Home Economics 113: Instant Pot Cookery
JUNE 2020
Join us this month as we learn to use our Instant Pots. I feel this is particularly important now that most of us are staying home, cooking more meals at home, and now that we have less ingredients on hand (due to grocery stores being limited and dangerous to visit).
This is a beginner course, and you must own an Instant Pot to get the most benefit from it.
SYLLABUS:
Introduction:
Now that we’re all cooking at home more due to the coronavirus situation, let’s take time to learn how to use our Instant Pots. I was intimidated by mine and it sat unused in a corner of my kitchen for a few months until my friend Courtnee came over and showed me how to make a simple chicken dinner in it. We’ll take a look at the history of the Instant Pot, explore some of the fans, bloggers and YouTubers devoted to teaching us about it, and start practicing and experimenting with our Instant Pots. We’ll share stories of success and failure with the meals we’ll make this month, and we’ll learn about resources, books and recipe sources to help us plan meals going forward.
Textbook:
Instant Pot Manual for Your Model
WEEK 1: June 1-7 – History of the Instant Pot; Introduction to the Instant Pot; Beginners Guide; Troubleshooting; Rice
Discussion:
Participate in at least two discussions this week in the Facebook group for this class.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/homeeconomics113/
Homework:
Get your Instant Pot out of the cupboard, clean it up and get it ready to go! Perform a water test on it if you haven’t recently. Sniff the sealing ring and see if there are any lingering smells to get rid of. Get out any Instant Pot cookbooks you may have purchased (or organize your Instant Pot recipe bookmarks).
Make a pot of rice (whether brown, white, jasmine, wild, etc). If possible, upload a pic to the discussion group and share your comments on how your rice turned out.
Readings:
Bon Appetit: The Instant Pot’s Master Plan to Invade Our Kitchens
CNBC: How Instant Pot Became a Kitchen Appliance with a Cult Following
Engadget: The Superfans Behind the Instant Pot Hype
NBC News: Buying an Instant Pot? Here’s What You Need to Know
NY Times: Inside the Home of Instant Pot, The Kitchen Gadget That Spawned a Religion
101 Cookbooks: Instant Pot Starter Guide
Kristine’s Kitchen: Instant Pot Beginner’s Guide
Instant Pot: Initial Test Run (Water Test)
Instant Pot: How to Use Quick Release and Natural Release
IFoodReal: Instant Pot Guide
Food Network: Things We Learned From the Instant Pot Community
Taste: The Instant Pot Cult is Real
Taste of Home: 6 Important Instant Pot Safety Tips
CNet: Safety Tips Every Instant Pot Owner Should Know
Videos:
Paint the Kitchen Red: Instant Pot Quick Start Guide (3 mins)
Paint the Kitchen Red: Instant Pot Water Test (3 mins)
Paint the Kitchen Red: Instant Pot Burn Message (9 mins)
The Typical Family: How to Deglaze Your Instant Pot (3.5 mins)
Six Sisters’ Stuff: Instant Pot 101/Beginners Guide (10 mins)
Six Sisters’ Stuff: How to Clean Your Instant Pot (9.5 mins)
Six Sisters’ Stuff: 13 Reasons Why Your Instant Pot Won’t Work or Pressurize (7 mins)
Six Sisters’ Stuff: Instant Pot Don’ts (6 mins)
Tried, Tested and True: 26 Things to Never Do With Your Instant Pot (12 mins)
Well Done: How to Use Your Instant Pot: A First Timer’s Guide (14 mins)
Kristen Pound: Instant Pot Brown Rice (4 mins)
Helen Rennie: Instant Pot Sushi Rice (7 mins)
Six Sisters’ Stuff: How to Make Perfect Instant Pot Rice (White Rice, Brown Rice, Wild Rice) (4 mins)
Just One Cookbook: Instant Pot Steamed White Rice (4 mins)
Extra Credit:
Smithsonian Magazine: A Brief History of the Crock Pot
WEEK 2: June 8-14: Pressure Cooking; Basic Beans and Rice; Eggs; Potatoes
Discussion:
Participate in at least two discussions this week in the Facebook group for this class.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/homeeconomics113/
Homework:
Readings:
