For several months now, we’ve been promising ourselves we would add an Instant Pot recipe to the blog. We had an aversion to using an Instant Pot, conjuring up horror stories of the unreliability of stove top pressure cookers of yore. Visions of uncontrollable steam and jiggling pots on a hot stove and the potential for a geyser type eruption at any moment made us wary. Then Joan’s daughter wanted one of those new-fangled electric Instant Pots for Christmas one year and assured Joan that it was perfectly safe. We were intrigued. Elizabeth was delighted with her gift and sang its virtues. With seven different functions, including the ability to make rice and yogurt and with a slow cooker function to boot, we thought it worth a try.
The result: a fabulous array of dishes made simpler and finished quicker than stove top versions, saving loads of time in the kitchen. Projects like making your own beans or chicken stock were done in, well…an instant. We’ve included one of our favorite instant pot recipes here. We have made this several times to rave reviews. And since our blog is nearing its end, no time like the present. The recipe below is a winner, but there are two amazing Korean short ribs recipes we’ve tried. We’ve taken the liberty of linking to this second recipe, which uses a Korean spicy, sweet pepper sauce called gochujang, a wonderful ingredient that’s worth introducing into your cooking. But first, here’s a quick and foolproof recipe for Korean Short Ribs served with a refreshing Cucumber Relish.
- 1 cup light soy sauce
- ¼ cup mirin
- ¼ cup sake
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- ½ cup peeled and chopped daikon radish, optional
- 1 Asian pear, peeled, cored and sliced
- 1 red apple, peeled, cored and sliced
- 4 garlic cloves
- 4 pounds bone-in short ribs (I use boneless also, just as good)
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 4 large Yukon gold potatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 1 medium carrot, large dice
- 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, chopped
- 1 cup rice cakes, the disc-shaped variety used for soup, optional
- 1 cup beef or chicken stock
- Cucumber Relish
- The cucumber relish cuts the richness of the stew with a refreshing brightness.
- 2 scallions, green part only, sliced thinly on the diagonal, plus additional for serving
- 1 hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 to 2 teaspoons gochugaru (coarse Korean hot pepper flakes) or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, plus additional for serving
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- Kosher salt
- In a blender, blend the soy sauce, mirin, sake, black pepper, daikon radish, Asian pear, apple and garlic until smooth.
- Rub the short ribs with the vegetable oil and season with ample kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set a large cast-iron pan over high heat, and, when very hot, sear the ribs until golden-brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Only sear as many ribs as will fit comfortably in the pan; work in batches if necessary. Resist the urge to turn the meat before each surface has formed a crust. Trust us, it will pay off in the end! Drain the seared ribs of their fat. (you may do this step in the instant pot on sauté. We just find it faster to do in a larger fry pan.)
- Instant pot: Place the seared meat at the bottom of an instant pot. Add the potatoes, onion, carrot and mushrooms on top. Cover with a layer of rice cakes then pour in soy sauce mixture and stock on top. The sauce may have settled, so give it a good stir before pouring.
- Use stew setting and manually set time to 45 minutes. Use natural release. This will insure tender short ribs.
- Remove short ribs from pot. If sauce is too thin, add a tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in a couple of tablespoons of water and put instant pot on sauté for a few minutes to thicken.
- Slow cooker: Layer ingredients the same as for the instant pot. Cook on the slow cooker's low setting until the meat is fork tender and falls off the bone, about 6 hours.
- Stove Top: Alternatively, if not using either an instant pot or a slow cooker, no worries. Sear the meat in a Dutch oven, drain the fat, and layer in the vegetables, rice cakes, sauce and beef stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the meat is fork tender, about 2 hours.
- Here are a few ways we made this short rib stew our own. Feel free to be creative with ingredients you have on hand:
- • Sake is best, but you can use white wine in a pinch.
- • Substitute cubed butternut squash and mushrooms for the potatoes and carrots and dried mushrooms. This is a surprisingly wonderful substitute for potatoes and carrots and makes for a lush and delicious stew.
- • Substitute leeks for onions. We find this adds a subtle deliciousness to the stew.
- To make cucumber relish:
- Toss the scallions, cucumber, rice vinegar, gochugaru, sesame seeds, granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt and remaining tablespoon sesame oil in a medium bowl and cover and chill until ready to serve. Pass the relish at the table.
Like you, I have been a “hold out” for getting one of these “new-fangled contraptions” However, too many gals in my exercise class have raved about the Instant Pot. I therefore succumbed and purchased one, and I really do like it! Thank you for including a yummy Instant Pot recipe. Request: Please consider some that are vegan (insert smile with wink here). Thank you! ~ Ann L
Ahhh, you know I am a “Pothead” I now have 4 plus my Vortex plus airfryer.
We cook in it nearly every day
From cheesecake to beef and broccoli. Beef stroganoff to brownies. Pasta, rice, veggies
I cant remember the last time I turned on my oven.
Thank you for posting an IP RECIPE!!
We’re completely inspired by your conversion to instant pot cooking. You must share a recipe with us. Hurry, we’re heading toward the exit.
This post was meant to inspire reluctant instant pot owners or potential owners. Jump in. The water’s fine. You can always come over for a lesson. I have lots of recipes, vegan I’m sure, to share. Got a great sweet potato and coconut soup recipe. Is that vegan?