I’m not one to say everyone needs an Instant Pot. In fact, I fought the craze pretty hard and only gave in when mine was gifted to me by my very kind mother-in-law. Now I consider it one of my favorite small appliances, but it’s not because I use it for so many different things (I don’t) or because every recipe I’ve tried has been a hit (it hasn’t). I make stock in the Instant Pot, and those stocks have changed the game in my kitchen.
I make chicken stock, beef stock, and Korean beef stock in my Instant Pot regularly, and there are a few reasons I’ll never go back to store-bought versions.
Perks of Making Stock in the Instant Pot
The depth of flavor
I’m talking about soup recipes going from, “This is good,” to “I’d order this at a restaurant.” I can’t get that from the stock found in a carton. What I make in my Instant Pot is good enough that I can drink a cup of it on its own and feel satisfied.
The lack of waste
I buy a rotisserie chicken, use it for a meal, and cut the rest of the meat up to use on salads and in soups. The carcass and any meat I was too lazy to grab is used for stock. Celery tops, carrots that aren’t getting used, and the extra onions in my pantry can all be frozen for stock. I’m throwing fewer things away.
The money saved
I like that I don’t spend money on cartons of stock anymore, but can we also talk about the space saved in my pantry? I hate a crowded pantry.
The convenience
It’s nice knowing I always have stock available. Do you realize how many recipes call for it? A lot. The high fat content in homemade stock makes it melt really quickly when you add it to a recipe, so there’s no need to thaw ahead.
My Stock Method and Recipes
The nice thing about homemade stock is that you can’t really get it wrong. These are the recipes I use, but you’ll get a solid result from pretty much anything you throw in the pot.
Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook for two hours, and have the thing on top on sealing. The pot will take 20-ish minutes to come to pressure, so it’s not like your stock will be done in two hours. When it’s finished, do not manually release the pressure unless you want boiling liquid to go everywhere. (Ask me how I know.) It will take longer, but letting the pot naturally release is the way to go. Drain everything through a colander, and you’re all set!
Beef or Chicken Stock
Bones (Examples: chicken carcass, beef soup bones, or just whatever you end up with)
Carrots (2 medium)
Celery tops (1 bunch)
Onion with skin, halved
Garlic cloves with skin (2-3)
Generous pinch of peppercorns
Generous pinch of salt
Splash of apple cider vinegar
Fill the pot to MAX FILL line. Pressure cook 2 hours. Naturally release pressure.
Korean Beef Stock
My husband loves throwing together Korean soups or noodles on a whim, so having good stock in the freezer at all times makes him happy. Use this for any Asian recipe.
2 – 2.5 pounds beef shank (or soup bones or whatever you’ve got)
5 garlic cloves with peels
2-inch piece of ginger, halved
Medium onion, quartered (peel on)
5-7 green onions
2 1/2 tsp. salt
Generous pinch of peppercorns
Fill the pot to MAX FILL line. Pressure cook 2 hours. Naturally release pressure.
Enjoy!!
