[Update Aug 24, 2014: I have just been told that this Instant Pot can be bought at the SuperStock on Las Americas in Cuenca.]
In 2002, it seemed that I should learn to cook. I won’t go into the whole story here, but there were tears — of WTH, joy and laughter — in the process of those first months. Suffice it to say that we are still alive, so I didn’t poison us. Once it was determined that I really could boil water, Evelyn declared that I was the Official Johnson Family Cook. She had cooked for the first 30 years of our marriage, so it is now my turn for the next 30. I am 12 years into my practice session so far.
On our first extended trip to Ecuador in 2012, we discovered there are some differences to cooking here. First up was the dearth of spices I was accustomed to using. That was easily solved by buying a ton of spices in California prior to returning to Ecuador. Of course spices get stale, so will need to be replaced at some point, but we are already seeing some of those spices showing up in the local stores, only a year later. I expect that most of what I use will either be available by the time I need to refresh my supplies, or I will find local alternatives.
Since we now live at an altitude of 8250 ft, we expected some cooking times would need to be modified. Instead I have found a couple tricks that let us cook just as if we are at sea level. When I boil water, I now add some salt, which raises the boiling point of water, bringing it closer to the sea level boiling temperature. I also find that if I cover the pot while cooking, the completion times are pretty much the same as at sea level without the cover. Problem easily solved.
The last problem was the most difficult — the meat here is pretty tough and not very tasty. It was a surprise to us in 2012, but I was determined to find a solution.
Enter the Instant Pot! We bought this on Amazon and put in our container being shipped here, without ever trying it in California. This is an electric combination pressure cooker, slow cooker, and rice cooker.
I have now made three recipes over the past two weeks with it, and the results are stunning! First up was a slow cook chili. I took a standard internet chili slow cook recipe, added a lot more fresh chili, hot sauce and cayenne pepper, and let it cook for 6 hours. Turned into one of the best chilies we have had — definitely a keeper for my recipe book. (Actually I use A Cooks Book app on my Mac)
Next up was a slow cooked stew. Meat here is tough, as I’ve said, and stew meat is always so. Another slow cook recipe modified from the internet (I added carrots, potatoes and chilies), cook for 6 hours, and an excellent meal.
Last night was the capper though. We haven’t had good BBQ ribs since coming here, so I decided to try our magic Instant Pot for a pressure cook recipe. First time I have ever used a pressure cooker.
Evelyn stopped by the deli that had been recommended by friends, and bought 3 pounds of a St Louis cut of ribs. The recipe was:
- Put ribs in pot in a circle, standing on end
- Pour in 1 bottle of Hunt’s Honey BBQ sauce
- Pour in 1/2 cup water
- Turn on pressure cooker for 50 minutes.
That’s it. Took 5 minutes to prepare, 50 minutes to cook. Fall-Off-The-Bones ribs that were fantastic! I’m in love with that Instant Pot! ☺