The Soul Food Pod Episode 2: Is An Instant Pot Worth Having?
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Is an Instant Pot worth having?
On this episode of The Soul Food Pod, host Shaunda Necole dives into the world of Instant Pot cooking for Southern soul food recipes.
With the ability to replace several appliances and cook a full meal in under 45 minutes, Shaunda breaks down the various functions and settings of the Instant Pot, including pressure cooking to lock in flavors and intensify the taste.
Shaunda’s step-by-step guides teach you how to enhance your cooking with Instant Pot for soulfully seasoned meals. Plus, she provides valuable tips, such as the importance of cooking with liquid to avoid overcooking or burning your food.
Shaunda also introduces Instant Pot’s family of appliances, from air fryer lids to the Instant Pot oven and Star Wars-themed pots.
Finally, she reveals that on her wish list is Instant Pots designed by The Soul Food Pot!
Tune in to this episode for an instant boost of confidence to easily cook Southern soul food meals!
The Instant Pot revolution: how one appliance changed the game for Southern soul food
What do Sarah Jessica Parker (SJP) and Sex and the City have in common with an Instant Pot?
The answer: Shoes in the oven.
“Are you kidding me? I use my oven as storage.” -Carrie Bradshaw
Do you agree with SJP?
In this episode about how to use Instant Pot, Shaunda talks about her love for the acclaimed TV show, Sex and the City (revived as, And Just Like That…) and how she relates to (SJP) the main character Carrie Bradshaw’s lack of cooking skills, but highlights how using an Instant Pot can make you a seasoned cook and elevate any dish!
In fact, Shaunda reveals that you won’t need an oven much when you have an Instant Pot because this revolutionary appliance even includes a function for baking!
Then she tells us more about her favorite appliance and how it replaces several others, including rice cookers and slow cookers.
Shaunda Necole takes us on a journey through the world of Southern soul food cooking with her secret weapon – the Instant Pot.
Being a cookbook author and a food and lifestyle blogger by profession, she answers the question, “Is an instant pot worth having?” as she shares her experiences and numerous tips on how the Instant Pot can be used to create effortless and delightful meals.
Shaunda is incredibly passionate about the Instant Pot and describes how it can replace several kitchen appliances while intensifying the flavors of broths, seasonings, and spices.
She provides step-by-step guides and cookbooks, which include information on seasonings and spices to help you become an expert in Southern soul food cooking with the Instant Pot.
The episode ends with Shaunda answering frequently asked questions about cooking with an Instant Pot and providing information about other Instant Pot family appliances.
What does an Instant Pot actually do?
Straight outta the episode transcript:
“I want to talk about one of my favorite subjects: How to use Instant Pot!
So many of my family, friends, and you Beautiful Soul readers of TheSoulFood Pot.com always ask me,
“Is an Instant Pot worth having?”
And “What does an Instant Pot actually do?”
I love sharing how to cook flavorful and delicious Southern soul food meals with Instant Pot. Classic recipes reimagined via Instant Pot. The same Southern comfort food and seasoned buttery-rich flavors in a fraction of the traditional time.
And there’s so much to share about this revolutionary cooking method!
So if you’re serious about saving time, money, and feeding your family with high-quality meals that don’t require stewing over a hot pot all day… Then you’re in the right place. So stay tuned, right here!”
Where to listen to the podcast:
What you’ll learn in this episode:
Shoes in the oven?
- Shaunda Necole, cookbook author and food and lifestyle blogger, relates to Sex and the City and Carrie Bradshaw’s lack of cooking skills, but how an Instant Pot makes cooking much easier.
Southern soul food expertise
- Shaunda is an expert on authentic soul food and runs the world’s number-one soul food website, The Soul Food Pot.
Cooking with Instant Pot
- Shaunda answers the question, “Is an Instant Pot worth having?” by talking about how the Instant Pot replaces several appliances, including rice cookers, crockpots, slow cookers, and steamers, and can even be used for baking!
Flavorful Southern soul food meals
- Instant Pot’s pressure cooking function intensifies flavors – ideal for Southern soul food recipes.
Other Instant Pot family appliances and FAQs
- Information on other Instant Pot appliances
- FAQs about cooking with an Instant Pot
Is an Instant Pot worth having? FAQs
Check out these frequently asked questions about unlocking flavor with the Instant Pot and cooking authentic Southern soul food with the Instant Pot pressure cooker.
1. What is an Instant Pot?
An Instant Pot is a multi-functional, electric pressure cooker that replaces several kitchen appliances, including rice cookers, Crockpots, slow cookers, and steamers.
