A kitchen appliance that has taken a back seat with my cooking methods is the Instant Pot. Several previous posts may have mentioned my reluctance to use one and my inability to understand the “instant” part of this appliance. For example: ingredients may need sautéing, either in the pot or out, then once all ingredients are added, the pot needs to heat up, then do the “pressure cook,” and then cool down before removing the meal from the pot. Nothing instant about that process in my humble opinion.
What “food” cooking process would make a significant difference in time using the Instant Pot? One that jumped out at me was cooking dry beans. We grow Scarlet Runner Beans in the summer that we dry for year around use. I also like using dry beans (instead of canned beans) because they are so inexpensive and when home cooked have less preservatives and salt.
The trick when cooking dry beans is to achieve a tender bean. This usually requires overnight soaking, sometimes a pre-boil, and various extra cooking to tenderize the beans before adding them to a recipe. This can be time consuming.
Okay Instant Pot, are you up for the challenge?
These ingredients can be sautéd in the Instant Pot or separately. I chose to use a skillet to cook these up.
While the beans were cooking in the Instant Pot, I put the rest of the ingredients together.
Beans cooked and drained. Add back to the Instant Pot with remaining ingredients.
Oh so tasty beans – and with no pre-soaking! This method is especially handy when you have forgotten to pre-soak your beans overnight. 🙂 After using the instant pot to pre-soak my beans in about one-half hour as opposed to 8 hours, and then cook them to a tender deliciousness, I’m going to be using it a lot more often!
Ingredients
- BEANS
- 8 ounces dry navy beans
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ADDITIONS
- 2 slices turkey bacon
- 1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped
- Scant olive oil
- SAUCE
- 1/3 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/2 tablespoon deli mustard
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Cook beans, water and salt in the Instant Pot on manual (high) for 35 minutes. Allow the pressure to release before opening lid.
- While the beans are cooking, sauté the bacon, bell pepper and onion in a skillet with olive oil. Sauté until crispish.
- In a bowl add the bacon mixture to BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, vinegar and liquid smoke. Mix in brown sugar, and water. Mix well and pour into Instant Pot.
- Remove beans, drain, and rinse. Put back into the Instant Pot. Coat the beans with the sauce mixture.
- Put the lid back on the IP and cook on Manual (high) for 15 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
- Open the lid. The beans are ready to enjoy.
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