Multicookers such as the GoWISE USA and Instant Pot Duo are hugely popular; however, most recipes are unreliable or are designed to work in only one model of multicooker–and most often, they use only the pressure-cook setting. Enter Multicooker Perfection, a collection of foolproof recipes tested and developed to work in any multicooker and conform to your schedule. Make each recipe “fast” using the pressure-cook setting or let dinner cook while you’re out by preparing it “slow” on the slow-cook setting.
These crowd-pleasing recipes are perfectly suited for cooking at the touch of a button, from soups and stews like Easy Beef and Barley Soup and Chipotle Pork and Hominy Stew; to weeknight-friendly meals like Braised Chicken Breasts with Tomatoes and Capers, Ziti with Sausage Ragu, and Thai Braised Eggplant; to company-worthy dishes like Tamarind Braised Beef Short Ribs and Osso Buco with Sweet and Spicy Peperonata. Plus, you’ll find a chapter of unexpected recipes like Boston Brown Bread, Buffalo Chicken Wings, and even a perfectly creamy Cheesecake. Make cooking easier and better with this must-have cookbook for any multicooker owner.
I swear, my favorite new appliance in the kitchen is my Instant pot. I wasn’t sure just exactly what I could make in it other than soups and stews. Well this cookbook changed my opinion of that! The incredible range of recipes really surprised me. Cheesecake, really?
One of the reasons that I grab America’s Test Kitchen cookbooks is the way they explain everything. And I do mean everything! If there is something that you need to do different, they not only tell you “how” to do, they explain “why” you need to do. It makes following their recipes so much easier.
So if you’ve got an Instant Pot, grab this book. No, they didn’t rate the Instant Pot the highest, but every one of these recipes is doable if you follow the instructions. One of take away’s that I got from it is that anything you can do in a Slow Cooker, you can do in an Instant Pot!
Carrie 4.0 out of 5 stars
America's Test Kitchen's Recipes Are Worth Trying
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2018
Verified Purchase
Having actually used a jiggle-top pressure cooker, and learning that early electric models were hardly reliable, I waited a long time before trusting the wave of acceptance as serious. It appeared to have a learning curve, so I reviewed several multicooker cookbooks. And then I saw America's Test Kitchen MP handbook. I have ATK's Food Processor Perfection and now use my machine regularly. When MP arrived I devoured it from cover-to-cover. It was a disappointment to learn that my machine didn't even come in second in the rating tests, but affected recipes did recommend how to adapt for the shortcoming of the brand due to temperature issues. I'd only tried hard-boiled eggs in my new cooker, so now turned to serious cooking using the North Carolina-Styled Pulled Pork recipe and was delighted with the result. (I also realized why one should order additional silicone gaskets when the results remained so fragrantly evident, even after careful washing.) Yesterday I made Macaroni and Cheese - YUM!
I like the "why this recipe works" lead-in, the occasional suggestions for variations, adjustments for cooker size differences. and the photos that accompany nearly every recipe. This book makes clear that, as long as the user follows the basic multicooker user's manual, it's difficult to make a mistake in the kitchen so feel free to adjust seasonings, etc. (I often include Pimenton de la Vera DOP by El Rey in savory recipes because of its lovely smokey flavor.) I definitely recommend ATK's Multicooker Perfection, even if its recipes are primarily based on a discontinued machine. They actually work on all multicookers.
Della M.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Cookbook for Experienced Cooks
Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2022
Verified Purchase
Get this for the professional amateur cook in your life! The one who should use Dewey decimal system for their spice collection.
I love the directions include steps for slow cooking or pressure cooker (…ahem, instant pot) for every recipe. Also photos for every dish. The recipes are delicious, which is to be expected, it’s americas test kitchen after all!!
I’m passionate about food and cooking, and I don’t mind investing 2+ hours in the kitchen on a weeknight. I am not everyone…
Objectively - this and most ATK cookbooks are NOT for people who want quick, simple meals, new to pressure cooking, or novice chefs. (fellow ATK fans are nodding their heads, admiring the gleam of their All-Clad).
While their recipes are fantastic, the ingredient list and steps can be daunting. Most recipes are not “throw it in the pot, stir, and forget it”. Recipe instructions occasionally require finesse or sheer grit that comes with experience. Such as coring 2 lbs of plum tomatoes for fresh tomato sauce, (pg 93). Not rocket science, but certainly not as easy as popping open a can of Cento San Marzano tomatoes.
Good Food, Good Meat, Good God, Let's Eat! 