Instant Pot® Red Beans and Rice

Instant Pot® Red Beans and Rice

Okay everyone, I have jumped on the Instant Pot® bandwagon. The IP can defrost, sauté, pressure cook, slow cooker, steamer and warming pot. I have only made 4 dishes n it, but I’m pretty sure that I am in love. The Instant Pot® is so easy to use that I already have 2 recipes to share. 

I was worried that the short cooking time would mean that these didn't have the rich flavor that comes from slow cooking. No worries. In fact, I think the flavor was more complex. I also preferred the texture of the beans to those that were boiled for ever. They were completely cooked, but were not falling apart. Instead of being mushy, they were creamy.

You need to know some things before using your Instant Pot®. Find a place to use it that is not under a cabinet or near a wall. The IP releases steam and will warp wood. Also, when a recipe says 9 minutes of cook time (as this one does) that isn’t including the time it takes the pressure to build or the time it takes it to release. The more liquid you have in the pot, the longer it will take to build up pressure and to release it. I have found that it takes about 10 minutes to get going and about 20-25 to wind down. When you are done you can put the lid on the top shelf of the dish washer and the pot on the bottom. Easy cook! Easy clean! No worries!

If you don't have an Instant Pot®, here is my conventional Red Beans and Rice.

Servings: 6

Hardware: A cutting board and knives, measuring spoons and cups, an Instant Pot®, a wooden spoon, a potato masher

Time: Active time: 15 minutes; Cook: 9 minutes; Beans in about an hour (this doesn’t include soak time)

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces red beans, rinsed and soaked
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• ½ pound andouille smoked sausage
• 4 ounces onion (1 cup)
• 1 baby bell pepper-2 ounces- (½ cup)
• 3 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning (I use Tony Chachere’s)
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 cups chicken stock

•  3 cups of hot, cooked white rice, diced green onions and hot sauce

1. Pick over the beans and place them in a large soup pot. Cover them in cold water, place a lid on the pot, and soak them for at least 8 hours or over night.  Drain the beans and discard the soak water. Set the beans aside. You can probably skip this step and just add 5 minutes to the cook time. But I didn’t do that and so can’t really say.
2. Wash the onion, celery, and garlic and roughly chop them.  Remove the seeds and white ribs from the bell pepper and chop it.
3. Cut the smoked sausage into 1-inch coins.
4. Heat the olive oil in the Instant Pot on sauté.
5. Add the onion, garlic, celery and green pepper to the Instant Pot. Stir and allow the onions, etc to sweat for 4-5 minutes.
6. Add everything else to the pot. Close and pressure cook on high for 9 minutes. Allow the steam to naturally release. That means that you just leave it alone until the metal float falls.
7. Remove the bay leaves and use the potato masher to mash up some of them. Serve over rice. Offer your guests green onions and hot sauce for garnish