2. How does an Instant Pot work?
An Instant Pot’s pressure cooking function intensifies the flavors of broths, sauces, seasonings, and spices, making them ideal for Southern soul food recipes.
3. What are the benefits of using an Instant Pot for Southern soul food cooking?
Instant Pots make it easy to create flavorful and delicious Southern soul food meals, and the pressure cooking function cuts down traditional cooking times from hours to minutes!
Instant Pot Cooking Times
How to cook with Instant Pot is one of my favorite topics!I wish everyone knew how easy Instant Pot cooking is for busy households – one-pot… straight to plate!Print my helpful Instant Pot cooking times chart to always know how long to let meats, seafood, vegetables, eggs, rice, grains, and beans pressure cook inside the pot.
Check it out!
4. How many Instant Pots does Shaunda Necole have?
At the time of this episode, Shaunda Necole has six Instant Pots – and still counting!
5. What are some tips for cooking with an Instant Pot for Southern soul food dishes?
Shaunda provides step-by-step cooking guides and cookbooks to help with Instant Pot cooking, including information on seasonings and spices.
Instant Pot For Beginners
New to Instant Pot?And are you feeling not so hip to the PC (pressure cooker) lingo, terms and tips?No worries – I gotchu with Instant Pot for beginners!No more feeling like you’re not a part of the conversation while OG Instant Pot Heads seemingly talk in EPC (electric pressure cooker) code.
Check it out!
6. Can an Instant Pot be used for baking?
Yes, an Instant Pot can be used for baking.
7. What examples of Southern soul food dishes can be made in an Instant Pot?
Southern soul food dishes that can be made in an Instant Pot include collard greens, black-eyed peas, oxtail, and gumbo.
8. How does the Instant Pot save time in meal preparation?
The Instant Pot is a multifunction cooker, replacing several kitchen appliances and combining them into one to save time and effort in meal preparation.
9. What other Instant Pot family appliances can be used for Southern soul food cooking?
The Instant Pot family includes several other appliances, including air fryers, Dutch ovens, and convection ovens that can be used for Southern soul food cooking.
10. What are some frequently asked questions about cooking with an Instant Pot?
Some frequently asked questions about cooking with an Instant Pot include how to release pressure, how to clean an Instant Pot, and how to adjust cooking times for different ingredients.
How To Use Instant Pot - Should the Instant Pot valve be up or down?
Instant Pot introduces a new generation to pressure cooking and shows people how to instantly cook a healthy meal!This guide is for you whether you recently bought a new Instant Pot or you’re already using it.I’ll also answer frequently asked questions with helpful Instant Pot user tips. Starting with --> Should the Instant Pot valve be up or down?
Check it out!
Instant Pot mastery: the ultimate guide to cooking soul food with ease
Links & resources mentioned in the episode:
Best Instant Pot Comparison Guide
Don't have an Instant Pot? Get yours now & enjoy all the benefits!Which Instant Pot is best for you?Use this Instant Pot comparison guide for info and ease in purchasing your next Instant Pot appliance!
Check it out!
Episode transcript
Did you enjoy this episode of The Soul Food Pod about is an Instant Pot worth having?
Do you have one?
Would you use one?
Comment below and lemme know.
Then subscribe HERE for all the soul food!
The Ultimate Soul Food Recipes Guide
What is soul food? Soul food recipes are African-American recipes full of flavor! A legacy of Southern cooking the Black way. Check out this collection of the best soul food recipes!
Check out this recipe!
Like this post? Pin the below image to your Pinterest “Soul Food Recipes” board!
Servings: 8
Calories: 143kcal
Equipment
- Instant Pot electric pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 1 pound black eyed peas dried
- 6 cups chicken stock use vegetable stock for vegans & vegetarians
- 1 cup red onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon thyme dried
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon vegans & vegetarians use a Creole seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup collard greens finely chopped, fresh or pre-cooked (optional)
Instructions
- Open the Instant Pot lid and pour the chicken stock into the stainless steel inner pot.
- Add the black-eyed peas, onion, garlic, bay leaf, paprika, red pepper flakes, thyme, chicken bouillon, salt, pepper, collards, and bacon.
- Stir the ingredients to combine.
- Make sure the beans are soaking and covered in the liquid broth.
- Close the Instant Pot lid (make sure the valve is up – in the position for sealing) and pressure cook on high for 15 minutes.
- When the cooking time is finished, allow a natural pressure release for at least 10 minutes.
- To open the Instant Pot lid, move the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release any remaining pressure, if applicable.
- Remove the bay leaf and serve this Black folks Southern soul food black eyed peas recipe right away, and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 704mg | Potassium: 400mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 390IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg
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