Multi cookers come with a whole range of different functions to help you create almost anything in the kitchen. Great as this may be, it is often difficult to know where to start! With functions ranging from slow-cooking, roasting, steaming, and braising to frying, baking, sautéing and more, there’s a seemingly unending array of options when it comes to creating dishes using one of these.
The best thing about these cookers is that their pressure cooking function allows them to prepare food far more quickly than would be possible in a normal kitchen. You can create meals on par with those from a slow-cooker in greatly reduced amounts of time, without any danger of burning or drying out your food. This is because your food is cooked using water and moisture.
So, what are the best dishes to cook with these multifunctional machines? Here, we will take a look at some of the best multi cooker recipes out there.
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Pork Recipes
Pork is notoriously difficult to cook. So often, the fear of undercooked pork can leave you with a horrible tough piece of meat that nears on inedible. If you’d love to create perfect pork dishes at home, then a multi cooker could be just the thing for you.
Multi cookers with a pressure cooking or slow cooking facility are great for cooking delicious, melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork. On a slow cooker setting, this can take up to 4 hours, whereas on a pressure cooker setting it can be done in as little as 30 minutes.
For the perfect Sunday roast, a multi cooker with roasting and stewing facilities can help you to serve up succulent roast pork in under 1 ½ hours. Not only does this mean no more worrying about tough meat, it also saves you valuable space in your oven for Yorkshires, potatoes and veggies.
Beef Recipes
Beef is another thing that is incredibly easy to overcook. If you don’t catch it at the perfect moment, a beef stew can very quickly turn from a tasty meal with flaky pieces of meat to a tough and inedible dish.
However, multi cookers are masters at creating delicious one-pot beef dishes of all kinds. Using the pressure cooker setting on your multi cooker, you can create a tender and juicy beef stew with ease, within an astounding 30 minutes.
If you want to try something a little more exotic, then this beef barbacoa recipe is the ideal choice. This can be used to make delicious sandwiches or tacos for the perfect barbecue accompaniment or party snack in around 1 ½ hours.
Chicken Recipes
If you don’t have the patience for beef, then why not opt for chicken? This chicken barbacoa can be cooked in a mere 10 minutes – yes, you heard it right! For those who are really strapped for time in the kitchen, this makes the perfect option for an easy yet adventurous meal.
If you just can’t get enough of crispy chicken wings, you could be creating them in the comfort of your own home using your multi cooker’s fryer setting, all in just 20 minutes! This is something that is usually difficult, messy and dangerous to try in the kitchen, but with a multi cooker it is made easy.
For something a little more sophisticated, this braised lemon chicken dish is perfect for date-night or for entertaining guests. With this multi cooker recipe, you can whip up perfect fall-off-the-bone chicken that is sure to wow anyone who eats it.
Seafood Dishes
Many people shy away from cooking seafood at home simply because they don’t know how. As fish and seafood can be expensive to buy, we are often cautious when it comes to cooking it as we don’t want to waste it. However, with a multi cooker, you can cook perfect seafood without worrying.
This slow cooker seafood stew is packed with flavour and provides a great alternative to the meat dishes laid out above. You can use any kind of seafood that you like, although scallops, shrimp and crab come recommended.
If you’re terrified of cooking shellfish, then take a look at these easy multi cooker recipes that will allow you to master the art at home. With recipes ranging from chili prawns or razor clams in black bean sauce to mussel and potato rice, you can really whip up a seafood storm in the kitchen. Other recipes include miso poached salmon, braised catfish and slow cooker soy-ginger steamed pompano – seafood really is the best medium with which to test out all the different settings on your multi cooker.
Vegetarian Dishes
Multi cookers should not solely be reserved for the carnivores, as they are also more than capable of creating a whole range of sumptuous vegetarian meals too. Veggie food lends itself well to one-pot cooks, with anything from stews and curries to pasta dishes and soups on the menu.
Check out this link for vegetarian recipes including curried vegetable and chickpea stew, spinach and ricotta lasagne and even pizza primavera. By adding plenty of spices and garlic, you can create an aromatic meal capable of winning over even the most fervent of meat lovers!
To get a taste of the exotic to warm you in the colder months, give this Southeast Asian slow cooked winter vegetable stew a try. With squash, coconut milk, chilies and coriander, this is sure to get your taste buds buzzing.
Side Dishes
Not to be forgotten are the many delicious sides that can be created using your multi cooker. You can fry your own crispy French fries in a matter of minutes with this simple recipe. You can also experiment with herbed garlic mash potatoes or simple steamed potatoes for the perfect accompaniment to meat or fish.
For something a little more health-conscious, multi cookers are excellent for steaming fresh vegetables, which keeps all of the important nutrients locked in.
With such a wide range of delicious and adventurous recipes available for multi cookers, you can really widen your scope in the kitchen and bring out your inner chef.