No other kitchen appliance has caught our attention in recent history like the Instant Pot, so why not try it on some of our southern favorites? Spoiler alert: The results are, of course, delicious.
When the Instant Pot first came out, I was skeptical. It promised to be a game-changing device that was a slow, pressurized cooker, while having what seemed to be a thousand other functions. In addition to lacking counter space, I really wasn’t in the mood to be disappointed once again with a product that promised to make my life easier and didn’t deliver.
But I was completely wrong about the Instant Pot and it has become my favorite cooking tool to prepare tasty and delicious recipes in no time. Here are 14 classic Southern foods to prove it.
Instant shrimp and grits
The secret to this recipe is the ingenious technique of cooking the grits in a bowl on top of the sauce, which eliminates the need to stand and whisk for 45 minutes and makes the grits infuse with the aromas of the salty sauce below. Better yet, this recipe is essentially a pot meal, so you can enjoy your warm, cozy dish without a mountain of dishes in the sink.
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Instant Pot Barbecue Pork Shoulder
No knives required for this crazy easy BBQ pork recipe: After you simply season the meat and combine everything in the pot, you have ultra-tender pork that basically crushes itself. Hold the stew liquid to add to almost anything for a bump of fleshy, smoky flavor; Stir it in grits or mashed potatoes, or cook it in a lip-licking sauce.
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Instant Pot Berd Greens
Sitting on the stove for hours to make cabbage will be a distant memory when using an instant pot: using pressure in a humid environment creates fast, perfectly tender vegetables in just 20 minutes. Don’t forget to add rendered bacon fat; It will bring smoky richness that will complement sweet brown sugar and acidic vinegar.
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Instant Pot Spinach Dip Dip Dip
Artichoke sauce is a sure treat for the public, but you’ll be sure to surprise people when you tell them you made the whole dish in 15 minutes. Traditionally, sauce is made on the stove or in a slow cooker, but using the pressure cooker function of an instant cooker only requires five minutes of cooking time.
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Instant Pot Jambalaya Jambalaya
cooked in the instant pot is the best way to enjoy this hearty dish on a busy weeknight or to feed a crowd on game day. Tasso adds just the right amount of smoke and spices, but if you can’t find it near you, opt for smoked ham.
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Instant Pot Klush stew with onion and jalapeños
Using a pressure cooker or instant cooker to cook vegetables makes them taste like they’ve been simmering for hours, but 15 to 20 minutes is all you need. This recipe works just as well on the stove; Just simmer everything until the greens are tender.
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Instant Pot Grillades and
Grits Grillades and grits
is a classic New Orleans brunch dish that consists of braising meat medallions in a rich stew of peppers and red wine. Creamy grits are the perfect complement to tasty stewed grills, capturing the essence of both breakfast and lunch in the same bite. You can always make a traditional stew on the stove, but an Instant Pot will reduce hours of cooking time for this dish. As soon as you close the lid of the instant pot, start the semolina; The two must be ready at the same time.
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Instant Pot
Applesauce
At first glance, making applesauce
doesn’t seem like the most fun use of an Instant Pot, and to that I would say, try making this applesauce and get ready to change your mind. This recipe is based on a combination of sweet and sour apples to blow any applesauce you find in a jar. This applesauce is also a tasty side dish to pork, duck, pancakes and French toast.
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Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff Beef stroganoff
is usually made with a finer cut of meat, such as beef tenderloin or sirloin. Since we’re using the Instant Pot as a time saver, you’ll want to find a cut that doesn’t harden in a wet cooking environment. This means looking towards the steer’s working cuts, such as stew, chuck or short ribs.
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Instant chicken and
meatballs
Many instant pot recipes require cooking chicken on the bone and then pulling the meat out of the bone. Instead, use boneless, skinless chicken thighs that are less likely to dry out to save time and an extra step. Do not replace boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
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Instant Pot Ranch Eggs
True ranchero eggs can take a long time due to the time needed to develop the deep flavors in a sauce that is meant to simmer for at least 2 hours. With an instant pot, you can significantly reduce the cooking time using the pressure cooker functionality of the pot. Traditionally, eggs in huevos rancheros are poached in the finished sauce, and you can do the same using the Instant Pot.
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Instant oatmeal with nuts
Oatmeal cut into steel carries a noticeably long cooking time; however, using an instant cooker reduces active cooking time to just six minutes at high pressure. This recipe illustrates the most basic ratio of liquid to oatmeal, simply using water and oatmeal, but you can substitute some of the water with milk or almond milk for more richness or flavor.
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Instant Pot Pork Green Chili
Where a red chili
may have a more robust, smoky flavor, green chili contains a bright, acidic punch from the tomatillos and is further enlivened with the addition of fresh cilantro. Using an instant cooker or pressure cooker will significantly reduce cooking time, making this a perfect weekday meal.
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the recipe
Virginia Willis
‘ Instant Pot Turkey and Black Bean Chili
This recipe from Virginia Willis takes a beloved classic and creates it fast and better than the original. Showing flavors like cumin, chili powder and cilantro – one bite of this and you may never make chili the old-fashioned way again.
