Kitchen

[SharkE]

Yikes ! I can't get over the 'raw' factor.

• 3 pound chicken: 18 minutes on high pressure
• 4 pound chicken: 24 minutes on high pressure
• 5 pound chicken: 30 minutes on high pressure
• For every pound add 6 minutes, for every half a pound add 3 minutes to total cooking time for whole chickens.

[Sooner]

@SharkE  Chickens cook faster than you'd think in a pressure cooker.  My advice is to experiment.  Start with a fresh thawed chicken of the size you usually cook.  Follow the directions for the Instant Pot to the letter including how much liquid and the correct times, AND the method to release the pressure.

When it is supposed to be done, open the pot and test the chicken with an instant read thermometer to see if it is done to your likeness.  If it isn't done enough, put the lid back on and give it another 5 minutes!

If you don't have a really good accurate reading instant read thermometer Thermoworks has a wonderful Pop Thermometer on their website.  They are great, aren't that expensive considering how much you use one (me almost daily) and they come in RED.  

In my freezer I have four frozen whole chickens I got at Whole Foods on sale for a great price!   We cooked one Sunday in our Instant Pot and it was wondeful!  I have no idea how long I cooked it, but it wasn't as long as you did. 

[Tigriss]

Once you get over the shortened cooking times, you realize pressure cooking is much faster for many things.

[Sooner]

---

@SharkE wrote:

Finally used my TSV red I Pot. Put  in a 3lb chicken just big enough for chicken and dumplings and pressure cooked on High for 45 minutes.

Bird was tough. Bird had been frozen , though, for months in freezer.

I thawed it out, but, think it was a tough bird

Above there where it says 'less, normal, more' is that for when your browning meat? (sauteing) I noticed when I set my  pressure mode to

'High' that 'normal' option lit up too. Guess it's suppose to do that when

you choose the saute option. Surprised  it lit up when I chose pressure cook

---

@SharkEYou brown meat on saute or brown settings (different on different pc's).  High and low are for the pressure--high or low pressure.  Less, Norman and More are to adjust the time.  I also found this bit on the net after I posted my first response to  you and I assume by "frozen chicken" they are talking about parts like breasts or thighs.  

The poultry button is only 12 minutes on high pressure, intended for uncooked chicken in small portions. Larger chicken pieces will require up to 25 minutes to reach a center temperature of 165°F. I use an instant read digital thermometer for every piece of meat I cook. Using a thermometer will help you nail your cooking time. Frozen chicken usually takes 25 to 35 minutes depending on size and thickness. Cooking chicken can be a bit of a trail-and-error process at first. Remember that you can always finish cooking an undercooking piece of chicken by using sauté mode. Press the ‘adjust’ button to crank the sauté mode up to high if you want.

[SharkE]

Thank you for all your responses think the 'Instant' part of the Instant Pot

is to instant for me LOL I'm used to Farberware pressure cookers and Cook's Essentials.

Maybe that's why they call it 'Instant" LOL Think it's fine for young folks who work and just want food FAST. I can take my time and used to longer times, etc.

I'm gonna put in a pretty good size chuck roast soon, brown it first in oven then pressure cook hope it takes longer then 5 minutes. LOL

Maybe I'm not suited for the Instant Pot LOL

[shoesnbags]

@SharkE  Some good advice here - I just want to add the one thing that kept occurring to me as I read your post.  Are you sure that you added enough liquid, the amount specified in the recipe or in your Instant pot booklet?  That's the only thing that seems like it could cause tougher meat other than as you said, being too long in the freezer. 

I had a Cuisinart electric PC and never could get the hang of it.  I find that my Instant Pot is so much easier to use.  But I do use a recipe every time, to make sure I get the amounts of liquid and the cooking time right.

[SharkE]

Yeah, used half can of chicken broth maybe a little more. I knew the chicken would make it's own broth, also.

[Icegoddess]

@SharkE, I don't have the IP, but I picked up a magazine awhile back that was Instant Pot recipes.  The only time I saw More or Less mentioned was for the Slow Cook option.  Less corresponded to Low and More corresponded to High.  Don't know if that has anything to do with your machine or not.

[SharkE]

yeah, I got those on mine, 'Saute', means browning and think it means less brown, normal browning and high browning.

Just have to do my research and kick it into high gear learning how to use my latest new fangled toy.  Still think it's more for certain lifestyles. Fast, short on time folks.

[Mothertrucker]

I just did Huli Huli chicken..3 lbs of chicken thighs,, and they were large, there were only 5 in  3lbs from Sprouts..it took 13 minutes and not raw or rare in the least- Natural Release is important with the Instantpot..Too fast a release can make meat tough...