The Atlantic: The Instant Pot Will Not Solve All of Life’s Problems
The Kitchn: Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice
Mashed: Mistakes You’re Making With Your Instant Pot
The New Yorker: The Butter Chicken Lady Who Made Indian Cooks Love the Instant Pot
Videos:
Instant Pot: How to Use Your Instant Pot as a Pressure Cooker (13 mins)
Green Healthy Cooking: How to Cook Eggs in the Instant Pot (5 mins)
Indigo Nili: Instant Pot Baked Potatoes (6 mins)
Nom Nom Paleo: Instant Pot Crispy Potatoes (4 mins)
Kristen Pound: Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice (9 mins)
Stephanie Manley: Instant Pot Refried Beans (5 mins)
Cook with Manali: Instant Pot Mexican Rice (1 min)
Karen Anne’s Kitchen: Instant Pot Spanish Rice (4 mins)
Shirey Life: Easy-to-Peel Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs (7 mins)
WEEK 3: June 15-21: Soups, Chilis and Sides; Entrees; Meat; Veggies
Discussion:
Participate in at least two discussions this week in the Facebook group for this class.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/homeeconomics113/
Homework:
Readings:
Bon Appetit: I’m a Professional Chef and I’m Proud to Say I Love My Instant Pot
Bride Magazine: 12 Vegetarian Instant Pot Recipes
Bustle: The Instant Pot Understands the History of Women’s Labor in the Kitchen
Don’t Waste the Crumbs: Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
Fast Company: The Psychology Behind Instant Pot’s Monster Success
Dinner at the Zoo: Instant Pot Chili
Food52: Instant Pot Beef Stew
Food52: Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Food52: Melissa Clark’s Instant Pot Chili
The Kitchn: Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
The Kitchn: Instant Pot Pasta Primavera
The Kitchn: Easy Instant Pot Pulled Pork
The Kitchn: 5 Easy Instant Pot Recipes That Seriously Upgrade Mac and Cheese
The Kitchn: Instant Pot Turkey Chili
Videos:
Cooking with a Little Spice: Instant Pot Ranch Chicken Thighs (2 mins)
IFoodReal: Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes (11 mins)
IFoodReal: How to Make Beef Stew in an Instant Pot (7 mins)
Indigo Nili: Whole Frozen Chicken in an Instant Pot (6 mins)
Jennifer Freitas: Frozen Chicken Breasts in the Instant Pot (5 mins)
Six Sisters’ Stuff: Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings (10 mins)
Six Sisters’ Stuff: Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie (6 mins)
Six Sisters’ Stuff: Instant Pot Beef Stew (6 mins)
WEEK 4: June 22-30: Baking with Your Instant Pot; Advanced Instant Pot Techniques; Experimenting with your Instant Pot; The Instant Pot Air Fryer
Discussion:
Participate in at least two discussions this week in the Facebook group for this class.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/homeeconomics113/
Homework:
Readings:
Flux: How to Safely Travel with an Instant Pot
Food52: Instant Pot Cottage Cheese
Food52: Instant Pot Homemade Yogurt
Food52: Melissa Clark’s Instant Pot Chocolate Bourbon Lava Cakes
The Krazy Koupon Lady: 12 Instant Pot Hacks That Will Make You a Better Cook
NY Times: The Instant Pot – Why Cooks Love It
Ottawa Citizen: The Inventor Behind Instant Pot Is Coming for the Rest of Your Kitchen
PR Newswire: Instant Pot Debuts Family of 10 New Must-Have Small Kitchen Appliances
Salon: How the Instant Pot Cake Maker Works
The Today Show: Instant Pot Releases an Air Fryer
Videos:
CNBC: How Instant Pot Became an Amazon Best Seller (7 mins)
Cooking with Jack Show: Instant Pot New York Cheesecake (8.5 mins)
The Ginger Optimist: How to Make a Cake in the Instant Pot (7 mins)
Indigo Nili: Instant Pot Banana Bread (11 mins)
Jennifer Freitas: Instant Pot Cold Start Yogurt (4 mins)
Six Sisters’ Stuff: 8 Must-Have Instant Pot Accessories (5 mins)
Six Sisters’ Stuff: Instant Pot Rolls (7 mins)
Six Sisters’ Stuff: Instant Pot Apple Dump Cake (3 mins)
Twin Cities Adventures: Instant Pot Wine (18 mins)
WatchMiCook: Boxed Cake Mix in an Instant Pot (7 mins)