Schneider - The Essential Mexican Instant Pot Cookbook

In this book, it is my great pleasure to bring one of the worlds oldest cuisines to the modern cooking system that has already transformed home cooking: the Instant Pot.

Whether youre new to Mexican cooking or looking for your favorite dishes, in each chapter youll find authentic Mexican recipes made using traditional ingredients, with techniques and methods adapted to make the best use of the Instant Pot.

The stars of authentic Mexican cooking are slow-cooked braises and stews, which form the basis for many other dishes, from tacos to tamales to burritos. The Instant Pot dramatically speeds up the cooking process, transforming what used to take hours of work into delicious results in less than an hour.

Another frequently used technique in Mexican cooking is quick, high-heat reduction to intensify flavors. The Instant Pot will fry, simmer, and reduceand even make refried beans. It takes the guesswork out of tamales and cuts the cooking time in half. And the essential Mexican salsas come together in mere minutes. These are just a few of the ways the Instant Pot will bring great Mexican food to your table.

Even with forty-plus years of professional cooking experience, I find the possibilities of the Instant Pot exciting and eye-opening. I quickly became proficient at using my Instant Pots, which now have a permanent spot on my kitchen counter. I would take them to a desert island (hopefully, a lush tropical one, with lots of chiles).

The Instant Pot is the perfect convenience for people who live in the fast lane. Instead of relying on convenience foods, which really dont save time (and are made with who-knows-what), in minutes you can create a healthful, delicious Mexican meal made with quality ingredients that you control. With a little planning, you can keep your freezer stocked with the basics for a feast: broths, sauces and salsas, beans and soups, and savory main dishes.

The Instant Pot is remarkably versatile and fastwith delicious results. Use it to make soups, beans, and stews; cook rice and vegetables; steam tamales; and even bake cakes. It serves as a warming unit (which comes in handy if your family eats at different times) or a buffet server, and its smart enough to cook a dish for the correct amount of time and then keep it warm until you are ready to sit down for dinner.

Once you learn the different features of your Instant Pot, cooking will be so much easier. The pots preprogrammed functions and timer mind the cooking for you. No need to fuss over settings or adjust burners. Just press a few buttons and go!

So lets fire it up and make something amazing!

- Deb

The simple tips below will help you get acquainted with your Instant Pot and determine how best to use it for your needs.

Read the manual. Read your manual to familiarize yourself with the assembly, function keys, indicator lights, and the operation of the lid and steam release handle on your particular model. Put it together and take it apart a few times so you are confident handling the parts, especially setting and locking the lid and moving the steam release handle.

Cook safely. Read all safety instructions in the users manual. The Instant Pot builds pressure at a high temperature, so knowing how to safely release the hot steam and remove the lid is essential. The contents will also be extremely hot. Always err on the side of caution and allow the contents to both release all steam and cool slightly before handling. Use protective oven mitts or thick kitchen towels when grasping the hot inner pot. Never fill the inner pot more than two-thirds full with liquid or food.

Try it out. Choose a few simple recipes, such as Arroz Blanco (), and put it through its paces. After using it a couple of times, you will be ready to move on to more complex recipes.

Keep it clean. Thoroughly clean your Instant Pot after each use. Unplug the unit. Remove and wash the silicone gasket, lid, and inner pot with hot, soapy water, rinse well, and air-dry completely before reassembly. Clean the inside rim of the outer pot with a small, damp brush and damp towel so food does not accumulate. (Never put water inside the outer pot.) Wash and dry the small cup on the outside of the unit, which catches drips and condensation.

The front panel of the Instant Pot is where youll find cooking program and function keys, Warm and Cancel buttons, and an indicator panel that shows the pressure level and heat level and includes a timer. The panel will vary slightly according to your model, so consult your manual for complete directions on how to use and adjust the functions. The recipes in this book were tested on a 6-quart IP Duo Plus 60, IP Duo 60, and IP Ultra 60 but will work with any Instant Pot model.

Using the Instant Pot preprogrammed keys will always deliver excellent results. Nothing could be simpler than pressing the button that corresponds with the food you are cooking: Soup, Rice, Meat/Stew, and so on. Within most programs, you can adjust both time and pressure. But because I am a chef, I found myself sometimes using the Instant Pot more like a minikitchen and adjusting both times and function choices to achieve a particular result. As you grow confident, you may want to experiment.

The following are the cooking program keys used most in this book. For directions on using these and other keys, consult your manual. If you cant adjust a time in a preset cooking function on your model, switch to the Pressure Cook setting and adjust the time.

Cancel. Press the Cancel button to switch between different cooking functions (for example from Saut to Soup) and press the Cancel button at the end of all cooking cycles. It is also your reset button if you need to stop cooking for any reason or change the timing of a dish. (Most models have a multipurpose button marked Keep Warm/Cancel; see for how to use the Keep Warm function.)