot looks like you should clean it out before you move forward, but PLEASE DON'T!  There's great flavor in there.  Throw your onions in, and as you saute them (yes, still...and you *may* have to press Saute again if you really sauteed all sides for at least 5 minutes.)  Scrape up the brown bits as the onions cook and help naturally deglaze the pan.  Again, I know this is longer than most IP recipes take, but in comparison to ALL DAY?  This is totally a win!  No, it's not a super-fast weeknight meal, but you can do it after you come home from a morning at church and a lunch out and still have it ready way before dinner time.  Once the onions are sauteed and really soaked up that meaty goodness at the bottom of the pot, add pressed garlic, tomato paste, bay leaves, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, beef stock, red wine (if using), and SOME carrots - not all of them, unless you like mushy carrots.  

These carrots are for flavor for now, we'll add carrots and potatoes later when it also gives you a fail-safe to check your meat. ;-)  I know, you're learning, and this is more stressful than you want it to be, but I've got you!  Set your pot to Meat, High Pressure, for 60-80 minutes.  (I do 80 minutes if I have the time.)  You'll get to check your meat before you "commit" to your veggies.

Confession #3: Guys, I'm nervous!  I haven't blogged in so long.  Blogging has changed in that time, and I'm hoping that you are enjoying this.  PLEASE tell me what you love, what you miss/want, and what *ugh...yes* even what you don't want that I'm doing.  The overwhelming response to my personal Facebook post makes me realize how many of you WANT to see these, but I want to make sure that I'm sharing the pieces you want. 

Get 1/4 Cup of cold water and add 2 T of cornstarch.  Swirl them into a slurry in a small saucepan.

When you hit the 60-80 minutes, you can Quick Release (turn the valve for the quick steam release.)  Again, if you have the time, natural release is actually preferred, but not mandatory.  Once it has released, open and add the small potatoes and 2 inch or "baby" carrots that you want.  Set on Manual High Pressure for 3 minutes.  Quick Release again when it's finished.

The top image (below) has the uncooked carrots and potatoes.  In the bottom image, you can see the carrots that I put in at the very beginning next to the ones I just added a few minutes ago.  The more brown carrots have been cooking for over an hour under pressure and disintegrate, but the more orange carrots are perfect!

You can ladle out a cup or 2 of your "juices" from the IP, and add them to your saucepan.  Heat on the stove and whisk.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Remove once it's thickened.  You have an amazing sauce for everything!  OR you can add the cornstarch and cold water mixture to your IP and select saute to do it right in the pot.

Serve your potatoes, carrots, beef, sauce, and fresh parsley.  So yummy!

Author: Dawn Earley

Instant Pot Beef Roast

prep time: 10 mins  
cook time: 2 hour  
total time: 2 hours and 10 mins

Ingredients:

• Beef Chuck Roast
• 1-2 T Canola Oil
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 onion, sliced into strips
• 5-8 cloves of garlic
• 2-3 T tomato paste
• 3 bay leaves
• Rosemary, minced
• 2 T Worcestershire sauce 
• 2-3 C beef stock (2 if using red wine)
• 1 C Red wine (if using)
• Small Bag of peeled and cut Carrots (divided)
• 15-20 Small potatoes (red, golden, or even fingerling)
• 1/4 C Cold Water
• 2 T Cornstarch
• Parsley

Instructions:

1. Pat your roast dry and generously season it with salt and pepper.
2. Put oil in the Instant Pot and select "Saute."  LET IT SEAR FOR AT LEAST 5 (to 8) minutes per side.  You want a dark brown "crust" on all sides.
3. Remove the beef and set it aside.
4. Add onions to the IP, and as you saute them, scrape up the brown bits as the onions cook and help naturally deglaze the pan
5. Add pressed garlic, tomato paste, bay leaves, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, beef stock, red wine (if using), and SOME carrots (just for flavor)
6. Set your Pressure Cooker to Meat, High Pressure, for 60-80 minutes
7. When cooking is complete, you can Quick Release (according to manufacturer's directions) or if time permits, natural release.
8. Add remaining carrots and potatoes.  Set the pot to Manual, High Pressure, 3 minutes.  (If you like your carrots more al dente, then only do 2 minutes.)
9. Mix water and cornstarch.  Set aside until the pot completes the 3 minutes of high pressure.
10. When the 3 minutes is complete, do a Quick Release of pressure.  Ladle 1-2 C of the cooking liquid into the saucepan with the cornstarch and water.  Cook and stir over medium heat until the sauce thickens.  OR* add the cornstarch and water mixture directly to the IP liquid.  Select saute and allow the sauce to thicken in the pot.
11. Serve roast, potatoes, carrots, sauce, and parsley garnish